By Rashad Norris
Back in 2009, I joined with some of my college colleagues to conceive of the Black and Brown Male Summit, inspired by one we had attended in Florida, called Black, Brown and College Bound Summit.
Ours started small with maybe 25 students attending our first summit in 2011.
Now, 400 to 600 young men of color come to the Highline College campus each year for the event. They give up an entire Saturday during the school year because the event means that much to them.
Rashad Norris (front row, third from left) is one of the co-founders of Highline’s Black and Brown Male Summit, but it takes a dedicated committee to pull off the successful event each year.
When Highline hosted its 8th annual summit in November, more than 400 young men of color descended on the college campus from around the region.
These men ethnically identify themselves as Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, African, or mixed ethnicity.
They experienced a powerful message from keynote speaker Jason Chu and multiple workshops that were created and delivered by local men of color who have committed themselves to the work of transforming and empowering our region’s young men of color.
The summit was created to foster an environment where relevant content and positive representation of other men of color could be in one space generating an empowering and inspirational setting where self-identity is centered in engagement. …
This article was originally published in the print edition of the Federal Way Mirror on December 1, 2017.
About the Author
Rashad Norris is Director of Community Engagement at Highline College. He regularly visits middle and high schools and community organizations to advocate for the importance of education. Norris earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Puget Sound and master’s degree from The Evergreen State College.
About Highline Voices
Highline Voices brings a range of diverse perspectives to our community, featuring the expertise of Highline College staff and faculty. Read other articles in the Highline Voices series that began in 2016. All Highline employees are welcome to contribute to the series. Email Tanya Powers or Kari Coglon Cantey for guidelines.