Students to gather to discuss social change

Friday is the last chance to register for the fourth annual IU Men of Color Leadership Conference that will take place Friday Nov. 9 and Saturday Nov. 10 in the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. \nThe conference, which was started four years ago by then-student Dallas Easton, provides a platform for men of color to engage themselves academically and politically. The conference’s focus this year is “Political Education for Social Change: Moving from Dialogue to Action.” \nEllis Dumas, a senior and program chair of the IU Men of Color Leadership Conference is excited about helping people from all races become active in the community.\n“My favorite part of the event is at the end, when the students come together to give us feedback about what they took away from the conference,” he said. “I love to hear what they took away from it and how they’re going to put those skills to work.” \nThe conference will include materials to help advocate change and activism in communities. Among the speakers will be Bakari Kitwana, who is the co-founder of the first-ever National Hip-Hop Political Convention and an author, according to an IU media relations press release. Also, State Rep. Vernon G. Smith, who served as city councilman in Gary for 18 years, will speak. \nPatrick Smith, director of the IU Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership Development, said he is excited about the conference and the dialogue it will create. \nThe conference will begin at 4 p.m. Nov. 9 with a graduate panel discussion, followed by Kitwana’s keynote speech at 6 p.m. It will continue at 8 a.m. Nov. 10.\n“This event provides us with an opportunity where we can learn from each other by becoming familiar with the issues that confront us,” Smith said. “Once we become familiar with those challenges, then we have a common basis where we can put our minds together to constructively create solutions.” \nWhile this conference was not highly publicized, there is still time to register. Anyone wishing to attend the conference must register by Nov. 2. There will be no on-site registration. The fee is $50 for university and community professionals, $25 for college students and $15 for high school students. However, IUB students can register for free if they have a sponsor. Sponsorship inquiries should be directed at the Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership Development. \nThis conference has blossomed to reach more than 10 college campuses, including Michigan State, Eastern Illinois University, and Morgan State University.