Challenges and ideas about black males will be examined at the 9th Annual Black Male Leadership Think Tank: Defying the Odds.
Ricky Jones, author of Black Haze and What's Wrong with Obamamania?, will be speaking. Jones is an associate professor, past chair and director of the Center for the Study of Crime and Justice at the University of Louisville.
The Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity is the event's sponsor, along with the Black Student Cultural Programming Board. The event cost about $2,500 and will be supported with SAC funding.
It's very educational - it's cultural awareness - and you will hear a speaker where you'll get a lot out of it. It's open to entire campus not just geared to minority community
said Sam Freeman, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi and the event's coordinator. It's to give an understanding of what it's like to be a minority on a predominantly white institution as well as some of the struggles we go through in society as well as black leadership such as Obama.
Marco Maldonado, president of Kappa Alpha Psi, said Jones' topics will also include black fraternities and hazing.
Ricky Jones is actually a member of the fraternity. ... He seemed to be a perfect fit said Marco Maldonado, president of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Winsome Chunnu, associate director for the Multicultural Center, hopes that students will learn more about the issues pertaining to black males and leadership.
I hope our students will learn more about the challenges this group (African-American males) faces as well as understand some of the theoretical underpinnings
Chunnu said. Also
I hope (students) get a more sophisticated knowledge about these issues rather that what you see on TV in sound bites
because there's more to these statistics than what you see on TV.
Following Jones' presentation, there will be an open discussion for students, which Freeman hopes will bring the student community together.
I hope we can come together as a community and talk about issues which are taboo usually. And I hope once they walk out of those doors people are able to get a sense of cultural awareness and a sense of unity
Freeman, a senior studying marketing, said.
Chunnu said this event has attracted a large audience in the past, and Maldonado believes this year's audience will be larger.
I hope and I am confident that this will be a bigger audience than before. Last year we had great turnout
Maldonado, a senior studying marketing and business administration, said.
The event will be held in Baker University Center Ballroom tonight at 7 p.m.
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