Black Male Initiative

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

John Hope Franklin Speaks with CUNY Youth

This inter-generational dialogue features Dr. John Hope Franklin; his son, Mr. John W. Franklin, Program Manager, National Museum of African American History and Cultures at the Smithsonian Institute; and students enrolled in a CUNY college, College Now, or CUNY Prep Transitional High School. The participants will explore the themes of hope, resilience, and persistence for African American males on a mission to pursue college and graduate studies. Drawing upon the experiences of the student panelists and Professor Franklin's autobiography, Mirror to America, the participants will attempt to craft a response to the challenge of creating a culture of success and academic excellence for African American males. Derrick Griffith, Principal and Director of CUNY Prep Transitional High School, will moderate the roundtable.

Student Panelists

John Ball, SEEK Program, Medgar Evers College
Kris Bryan Burrell, Graduate Student, History, Graduate School and University Center
Leroy Litchmore, College Now Program at Borough of Manhattan Community College
Michael McGee, Honors College, Brooklyn College
Jorman Nunez, CUNY Prep Graduate and student at Hunter College

CONCURRENT PANEL PRESENTATIONS

Session I - Supporting Multiple Pathways to Educational Success for African American Males

Challenges that black male youth face early in life often narrow their prospects for completing high school and pursuing higher education. These challenges may vary for different subgroups of black male youth. This panel of innovative educators will focus on understanding these challenges and will discuss current projects designed to widen the pipeline to higher education by creating multiple pathways to educational success. Michael C. Gillespie, Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Instructional Support Services at Borough of Manhattan Community College, will moderate the panel.

Panelists

Debra Evans-Greene, Director of C-Step, College of Staten Island, CUNY
Derrick Griffith, Director and Principal, CUNY Prep Transitional High School
Aaron Thomas, Director of Education and Youth Policy, Research, and Advocacy, National Urban League
Douglas E. Thompkins, Assistant Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Session II - Perspectives on Social and Economic Barriers to African American Mobility and Achievement

This panel of experts in economics, history, and social-personality psychology will consider social and economic issues black males confront in everyday life. Panelists will discuss black male street life, the underground economy, and educational aspirations. Long-term trends in local labor markets, patterns of discrimination in housing and employment, and the allocation of government resources will be analyzed, and the effects of personality, identity, and family life will also be addressed. William Cross, Head of the Doctoral Program in Social-Personality Psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center will serve as moderator.

Panelists

Mark Naison, Director of Urban Studies, Fordham University
Yasser Payne, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Graduate School and University Center, CUNY
Joseph Wilson, Tow Professor of Political Science, Brooklyn College, CUNY
Malcolm Woodard, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Graduate School and University Center, CUNY

Session III - Criminal Justice Impact on the African American Community

This panel will discuss the nexus between criminal justice policies and the African American community. Presentations will include data regarding the impact of arrest, sentencing, incarceration and reentry policies on black men generally and communities of color more broadly; community responsibility with regard to criminal justice issues; the barriers to societal re-entry after incarceration, including the impact of criminal record and race on job availability for African American men. Jeremy Travis, President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice and national expert on prisoner re-entry, will moderate this panel of leading thinkers on issues of race with respect to criminal justice.

Panelists

Todd R. Clear, Distinguished Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
Glenn E. Martin, Co-Director, National H.I.R.E. Network, Legal Action Center
Garry A. Mendez, Jr., Executive Director, National Trust for the Development of African-American Men

Session IV - The Portrayal of Black Male Youth in the Media

While the media often depicts black male youth in negative ways, the reality is more complex. This panel of media experts will examine the ways in which the media frame the conceptions of black male youth. Panelists will also explore whether the media can or should attempt to counter these images. Ron Howell, Editor of CUNY Matters, will moderate the panel.

Panelists

Bridgett Davis, Associate Professor, Masters Program in Business Journalism, Baruch College, CUNY
Greg Donaldson, Assistant Professor, Speech, Theater and Media, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
Lonnie Isabel, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Journalism, CUNY
Michel Marriott, Technology Report, The New York Times

This conference is presented by The City University of New York Office of Academic Affairs