State of the Black Student Symposium plans underway

Southern University will hold the first national State of the Black Student Symposium forum on February 25, 2006 at the F. G. Clark Activity Center from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“It’s time for us to get together and have a meaningful dialog for our own future to take control of our destiny. Students will feel empowered by listening to students and professionals from across the country by discussing common issues and finding resolutions,” said Desherick Boone, co-chair of the State of the Black Student in a press release.
Southern student Deserick Williams spearheaded the idea for the symposium, after watching an episode of the State of Black America with Tavis Smiley in the fall of 2004.
“I was inspired to address needs within the community,” said Williams, a junior criminal justice major from Dallas. “There are pertinent issues that we as college students must face and take care of.”
Topics that will be addressed include higher education, relationships, race relations, religion, the Black family, economic empowerment, health, culture, hip-hop and music, volunteerism, and alumni issues.
“There are indeed issues, solutions, and resolutions to these topics,” Williams said.
Expecting thousands from across the United States, Southern is an ideal location for the symposium. In addition to the university’s rich history and being one of the largest historically black universities, Southern is the only black university system in the country.
The national forum will feature professionals and five students representing colleges from across the country. Public speaker, leadership trainer, African Methodist Episcopal pastor, and social activist Jeffrey Johnson of Black Entertainment Television’s “The Jeff Johnson Chronicles” will be the moderator for the event.
“Jeffery Johnson is our generation’s civil rights leader,” said Justin McCorkle, Southern University Student Government Association President. “He is a hard worker for black youth. His arrival has nothing to do with him being on BET.”
Johnson, who is also known as “Cousin Jeff,” can be seen every Wednesday on the BET program Rap City, engaging viewers on a variety of social issues.
As the National Director for America Votes Young Voter Project, Johnson is known as a dynamic orator and is currently working to increase awareness among America’s youth on the topic of voting. He has been featured on CNN, BET Tonight, MTV and C-Span, in addition to USA Today and The New York Times.
“The youth of today are the leaders of today. If we fail to sow the seeds of education and real leadership into our young people today, we will be forced to reap the weeds of our ignorance verses the flowers of our love tomorrow,” said Johnson in a press release.
Free and open to high school juniors and seniors and college students throughout the nation, interested participants can register online at www.subr.edu as well as obtain additional information.
“This will not be a meeting of just talking,” said Edna Hickman, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs. “It is a time to bring students together, to start networking, and to create solutions.”
For further inquiries contact Williams or McCorkle at (225) 771-2300, Hickman at (225) 771-3922, or Keisha Lacour at (225) 771-4545.