Black Minds Matter focus conversation on black boys and men in education
The series allowed participants to hear various speakers around the country discuss topics around race and education
For eight Monday evenings in October through December, students, faculty and staff gathered to watch Black Minds Matter, a webinar series focused on raising the national consciousness about issues facing Black boys and men in education. Once each webinar concluded, participants discussed their thoughts on what they just heard.
The series, hosted at the School of Education by the Office for Recruitment and Retention for Underrepresented Students, allowed participants to hear from various speakers around the country discuss topics around race and education.
“The #BlackMindsMatter experience was timely, especially as our nation still struggles with advocacy for Black boys and men in education and society at-large,” noted Ghangis Carter, director of the Office of Recruitment and Retention for Underrepresented Students. “The phenomenal cast of scholars, grass roots activists, policy influencers and the like provided us with tangible evidence-based strategies to engage in the work that seeks to repair strained relations with this critical population.”
Carl Darnell is the Director of the Balfour Scholars Program. He participated in the series, both as a listener and as a featured speaker.
“In my daily walk as a Black man and in my position as the director of a race-conscious college access and success program, I strive to advocate for Black, Latinx, Native American, and people who are treated poorly based on their perceived race or ethnicity; therefore, the curriculum for the Black Minds Matter course itself as well as the purpose behind the discussions align directly with my personal aims, my occupation, and my scholarship,” Darnell said.
Black Minds Matter was organized by Luke Wood, a social scientist in the field of education and the Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Education and serve as the Director of SDSU’s Joint Doctoral Program in Education, a partnership between San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University.
- Topics from the Course
- Linking Black Lives and Black Minds
- Foundations of Black Male Research and Practice
- Ascription to Intelligence
- Assumptions of Criminality
- Campus Climates and Non-Cognitive Outcomes
- Promising Practices for Teaching and Learning
- Holistic Support for Black Male Learners
- Advancing Black Male Policy, Support and Research
