2008 Woodie Awards
Where Do We Go From Here?: 2007 Male Empowerment Conference
By Whitney Nichole Stevens
Issue date: 6/18/07 Section: Campus Life
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The conference definitely kicked off with a bang! In attendance, this year, were 1300 people. The latest count assessed 800 high school students, 200 college students (50 of whom are Kean students), and 300 adults. At approximately 9 a.m., the young men, parents, student volunteers and faculty administrators filed in to Wilkins Theatre to prepare for the day's events. The keynote speaker for the morning session was none other than the world renowned Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, Kirk Franklin. Contrary to popular opinion before the start of the event, Franklin did not come in giving a sermon or preaching his religion. Instead he came speaking with true conviction about his past experiences and his belief of the significance of a conference of this nature. He encouraged the students to "be humble…so that others may benefit from your blessings."
One of the most enlightening words of wisdom Franklin passed on to all those in attendance, was the importance of "running your own race". He stressed it is never too late, no matter what obstacles you might be faced with, to regain your second wind and finish the race. He gave personal testimony that proved despite someone's celebrity status, everyone is faced with trials and tribulations. Through his personal testimonies, Franklin showed us at the end of the day, we are all human. He said, "I am very impressed with seeing the young American males come out and be a part of this conference. I hope some of the things I said impacted their lives so that they may succeed in the future. It is my greatest honor to see some Kirks be better than Kirk and I am both thankful and grateful to have had the opportunity to share this experience with them."
After Franklin finished his keynote address, he allowed a number of young men to stand up and interact in dialogue with him. One of the most inspiring young men was a young man by the name of Orlando Vick. Orlando is a former student of St. Benedicts Academy in Newark and a current student of Central High School. He also is a member of the Divine Glory Choir and has made a name for himself in musical arts. Orlando said, "The youth is my thing. Soon I will be starring in a movie about abstinence. I do what I do because I am young and I have seen many of my friends caught in bad situations. I just want to inspire others to not become victims of their circumstances and give the youth a voice to be heard."
Stan Neron, a Kean alumnus, brought the young men of the City of Elizabeth, Building Future Leaders mentorship and leadership program. Neron said "This conference is an excellent chance for young men to explore the opportunities that are available to them. It is a tool that will help them think outside the box they live in and help them to realize that there is more to life than where they live." The young men of the Kappa League, an auxiliary group of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., represented well, dressed to the nines in suits and ties. They showed they are men of distinction and ready to learn. They represented Piscataway, Franklin, East Brunswick, North Brunswick, and Highland Park high schools as well as Quibbletown Middle School.
After the morning session, the conference attendees reconvened to have lunch and were able to take advantage of the conference vendors and complimentary services provided. All the women who attend were given the opportunity to escape to the Pamper Palace, where they would receive complimentary massages and other luxuries. Some of the other workshops included Dr. Joy Leary (author of "The Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome), "Raising Boys in America", SHANGO Male Empowerment," Am I My Sisters Keeper in Hip Hop", Street Warriors, "The Real Deal on Jail", Thabiti Boone, Hot 97, 98.7 Kiss FM, "Rising to the Occasion", and Dennis Rahim Watson's "Entrepreneurship 101".
Stevens, the conference coordinator expressed his happiness with the turnout of the conference by saying, "we are totally satisfied with the success of the program. We set out to be the largest conference nationwide and we succeeded. Our goal was to provide young people with an opportunity to go to college. Our conference surveys told us that 80 percent of young men have never been to Kean. We believe that the keynote address by Kirk Franklin helped provide the incentive for the young men to want to succeed or change their lives. After the conference, we believe that their attendance and participation in the day's events have greatly impacted their lives."
There were many people who contributed to the success of the conference, such as, Billie Bailey, Sharon Foushee, Paula White, Marilyn Freeland and the Queen of EEO herself, Mrs. Beverly Berry Baker. The Greek letter organizations also had a hand in helping out with the conference as well. Numerous members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. were there to lend a helping hand.
The conference came to an end on a positive note, leaving the young men with hope for the future. Encouraging them to exercise their potential and strive for success, because anything is possible. Bigger and better things are expected to rise of the success of this conference. We can only look to the future. The sky is the limit!