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The Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males is excited to be hosting the Annual Black Males State Conference in the Indiana Government Center South. The conference will open with an evening reception on Monday, October 12 at the Columbia Club in downtown Indianapolis from 5pm-8pm and continue on October 13th with a full day of empowering sessions. The theme for this year’s conference will be Black Males Matter.
This event will be a statewide convening that will bring community leaders together to discuss strategies to support the lives of black males across Indiana. A few of the topics that will be addressed will be: criminal justice, education, employment, health and social factors.
Some of the featured speakers will include: Dr. Michael Twyman of the Your Life Matters initiative, Roderick Wheeler, City of Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, Senator Greg Taylor, Representative Vernon Smith, Willis Bright of Bright Visions Consulting, Patricia Roe of USA FUNDS, Dennis Lacewell of Chicago’s Urban Prep Academy, and Indianapolis Chief of Police Richard Hite.
Click here to view the latest conference agenda
ICSSBM Executive Director, James Garrett, states “The importance of Black Males Matter is extremely relevant today. Frederick Douglass once said, ‘Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.’ Today black males are experiencing much of what Mr. Douglass spoke of. The Black Males Matter conference seeks to engage community leaders, elected and appointed officials to share initiatives and offer recommendations to uplift and benefit black males.”
Activist, author and national speaker, Kevin Powell, will provide the featured keynote address at the event. Powell has authored 11 books on a variety of relevant political and social issues in our nation. He has also appeared on news outlets ranging from CNN.com and The Washington Post to ESPN.com and Vibe Magazine, and has had several speaking engagements including remarks at Stanford University and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Online registration is now open.
Click here to view the registration site. (ICSSBMconference.eventbrite.com)
A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided to conference attendees.
Discounted hotel rooms will be available for the night of October 12 at:
Marriott Springhill Suites
601 West Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204.
(317) 972-7293
