The Power of the Collective: Black Male Development

A Knot to Success provides minority male student leaders with soft skill development and affirmation centered around the experience of learning how to tie a necktie.

When looking at the school-to-prison pipeline, a recent study confirming its existence notes, students assigned to stricter middle schools are 1.7 percentage points more likely to drop out of high school and 2.4 percentage points less likely to attend a four-year college. The impacts are more significant for Black and Hispanic boys.

I recently received an invitation to speak at Florida Atlantic University for their 100 Black Men in Suits program in which I was able to pour into scores of young Black men at one time. I experienced tremendous joy and humbling pride in looking at my audience for the day. But I also acknowledge the precedence of overwhelming sadness as I realized these young men represented the vast minority, not the majority. Their very presence in the room was a defiance of statistics directly related to the school-to-prison pipeline.

Florida Atlantic University | 100 Black Men in Suits

Following that invitation, I was able to attend the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), an event in which I got to connect with my colleagues in higher education. More specifically, I had an opportunity to engage with other Black men in higher education leadership. We captured the moments with photographs and a renewed commitment to continued support of each other’s’ work and success. In both settings conversations were held regarding the overall development of Black males. Questions from our dialogue included:

• What does my institution offer for leadership development? Any initiatives specifically targeting Black males?
• What efforts am I personally involved in that positively impact Black male development and leadership?
• How can we work together to close the gap in development initiatives for our young Black men?
• How can positive affirmations reduce imposter syndrome in Black men doing the work in higher education?

As I champion the necessity of compassionate leadership and push the buttons of privilege within higher education, I am reminded of the Black males that fall within the purview of my care. Am I demonstrating the characteristics of compassionate leadership towards them? Am I utilizing my position of privilege as a benefit to them as I so valiantly pressed for in my last article on privilege and compassionate leadership? My vulnerable gut response is “yes, but I could be doing more.”

NASPA 2022 | Student Affairs Leaders, Practitioners and Faculty from Institutions Across the Country

Being a veteran, my pathway to post secondary education was different from the majority of the students at the universities I attended and currently work with. I often think about my own matriculation and the challenges that I faced on the journey. How much different would my experience have turned out, if I’d had someone advocating for my success in tangible ways? The answer to that question is what makes me lean into opportunities to connect with my peers in the space. When we, who have shattered the status quo, come together for the support and benefit of others, the outcomes are unmatched. We extend the legacy of our compassionate leadership through pouring into the next generation. We push back against the narratives that have so vividly painted Black men in unfavorable light. With these thoughts in mind, I offer the following steps for activating the power of the collective when it comes to the development of our Black males:

• Identify existing local programs in target areas that need our support.
• Activate the power of collaboration with other Black males in leadership.
• Partner with established public and private institutions offering developmental programming.
• Explore the best use of scholarship and supplement funding we have access to.
• Undertake the responsibility and power of simply showing up and being present for other Black males.
• Build sustainable programmatic thrust. Performative solutions create a bandaid narrative.

When we understand that there is power in the collective, we become stronger. We are able to work together and create change from the top down. Our very existence as Black males in leadership serves as proof that there are other options available. We just have to be willing to show up and work together for the greater good. Egos and pride aside, the Collective provides strength in numbers. Strength in numbers changes the data. And data speaks for itself.