BLACK MAN’S THINK TANK 10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE Friday-Saturday April 9-10, 2010 Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH 45402 Friday (April 9) Presentations Bldg 8 - Student Activities Center You must pre-register by April 5 to receive a lunch ticket, no exceptions Visit www.bmtt.org to register. 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration/Continental Breakfast / Welcome Building 8 Student Activities Center Dr. Bobby J. Beavers Chair, BMTT 9:00 a.m. –10:15 a.m. Rebuilding the Self through Africentric Rites of Passage Dr. Boikai Twe Building TBD, Room TBD This workshop will focus on how African-Americans can rediscover their identity and rebuild their African self through Africentric rights of passage programs. An Africentric model of rites of passage will be presented and how they have been applied in Ohio over the last decade. 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Real Talk: The Generation X and Y Dialogues about the Influences of the Messages in Hip-Hop Music Christopher Caldwell Building TBD, Room TBD This panel discussion including teams, parents, rap artists, and musicians is designed to help students analyze and better understand the music and videos they listen to and watch so often. The discussion will also discuss the history of hip-hop music and help participants further question the meanings of the lyrics and related images while placing the content into relevant social context. 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Cultural and Spiritual Thinking Outside of the Box Guy Jones Building TBD, Room TBD African Americans and Native Americans have been conditioned to accept the values, beliefs, and attitudes of mainstream society. This workshop examines a different perspective from the viewpoint of the Lakota nation's “way of living” or “Lakol Wicohah” and its rites of passage. From this perspective, participants will learn how to
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BLACK MAN’S THINK TANK 10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE think culturally and spiritually outside of the box to develop a greater sense of oneness and understanding of self and community. 10:25 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. Success is Your Choice: In School, in Life, and in Health Pamela Shackelford Building TBD, Room TBD Mis-education and misinformation have proven to be tools of destruction. Not knowing leads to not growing and this is evident by the proliferation of school dropouts, teen pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases. Participants in this workshop will learn to see the end of situations in the beginning so that they may weigh their options and make better choices. They will understand that their lives are what they make them and though they have loved ones who can help them to succeed; their success depends on the choices they make. 10:25 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. The First Law of Nature: If You Don't Study, You Won't Stay Robert Muhammad Building TBD, Room TBD Self-improvement is the basis for community development. In order to rebuild our families, our communities, and our families, we must first begin to rebuild ourselves. In particular the Blackman must be reeducated, retrained, and connected to his roots. This lecture series is designed to inspire and motivate us into developing a structured method in how to study and take our minds to unforeseen heights; enabling us to do for self and harness the greatness and purpose that is buried within. 10:25 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. Rebuilding Self -African American Manhood…The Realities of Perception… The Impact of Image Samuel Gresham and Sandra Cephas Building TBD, Room TBD This interactive panel discussion is centered on the question: what does it mean to be an African-American man? Our youth are frequently presented with an American black male character that is the product of the popular culture image without context. This workshop inquires into the social circumstances and cultural conditions in which contemporary representations of black masculinity are produced and circulated. A question and answer period will allow participants to analyze and understand current images of African American masculinity and how these images have changed over time. 11:40 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Lunch Building 7, Tartan Marketplace
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BLACK MAN’S THINK TANK 10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE 12:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Keep Strict Watch How You Walk: Strengthening Your Spiritual Foundation Van Q. Rountree, Jr. and Sidney Williams Building TBD, Room TBD This presentation will assist African American male students in maintaining a positive self-concept with the goal of achieving a sense of collective accountability by maintaining a strong spiritual foundation. Specifically, the material presented will examine the psychological emasculation of the African American male by society-atlarge that continues to influence poor self-concept, destructive behavior, and a general feeling of despondency among African-American male students. The importance of young Black men identifying and interacting with positive, spiritually-grounded adult Black men that are commitment to improving the African-American community will be addressed. 12:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Endangered? The Choice is Yours Anthony Vines Building TBD, Room TBD This workshop will explore the source of Black male rage, how to identify and channel the rage, and offer real-life experiences for implementing positive changes from boyhood to manhood and fatherhood. Participants will discuss the historical origin of rage which is the cause of our underlying social issues and attempt to understand our youth culture. Our workshop will focus on youth empowerment and skill development for self expression, creativity, and positive thought. 12:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Minority Male Health Issues Jim Bolden and Mark Wells Building TBD, Room TBD This presentation will focus on men's health and health disparities in our community. It will also focus on violence in our community and some precursors that lead to violence. Participants will explore avenues of male empowerment and be connected with community resources. 2:05 p.m. – 2:25 p.m. Closing Remarks/Wrap Up – Where Do We Go From Here! Building 8, Student Activities Center
