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100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc. Real Men Magazine July Issue

Cleveland Chapter Was In The House

Programs Director Bob Ivory, Chairman Lee Fields, Vice Chairman Gregory Lockhart

100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc. Members attend the 36th Annual Conference

The 36th Annual 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Conference took place June 16th - 18th in Hollywood, Florida. A few of the Cleveland Chapter members went to represent us. The three that enjoyed the experience were Chairman Lee Fields, Vice-Chairman Gregory Lockhart, and Programs Director Bob Ivory. This convention is where many focus on mentoring across a lifetime. This one-ofa-kind event connects America’s youth, conference attendees, and the surrounding community with

leading entrepreneurs, government officials, educators, clergy, business executives, nonprofit executives, and entertainers.

“I had the pleasure of attending along with fellow Cleveland chapter members Lee Fields and Bob Ivory. Boy, am I glad I did! If you have never attended a 100 Black Men of America, Inc. national conference, you are doing yourself a disservice,” said Lockhart. Members and mentees came from the

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country, representing their cities and chapters. The energy, inspiration, and motivation one is infused with are off the charts. “To be present among so many positive black men and boys, engaging one another, networking with one another, and celebrating one another, touched me deep within my soul. It can be a transformational experience. The question is, how does the experience transform you?” said Lockhart. The conference theme was “Empowerment Through Mentoring, Education, and Civic Engagement.” There were workshops, training sessions, and leadership enrichment opportunities for men, women, youth, and collegiate 100 members. LaRese Purnell, a member of the Cleveland chapter, was the emcee of the State Farm Youth Competition and Awards Ceremony. The investment competition was established to help eradicate financial illiteracy among the youth of

color. Other highlights included the State of the 100 Report and Conversation with Chairman Dortch, a workshop on the Plight of Education, keynote speakers Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant and Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes, and seeing the exceptional work other chapters are doing.

“So how did the experience transform me? Well, it reaffirmed the reason why I joined the organization years ago. I was reintroduced to the power of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and how it can be leveraged to help with the work of our chapter. I made connections I hope to turn into relationships. My desire to help make a difference in my community has never been greater. The pathways to make it happen are clearer than ever

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Cleveland and Akron Chapter Delegates

before. The confidence to move forward no matter the obstacles is high. Working with others who share the same passion for seeing young people have the opportunity to grow and prosper is incredible. But it takes work, hard work. It takes giving one’s time, talent, and resources to make it happen,” said Lockhart. But the actual words of our national chairman, Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., “We don’t need scared negros; what we need is courageous men who are work-horses, not show-horses.”

There is something to say about never forgetting your first. That was my impression after attending my first National Conference of the 100 Black Men of America in sunny, picturesque Hollywood, Florida. As a neophyte in this prestigious organization and one of the delegates representing the Cleveland Chapter,” said Ivory. He experienced three full days of non-stop synergy, energy, and well-formatted platforms. Each day and presentation comprehensively centered around the conference

theme: Empowerment through Mentoring, Education, and Civic Engagement.

“From the moment I exited the plane in nearby Fort Lauderdale, Florida, until the final plenary session and black-tie award gala, I had the pleasure of being engaged and immersed around dedicated, skilled, and accomplished 100 Black Men members from coast to coast, north to south. The various sessions and workshops I attended throughout the conference, including but not limited to: “Leadership with a Global Footprint,”; “Racial Equity in Local Government,”; “The Plight of Education” and “Eradicating Violence in Schools, on College Campuses, and in Our Communities” were valuable in their content, delivery, and relevancy to the goals, objectives, and mission of The 100.” said Ivory.

Under the devout and staunch leadership of National Chairman Thomas W. Dortch Jr., the conference flowed with a central mass of conscious-

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minded, forward-thinking members, all sharing and contributing the strengths and best practices of their chapters and how they holistically are impacting the lives of the mentees and committees they serve. “I was able to observe and at times digest in awe the myriad of programmatic intervention, curriculums, and outcomes of small, midsize, and large chapters from around the country, delivered with the passion and precision of each presenter,” said Ivory.

There was also an impressive representation of youth at the conference, many wearing with pride blazers branding the logo of their chapters as well as polo shirts and uniformed 100 regalia. The presentations of the mentees during the State Farm Youth Competition and Awards Ceremony displayed their multi-talents, oratorical skills, and utter excellence that exuded from our future young leaders. “I can only imagine the outstanding outpouring of enthusiasm within the walls of the Youth Summit that took place along with the dialogue from the session of the Collegiate 100.

With national sponsors such as Amazon, Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, The US Army, and

the Central Intelligence Agency, to name a few, the atmosphere of the conference was inspiring, eyeopening as well as a bastion of hope that the future of the organization and the youth it mentors is well positioned, well documented, and well supported,” said Ivory.

The hotel where the convention was voted one of the top 10 resorts in Florida by Condé Nast Traveler Choice Awards 2018, The Diplomat Beach Resort, is ideally situated between Miami and Fort Lauderdale along Hollywood’s Gold Coast.

“So, in humility and sincerity, I can attest without hesitation that I will never forget “my first” 100 Black Men of America Annual Conference. I left the conference with unwavering resolve, resilience, new resources, and relationships to return to the Cleveland Chapter. With these tools, I am committed more than ever to joining my fellow 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland and its partners, collaborative and friends, to do all I can to help further its mission and uplift with time, treasure, and tenacity, our youth,” said Ivory.

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On Thursday, they had National Mentoring Training; this training is designed to certify all members in mentoring and train potential members (League of Trainers) throughout the organization to teach in their respective chapters and regions. The training will cover the History of Mentoring, The Relevance of Mentoring in Today’s Society, The Why in Mentoring, Mentoring the 100 Way Across A Lifetime, Current Research, The Impact of Mentoring, and How to Build Effective Mentoring Programs.

Another exciting topic they tackled was Mental Health. Mental health is essential to overall health and refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health involves how we think, feel, act, and make choices. During the Covid-19 pandemic, heart and mental health risks are on the rise. Evidence shows that mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, can develop after cardiac events, including heart failure, stroke, and heart attack. These disorders can be brought on after an acute heart disease event from pain, fear of death or disability, and financial problems associated with the event.

In collaboration with State Farm, the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. established and implemented the Dollars and $ense Youth Investment Competition to address and help eradicate financial illiteracy among the youth of color. This rigorous financial literacy program provided high school students with early opportunities to learn and apply best practice principles for saving and investing. Attendees will witness the finalists compete for their chance to win scholarships and earn the Championship title and trophy. The 100 Black Men of America, Inc. established and implemented the Brace B. Godfrey, Jr. African American History Challenge Youth Competition as an innovative, relevant, and exciting way for our mentees to learn about the trials and triumphs of their ancestors. Knowledge is indeed power! As our students discover for themselves the facts about the roles and contributions of their ancestors to the building and growth of America, they will be empowered to reverse the ignorance previously taught and reject any future erroneous teachings. Cleveland Chapter LaRese Purnell took part in this event.

“I was truly impressed by the brotherhood and genuine camaraderie throughout the threeday conference. There were several memorable moments and highlights throughout the annual conference. I enjoyed the feeling of friendship displayed during the plenary sessions and networking opportunities, but the youth engagement was the most impressive. The conference agenda was chockfulled with informative discussions which further stimulated our interest in serving our communities across the globe,” said Fields.

Thank you the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Leaderdhip for your hard work and efforts in putting this event together. We are truly fortunate to have you all on our team.

Hopefully, you will be able to attend the 37th National Conference in Las Vegas, NV.

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