{"id":220259,"date":"2023-03-08T15:43:07","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T20:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=220259"},"modified":"2023-03-13T09:47:33","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T13:47:33","slug":"montclair-hosts-symposium-on-achievements-of-black-and-latinx-males","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2023\/03\/08\/montclair-hosts-symposium-on-achievements-of-black-and-latinx-males\/","title":{"rendered":"Montclair Hosts Symposium on Achievements of Black and Latinx Males"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hundreds of education leaders and students gathered for Montclair State University\u2019s inaugural Male Enrollment and Graduation Alliance<\/a> (MEGA)\u00a0Symposium recently to address ways of\u00a0 improving educational outcomes for young Black and Latinx males. Educators, counselors and other higher education professionals from the Northeast, including Boston, Washington, D.C. and parts of Pennsylvania, attended the daylong event at University Hall.<\/p>\n

While professionals heard from a morning panel of experts about educational success of Black and Latino males including breakout sessions in developing resilience in Black men and stories of degree completion for Latinos, 100 or so high school students from Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties participated in the Symposium\u2019s \u201cscholars track\u201d at the Feliciano School of Business.<\/p>\n

Noting they are aware of the issue of \u201ccis\u201d and \u201cidentified\u201d Black and Latinx males lagging behind their white and female classmates, the educators focused on solutions to recruiting, enrolling and supporting through graduation from institutions of higher education. Speakers emphasized the need for genuine caring and investment in young men of color and their achievements because, as keynote speaker Terrell Strayhorn, an Illinois State University professor of Higher Education and Women\u2019s Gender and Sexuality Studies, succinctly put it: \u201cAccess without success is useless.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
President Jonathan Koppell speaks to attendees to the MEGA Symposium, telling them that Montclair State University is committed to solving differential outcomes in New Jersey and they are all part of the solution nationally.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell says the conference was \u201cas much about self-examination as it is about understanding differences in behavior or outcomes for the students.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says the more essential question is, \u201cWhat are we doing as a university and as a whole educational system that’s creating those different outcomes? Why do we always say that it’s about the learner, and we don’t look in the mirror and say, \u2018How could we be doing things differently to address those disparities?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

Montclair alumna Nicole Pulliam \u201905 MA, \u201914 PhD, a professor and director of the Social Justice Academy at Monmouth University who presented the session \u201cEmpowering Young Black Males Leadership Mentoring Program: A Catalyst for Retention, Access & Student Success,\u201d made a similar observation.<\/p>\n

Pulliam says it\u2019s important to keep in mind that \u201cpredominantly white institutions, historically, were not created for Black and brown people. That’s just a fact. So, that level of systemic oppression still exists even though some policies have changed. It’s really important for universities to do some intentional work around supporting Black and Latinx males in order to help them thrive, not just merely survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Six
The Success of Black\/Latino Males in Education included education, community and mental health experts, including Justice Studies Associate Professor Jason Williams, left, and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Junius Gonzales, right, who initially charged Montclair to examine male recruitment, retention and graduation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moderated by Justice Studies Associate Professor Jason Williams, the morning panel included educators in K-12, higher education and licensed psychologist Emmanuel Mercedes, founder and head psychologist of Your Wellness Space™, who addressed the need to create safe spaces for students and take their mental health and emotional well-being into account.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a society, we lack a comprehensive social structure to be able to take into account the mental health needs of our communities, more specifically, the mental health of men and men of color,\u201d Mercedes said. \u201cThe challenge is we are trying to put interventions in place, and we’re not taking into account how an individual’s emotional experiences, their thought process, their history of trauma and how that has affected their decision-making process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they do not feel safe in a place, they will act out. It doesn\u2019t matter if a place is actually safe, if they<\/em> don\u2019t feel safe. We know if someone doesn’t feel safe, they are not optimized to be learning,\u201d Mercedes continued. \u201cIf you want to help students, you have to take into account their mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