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BLACK MAN’S THINK TANK 10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE Saturday (April 10) Presentations Bldg 5 Atrium You must pre-register by April 5 to receive a lunch ticket, no exceptions Visit www.bmtt.org to register. 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration/Continental Breakfast / Welcome Dr. Bobby J. Beavers Director, Counseling Services Department Building 5 Atrium 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Rebuilding Self: Are You Listening? Richard Melson, Ph.D. Building 5, Room TBD This workshop will examine such questions as how do I maintain long-term relationships? How can I make it another year in this school or at this job and keep on being successful? Participants will be empowered to make their relationships win-win situations. 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. My 10 Requirements for Effective Organization and Success Jerald L. Tillman Building 5, Room TBD The purpose of this workshop is to equip the participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to succeed in life mentally, physically, behaviorally, and spiritually. The presenter has personally used these principles to build two businesses: J. L. Tillman Insurance and Southwest Ohio’s SuccessGuide. He is founder emeritus of the national African American insurance Association now located in Washington, DC. Mr. Tillman will share lifestyle concepts that will unveil the natural gifts that we all are blessed with and will motivate us to action. 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Why Am I So Stressed? G. Changa Freeman Building 5, Room TBD This workshop explores how relationships we build with others and within the community impact upon managing our stress levels. The focus is geared towards participants’ roles in living with purpose, understanding how others and our communities may affect us, building and strengthening support systems, and taking charge with our personal power.
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BLACK MAN’S THINK TANK 10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE 10:25 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. On The Path towards Economic Empowerment Farley Banks, Esq. Building 5, Room TBD This presentation will teach participants about the importance of financial literacy and applying the principles of economic empowerment. Participants will learn about applying for credit cards, analyzing the fine print, paying down debt, interpreting FICO scores, and dealing with bill collectors and child support enforcement agencies. 10:25 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. Challenges Facing African American Leadership: Direction, Accountability, and Effectiveness Tommie Lewis Building 5, Room TBD This discussion will examine African-American leadership and the emotional, cultural, and behavioral influence of mainstream corporations and colleges on Black leaders. It will also introduce the Emotional Intelligence and Diversity model and exercises that help individuals began to develop the critical skills and heighten awareness, selfknowledge, and leadership competence. 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch Building 7, Tartan Marketplace 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Keynote Address - A Call for Authentic Black Leadership: If not YOU-who? If not NOW-when? Tommie Lewis, President, Make It Plain Consulting Building 5, Atrium Is it possible to be a successful African American leader at the tender age of 19? Is it sufficient enough to assume age-maturity, community status and professional titles equate leadership competence? Obviously, many of the most intelligent African American leaders in our day did not know, expect or plan for the emotional, cultural and behavioral impact that the global and national economic conditions would present to the Black community and its leadership. These challenges require new, universal and results-driven solutions. They require rebuilding the Black man. 2:10 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Self-Improvement: The Basis for Community Development Tyrone Muhammad Building 5, Room TBD This presentation will facilitate a deeper understanding of ourselves in order for us to improve the areas of our lives that prevent us from attaining higher levels of awareness and from being the image and likeness of God.
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BLACK MAN’S THINK TANK 10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2:10 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Breaking the Psychological Chains of Slavery Bakari Lumumba Building 5, Room TBD The focus of this presentation will be on the psychological legacy of slavery, how to liberate ourselves from mental slavery, as well as the effects of racial religious imagery and psychological confusion. 2:10 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Rebuilding Young African American Males through Awareness of Health Promotion and Health Careers Eric Charlton Building 5, Room TBD This presentation will discuss some of the leading health issues relating to AfricanAmerican young men, including that piece, high blood pressure, stroke, and HIV/AIDS that contribute to our social, economic, and environmental well-being. Additionally, it will highlight the need for more African American health professionals. 2:10 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Reasoning with Mutaburaka Mutabaruka Building 4, Room 011 Mutabaruka, Jamaica's revolutionary ‘dub’ poet, whose fiery voice and caustic lyrics expose the havoc of 500 years of European colonization, critiques Western ideology and discusses contemporary issues with his own brand of wit and postmodern critique. 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Closing Remarks/Wrap Up – Where Do We Go From Here! Building 5, Atrium Contact Information Marlon Aldridge 937-718-1581 info@bmtt.org Sponsors Sinclair Community College Wilberforce University Black Man’s Think Tank
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