Student Center to host Black Leadership Empowerment Summit

As Black History Month closes on its final week, the Black Student Association (BSA) will host their Black Leadership Empowerment Summit (BLES) to educate students about professional development skills. 

BLES will take place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. Pre-registration is available but not required.

“Because of recent events like Ferguson, Black History Month is more relevant than it has been in years,” said Christine Davenport, BSA president. BSA has been trying to convey a sense of community and celebration of black culture and inclusion, Davenport said.

The BLES steering committee started planning in October during the first meeting. The committee set lofty goals, which have been achieved.

“We said in October, ‘Let’s try to have 200 students at BLES’," she said. "And we have 210 pre-registered. We said we were going to do it, and we did it."

The conference will cover many loaded topics based on race as well as have representatives from the Career Center there to build resumes, a DJ to keep the energy up and a talent show. The conference will be casual in dress and attitude, said Davenport.

“We’re talking about some pretty intense stuff," said Devante Gaines, member of the steering committee and coordinator of the panel. "One of our panels is called ‘The Misappropriation of Media: Why [the n-word] sells'. I do [use the n-word]. I don’t feel hindered by it. It’s a part of camaraderie. And honestly, it adds some substance. We chopped off two letters, added one and it’s for us.”

Other topics will touch on #BlackLivesMatter, the struggles encountered by people of color in a professional setting and tips for black students on handling micro-aggression while attending a predominantly white institution.

“There are things we just don’t know about each other. I mean, we all have questions. It’s like watching a black woman do her hair. She has to wrap her hair like a turban every night, and I bet most white girls don’t know that. It doesn’t make our lives easier or harder, just different,” said Gaines.

The keynote speaker for the event will be speaker and consultant Lasana Hotep. Hotep will be presenting his speech, “You’re Black, now what?: Being black in the 21st Century,” a discussion-based lecture on black identity developed through black history.

“Black History Month is the perfect time to talk about these topics because it’s a concentrated time set aside to focus on culture, and also the contributions that black society and icons have given us,” Hotep said.

Woods is looking forward to BLES due to its focus on recent events in the black community.

“It’s important because people think of things that have happened, and I think of all the good things going on now," said Maya Woods, BSA vice president. "People talk about MLK, but no one talks about the great people doing great things now."

A point of focus of the committee was to reaffirm that although the conference is hosted by BSA, it is not solely for African-American students. BLES has been planned with all students in mind, regardless of race, Woods said.

"It doesn't matter who you are, what color you are, come celebrate with us," she said.

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The use of cellphones, camera, and many other recording devices will not be permitted into the event space. Phones will be secured into Yonder pouches.