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From the Director’s Desk

The last year has been full of an assortment of challenges for those at all levels of education. The threat of a global pandemic combined with the ongoing threats of racism has made it especially important to provide support for Black students in an era where "Black Lives Matter" is still seen by some as a somehow controversial statement. Similar to many, the upheaval caused by the events of 2020 have encouraged a mood of reflection and yes, even gratefulness. To that end, our African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) is celebrating its 10th anniversary as "MALE Connection” since its founding in the 2010-2011 academic year! We are ecstatic to present this publication to you as a retrospective to document some of the successes, unforgettable moments, and most importantly, the BRILLIANT students who have bolstered our initiative with their presence, intellect, leadership, and brotherhood. I am extremely fortunate to have the privilege of directing this program throughout the last decade. I've seen the students evolve immeasurably both as individuals and as a collective, and I consider the opportunities to experience that growth firsthand one of the biggest privileges of my career in higher education. MALE Connection alumni have gone on to become lawyers, doctoral candidates, entrepreneurs, chemists, musicians, and more, but it's not about positions. It's about the process. It's about the love — for each other, for giving back, and for themselves as extensions of the communities that birthed them and pre-ordained their greatness.

I am grateful to the University System of Georgia for its continued support via the African-American Male Initiative office, as well as to Georgia College and countless departments and programs both within the institution and externally for their collaboration towards our mission. We are also grateful to the AAMI team — from assistant directors, advisory board members, administrative professionals, student assistants, bus drivers, catering services, Human Resources, etc. who have either directly or indirectly contributed to the success of this program. It would be impossible to include the names of everyone who has supported this program’s success, but no initiative is sustainable without individuals across campus and the community who give of their time and resources.

As you peruse this magazine, I hope you are as proud of these students as I am. I hope not only that you see that the program has been successful via the usual quantitative measures, but you also see that the true measure of this program and what it has meant to students cannot be quantified. I hope that you understand that there are so many stories related to their journeys that couldn't fit within these pages. This publication merely scratches the surface of what our students have been able to accomplish! Lastly, I hope you also remember that as Black students at a predominantly white institution, the mentorship and support is due to no deficits of their own, but rather, to help them navigate the systemic challenges that necessitated the founding of the USG's AAMI program in 2002. These issues still persist but in spite of our students' marginalization they continue to persist and, in many cases, thrive. That's something worth celebrating.

Thank you for celebrating with us. I encourage you to partake in our joy by sharing this with others.

DR. C. EMMANUEL LITTLE Program Director, GC African-American Male Initiative emmanuel.little@gcsu.edu 478-445-8594