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The Greater Boston Morehouse College Alumni Association hosts 4th annual Young Men’s Leadership Conference March 14

March 14

Banner Staff
The Greater Boston Morehouse College Alumni Association hosts 4th annual Young Men’s Leadership Conference March 14
Amil Cook, Morehouse class of '06, Rasheed Walters a freshman at Morehouse College. and 2015 GBMCAA scholarship recipient, City Councilor Tito Jackson, and Marcus Holmes, a conference attendee

The GBMCAA headlines its year Saturday, March 14 at 8 am, with the 4th Annual Young Men’s Leadership Conference, held at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill.

“It is vital that young men of color have a space to come and congregate, and an event of this magnitude is, simply, unparalleled,” Young Men’s Leadership Conference chair Jamison Collier states. “The purpose of this conference is to produce academically superior, morally conscious leaders for the conditions and issues of today, and we hope to see this conference expand in future years.”

“Now, more than ever, young men of color face significantly disproportionate risks and challenges within their communities, particularly in seeking higher education. We steadfastly believe that this conference provides ideological and pragmatic approaches to alleviate this disparity,” said Stephen D. Alkins, Director of Public Relations for the GBMCAA. “Our time at Morehouse College demands us to seek academic, professional and civic excellence, while engendering ethical, positive change in our surrounding community. This conference emulates those principles, and plants a seed that we hope germinates within the spirits of young men of color.”

Since 2012, over 500 young men of color from over 60 schools in the Greater Boston area have participated in workshops surrounding areas of college preparedness, career readiness, professional development, and civic engagement, according to GBMCAA President Ryan Willingham. Morehouse College alumni, other HBCU and community representatives, and corporate partners have led and facilitated nearly 20 workshops on topics ranging from the importance of S.T.E.M. education, entrepreneurship, to appropriate dressing, etiquette, personal branding and financial literacy. This year they have workshops for parents to receive strategies to help plan for their young men’s futures.

In support of the conference, both TJX Companies, Inc., and Morgan Stanley, Inc., will co-facilitate individual workshops.

“When you look at young men of color in the Boston community, you should think ‘leaders’ because that’s who they are!” Vice President Brandon Ransom exclaims. “We are immensely pleased to know that young men have truly benefitted from this conference in the form of garnering internships, scholarships, and even admission into Morehouse College. But this is not about Morehouse. It’s about making sure the next generation of young men knows its capacity for change.”

This event is co-sponsored by TJX Companies, Inc., Morgan Stanley, Inc., Liberty Mutual Insurance, Inc., Arbella Insurance, Inc., Staples, Inc., Boston Scientific, Inc., and other local sponsors.

About the MoreJazz Scholarship Weekend 2015

The MoreJazz Scholarship Weekend is the Greater Boston Morehouse College Alumni Association’s premiere annual series of events that celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Morehouse College’s most prestigious alumnus. Throughout the weekend, the GBMCAA highlights the academic and social achievements of current, dedicated Morehouse College students by awarding them scholarships. Further, it serves Boston’s young men of color through its largest leadership initiative.

This year’s weekend begins with “The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Glee Club Concert and Scholarship Fundraiser.” This family event features the world renowned Morehouse College Glee Club at Old South Church in Copley Square on Friday, March 13th at 7 pm Celebrating over 40 years of performances at this venue, they will be performing a sophisticated repertoire of classical, spiritual, and folk songs. Directed by the estimable Dr. David Morrow, the all-male chorus has completed a successful tour of the Russian Republic that included a stop in the capital of Moscow and a recent trip to Poland. Now these talented young men will be in Boston singing to the rafters in this historic Old South Church. All proceeds go to providing scholarships and funding future mentoring programs for Boston youth.

The next day, March 14, 2015, the GBMCAA hosts the annual 4th Annual Young Men’s Leadership Conference from 8 a.m. to 4:30 pm at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill. The purpose of this one-day conference is to help maximize the potential of young men of color from the Greater Boston community. This is a free event is for young men of color in grades 7-12. We will provide complimentary breakfast and lunch. Transportation will be provided to Beaver Country Day School from the MBTA Chestnut Hill Station on the D-Line (Green Line): Shuttles will pick up students at two separate times, 7:40 am and 8:20 am, to bring to the school for registration. Following the conference, shuttles will bring students to the MBTA Chestnut Hill Station (D-Line, Green Line) at 4:45 pm only.

About the Greater Boston Morehouse College Alumni Association

The Greater Boston Morehouse College Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1972. Like most alumni associations, its function is to serve the best interests of the college and the community within a particular geographical region. Proudly boasting more than 200 active members, the majority of whom are African American male professionals or graduate students, the GBMCAA supports Boston and many of the surrounding communities throughout New England by providing mentoring, granting scholarships, and establishing long-standing relationships.