BBMS speaker tells audience to get rid of personal baggage, assumptions about students

Adolph Brown, who was the opening keynote speaker for the Black Boys and Men Symposium, set the stage June 14 before he even took the stage at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

At the introduction, a well-dressed Black man engaged the audience with a breakdance routine. When the song concluded, another Black man dressed in an oversized, long-sleeve t-shirt and baggy pants walked on stage, carrying a backpack. The man with the backpack had braided hair sticking up from a headband. He would later say wearing braids straight up was customary for his ancestors in Tanzania as they felt "closer to the Divine." 

It was Brown, motivational speaker and founder, president, and CEO of the Leadership & Learning Institute. The well-dressed man was Brown's godson, Jahzeel Mumford, who travels with him to speaking engagements.

Brown told the audience they entered his master class and learned the first lesson. "Stop believing everything you think," he said. Now in his 35th year as an educator, Brown said he has spent his career researching why good people say horrible things and how harmful those statements may be to a student. 

"You need to assess your values and beliefs and see if they align with the school or university that employs you," he said.

The second Black Boys and Men Symposium drew more than 350 people, many of whom are K-12 educators, college educators and others who work closely with Black boys and men. 

Brown took off his American flag backpack midway through his presentation to discuss the secret emotional baggage everyone carries with them. Inside the larger backpack was a kid's Spiderman backpack.

"I was carrying things that didn't belong to me. The past is a place of reference, not a residence," he said. "If a student or any person makes a bad choice, don't dwell on that. Look in the mirror at yourself and be the best person possible before reacting."

Brown had another outfit change at the end of his presentation. He slipped off the oversized t-shirt and pants to reveal jeans and an Adidas warm-up jacket. He then slipped on his academic regalia from the College of William and Mary, where he earned a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.

His last piece of advice was not to rush changes a student is experiencing and to believe in their potential.

"When students know we believe in them, they will run through a wall for us," Brown said.

Bakari Sellers, analyst for CNN, an author, attorney and civil rights activist, is the closing keynote speaker. The BBMS also included a Sneaker Ball on June 15, with proceeds from the event supporting the Office of Multicultural Affairs Program Fund. 

B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach, said new to this year's symposium is the addition of workgroups. 

"We've added a call to action," Truss said. "We will create workgroups from our attendees and activate a call to action. The work does not stop at this symposium."