He urged attendees to: \u201cStart out with the assumption that everything we do is connected to our mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan Harris, residential academic success coach at Lincoln University near Oxford, Pennsylvania, led a session on his Dine & Discuss events, which give students opportunities to interact and network with faculty, staff, alumni and community members over dinner. As an attendee of other male-specific conferences, he had high praise for Montclair\u2019s event: \u201cI’ve been to some conferences that are three days long and haven\u2019t been as impactful as this one-day session,\u201d he said. \u201cI got a couple of great ideas that I want to implement after attending this conference, like right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harris added: \u201cIt’s a nice reminder that there are many other people in the world who are trying to also work through some of the same things and that you’re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bryan Porter of Newark who is also a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., said: \u201cAs an African American, just hearing some of the thoughts about resiliency for young Black men and also having an impact on them personally and professionally really resonated with me. I used to work in mental health too, so it’s good to see that that’s included.\u201d He and others in law enforcement led the session \u201cBlack & Blue: Uncensored Conversations with Law\/Legal Professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Students
Students listen to a panel of speakers as some of their counterparts get haircuts as part of the recent MEGA Symposium held for young scholars and education and community leaders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the scholars\u2019 track, a panel of young men shared advice on navigating college as Black and Latinx males, goal-setting and creating support systems necessary for success. As the panel spoke and answered students\u2019 questions, barbers gave free haircuts to the scholars in real time.<\/p>\n

Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Director Rahjaun Gordon, who led the track, said many students told him they were blown away by the barbershop setting: \u201cOne student said, \u2018It felt like I was at a barber shop having real conversations. It felt like home.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
Nicholas Casciano, who was among 100 male high school students who attended the MEGA Symposium, said it was a \u201cgood bonding experience.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Among the 100 or so scholars was Nicholas Casciano, a high school sophomore at BelovED Community Charter School in Jersey City. The event provided a \u201cgood bonding experience,\u201d he said, adding that hearing from Black and Latinx male college students \u201cgave me foresight into what I might be seeing, and helped me prepare and be ready for what\u2019s coming ahead.\u201d Casciano wants to go to college to study sports science and join a soccer or track team.<\/p>\n

Barringer High School sophomore Elijah Battle of Newark said he learned from the barbers that \u201cit\u2019s the people you surround yourself with that can make you better.\u201d<\/p>\n

The experience of being surrounded by Black and Latinx young men and adults, he said, made him feel seen. \u201cIt made me feel, not special, but chosen,\u201d said Battle, who has aspirations of studying mechanical engineering at NJIT.<\/p>\n

\"A
High school sophomore Elijah Battle said he felt seen and \u201cchosen\u201d when he attended the MEGA Symposium along with about 100 young Black and Latinx males.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Symposium was co-led by Daniel Jean, assistant provost for Special Programs, EOF and Academic Success, and Carolina Gonzalez, assistant dean for Administrative, External and Student affairs in the College of Education and Human Services.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday was a vision realized for the University,\u201d Jean said at the end of the event.\u00a0 \u201cWe are positioning ourselves to be the national leader for Black and Latinx male success at all levels, and we are very excited about the partnerships that were born today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gonzalez agreed: \u201cToday was an amazing, energizing and inspiring experience. This was an opportunity to gather in a community and have action-oriented conversations centered around issues that matter to all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event, which was sponsored by ETS and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education<\/em>, closed out with Jean inviting remaining attendees onstage for a commemorative photo. Later, Jean said: \u201cThe highlight for me was seeing over 100 scholars and 100 professionals come together and celebrate Black and Latinx male excellence. We\u2019re going to keep the MEGA initiative moving forward with very intentional, large-scale programs.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the Alliance will continue its work year-round, its next event will take place in the fall, when more than 300 Black and Hispanic high school students are expected to attend the second Future College Graduate Conference on Montclair\u2019s campus in fall 2023.<\/p>\n

Photo Gallery<\/h2>\n
\"Two
Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Director Rahjaun Gordon, left, and Assistant Provost for Special Programs, EOF And Academic Success Daniel Jean pose for a photo during the MEGA Symposium.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
Carolina Gonzalez, assistant dean for Administrative, External and Student Affairs in the College of Education and Human Services.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Many
Hundreds of Black and Latinx high school students, education leaders and professionals gathered at University Hall for the MEGA Symposium.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
In a rousing and emotional keynote speech, Terrell Strayhorn, Illinois State University professor of Higher Education and Women\u2019s Gender & Sexuality Studies, said that \u201caccess without success is useless.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
Some of the attendees of Montclair\u2019s first MEGA Symposium pose for a commemorative photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Story by Staff Writer\u00a0Sylvia A. Martinez<\/a>. Photos by\u00a0John J. LaRosa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You may also like: \u201cI Am\u2026Unstoppable\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n