(BLOOMINGTON) – The City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Black Males (CSBM) invites middle school and high school aged males to attend a one-day Black Male Youth Summit in Bloomington on Friday, January 25, from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at City Hall (401 N. Morton St.).
The theme of the summit is “Celebrating Black Boy Joy: Creating Pathways for Success.” Rory G. James, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the Indiana University School of Public Health, will serve as the featured speaker.
Monroe County Community School Corporation will excuse registered middle school and high school attendees from classes during the hours of the summit and will provide transportation. Registration for the summit may be made free of charge at bloomington.in.gov/csbm, where registrants may also find permission forms. A complimentary breakfast, snack, and lunch will be offered during the event. The registration deadline is January 18.
At the summit, participants will be able to rotate among the following four workshops focusing on black male identity as it relates to academic and professional growth: Creating Pathways to Success, Persistence and Discipline, Achieving Success Beyond Middle School, and Achieving Success Beyond High School. Workshop leaders include Donté Miller, Ph.D. Student in Higher Education at Indiana University; Levon Williams, Graduate Fellow, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs; L. Julius Hanks II, Ph.D., visiting Lecturer, Sports Management Program, IU Department of Kinesiology; and Reuben Rifin, IU Associate Director Of Alumni Relations.
“Making sure all of our young people have the tools they need to succeed, and evaluating how well our education, social, and employment systems are promoting equity, are essential,” said Mayor John Hamilton. “The City is grateful for the participation of these esteemed leaders and for our school system’s support of this meaningful educational opportunity.”
The Summit on Black Male Youth is a CSBM project dedicated to championing fairness, high-quality education and both college and career readiness through community engagement and political activism. It is an effort to improve college access and success, especially for students from groups underrepresented in higher education, by strengthening pre-college preparation and transition to college. More broadly, the goals of the summit are to strengthen community ties among individuals working in education reform, civil and human rights, youth development, and related fields; and to reinforce collective impact by leveraging resources and effort.
Along with the students, parents/guardians and educators are encouraged to attend the summit, in light of their critical role in shaping a shared strategy for increasing learning skills and identifying measurable goals and a timeline to encourage and guide the academic work.
Registration may be made and permission forms completed at bloomington.in.gov/csbm or in the City of Bloomington’s Community and Family Resources Department, 401 N. Morton St., Suite 260. Forms can also be downloaded and mailed to the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department, P.O. Box 100, Bloomington, IN 47402.
