York College 4th annual men's conference of the male initiative

Who says there’s no help for the African American man especially in these hard times? York College certainly doesn’t support that notion and proved it with an informative and inspiring panel discussion for their fourth annual Men’s Conference of their Male Initiative Program. The initiative, which looks to improve enrollment and graduation rates while providing support for under representative males in the college community, focused on the theme “Making it on Broken Pieces: Recession, Recovery and Revitalization”.

 

The conference was held in the Academic Core Building atrium just steps from its front door and adjacent to its student snack bar. A high traffic area that buzzed with passersby all which disappeared into the background as panel members answered submitted questions to the audience of equal parts male and female. Many onlookers stopped to listen in and take part in the event. 

 

The high point of the conference was the keynote speaker, Ryan Mack President of Optimum Capital Management, who took to the podium like a preacher and administered to his flock keys for financial literacy. Those who might have expected hard to comprehend financial doublespeak, instead received lessons on financial success through faith, action and determination. Ryan spewed sobering statistics of those who gained huge sums and are now destitute. He juxtaposed the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. to those of rapper Fabulous’ song “Put It In the Bag” currently in the mainstream psyche and challenged notions of success through Benzes and not retirement benefits. He pulled the audience in with his passion for the subject and his desire to empower others and presented the audience with a new way of thinking about wealth and success built on positives.  (Preach On!) You may not have learned about dollars and cents but you certainly were wiser and more inspired having listened. Ryan outlined his steps of empowerment and his personal principals and encouraged others to write what was important to them. His takeaway included a workbook to guide users into mapping a financial plan and goals.

 

The panel included a mix of leaders with varying specialties: Leroy Comrie, the District’s newly re-elected Councilman; Vince Morgan, a financial professional and TD Bank Executive; Dr. Ron Daniels, a York College Lecturer and social activist; Minister Abdul Hafeez Muhammed, New York Representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Minister of Harlem’s Mosque No. 7. The panel was submitted questions from the student body on topics of community, the college and religion’s role in revitalization. Panel members were passionate in their responses on ways to increase knowledge and opportunities for community members, finding ways to reach individuals prior to college and examining ways to work together to find the necessary resources which lead to success. One question sought direct ways communities of color could gain equal footing with the mainstream. Hard work, determination, educating our children and learning how to do these things was the response as well as a contemplation from Minister Muhammad that being aligned with God was the mainstream.  (For a detailed account of questions and responses, click here.)