DISTRICT
LEAD EVENTS
THIRD DISTRICT
First Youth Leadership Conference (YLC)
T
he Third District of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., hosted its first Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) on September 11, 2021, using the virtual zoom platform. The event catered to students primarily from 8th grade to graduating seniors in Virginia and the District of Columbia. In attendance were 129 participants, with 86 being students. The theme of the conference was a focus on Teen Mental Health and the Seeds of Success. The YLC featured guest speakers, Brother Shawn Lacey, Third District First Vice District Representative, and Brother Joe Briggs Esq. of the NFL Players Association. The event kicked off with a prayer from Bishop Enoch Perry and opening remarks from Brother Conrado B. Morgan, Third District Representative. Brother Shawn Lacey began his career in education in 2000 and transitioned
Brother Conrado Morgan, Third District Representative, Bro. Joe Briggs Esq, Bro. Shawn Lacey, Third District 1st Vice Representative, Bro. Michael Frazier, Third District FIM Chairman, spoke at the inaugural Third District Youth Leadership Conference on September 11, 2021.
to Loudon County Public Schools, Virginia, in 2010. He became the Principal at Leesburg Elementary in 2018. He spoke to students on the approaches for understanding youth mental health, checking on friends, and finding and locating available resources as applicable. Brother Lacey delivered an excellent oration to students and parents about common mental health concerns among youth. Additionally, Brother Lacey spoke on the need to reduce stigmas surrounding mental health in Black communities and communities of color, how to recognize signs and symp-
toms of mental health, and provided the audience with an action plan to help youth who may be facing a mental health problem. This included understanding the local and free resources available to parents, students, teachers, and friends. Brother Joe Briggs Esq. was a scholarship athlete at Texas Christian University, earning three varsity letters as a committed student leader on campus. After the completion of his externship as a US Senate Legal Fellow, Mr. Briggs was hired by the NFL Players Association to manage their Financial Programs Department. He is currently the Public Policy Counsel of the NFLPA and the first individual to lead the NFLPA Government Relations Department. Brother Shawn Lacey, Third District 1VDR, speaking to students as a guest speaker about Teen Mental Health at the inaugural Third District Youth Leadership Conference on September 11, 2021.
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