Sinclair will be hosting a Black Unity Conference with the message of “It takes a village.”
The conference, according to Michael Carter, Senior Advisor to President Johnson, is about empowering people.
“We are hoping to achieve an attitude of empowerment and self-determination. In fact, attendees will get a postcard in which they will write their personal commitment of things they will do in the future to mail back to themselves in a few months,” Carter said.
Bobby Beavers, an Academic Advisor, said that the conference is going to address all needs in one venue, but with several different breakout sessions that will focus on specific issues.
“It is about the need to address the various needs of the Black family and Black community through a unified approach. We are emphasizing that “It Takes a Village”-our theme- to address the myriad of needs that the Black community faces,” Beavers said.
According to Beavers, they want to cultivate an understanding for the Black community in society.
“The goal is to offer multicultural keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, and entertainment which assist in fostering cultural understanding of the Black family, Black male, Black women and Black youth experience in a multicultural society,” Beavers said.
Beavers said that participants will be able to transform places into a positive place.
“As a result of the conference, the participants will be able to transform the village into a positive place; know what steps we can take to build a better community; know what the positive values are that bind our community together; be able to take action in helping to close the academic achievement gaps in our community; know how our people are mischaracterized and mislabeled; and know how to address diverse needs within our global community,” he said.
Beavers said that participants will be able to gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding for the problem that they face.
I trust that people will gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding that “it takes a unified village” to overcome the myriad of problems that face the Black community in the criminal justice system, education, economic development, finances, government, health, and politics,” he said.
The Unity conference is free and open to all. It will feature Dr. Monique Morris, the author of “Pushout.”
According to Carter, the breakout sessions will focus on health and wellness, men and women’s issues, government and politics and young adult issues.
This is the first Black Unity Conference that will combine the Black Women’s Think Tank and the Black Men’s Conference.
“As you know, this is the first Black Unity Conference, with the men and women, but we don’t want to forget the historical significance of these two great conferences,” Beavers said. “We aim to unite our collaborative efforts to address our issues together. We will have videos celebrating our many years of existence. This is the seventeenth year for the men.”
The event will start on Friday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m. and will start up again on Saturday, February 25 at 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor