Center for the African American Male to host banquet, conference

ALBANY — As part of an effort to highlight the mentorship work the Center for the African American Male has been performing in the Albany area, the organization is hosting its annual Black Tie Male Scholarship Banquet on Friday at the HPER Gymnasium on the Albany State University campus. The event will be followed by a conference the following day.

“It (the banquet) will highlight some of the males at ASU and high school mentees who have gone beyond the call of duty,” said CAAM Executive Director Antonio Leroy.

The mission of CAAM, he said, “is to inspire those persons who want to see the change in outcomes for African-American males … those concerned about the crime rate, drop out rate, there is an organization that is addressing those ills.”

There are 40 students from the Dougherty County School System who have been mentored through CAAM. A portion of the banquet’s proceeds, along with funding various outreach efforts, will also go toward ASU scholarships for those students, who are now high school sophomores.

The group of students, targeted while they were still in middle school, have gone on to make great strides, including membership in the Future Business Leaders of America and gaining All-American status, Leroy said.

“We didn’t know, because of our imprinting, that they would take off like this,” Leroy said.

The banquet will be 7 p.m.-9 p.m., with individual tickets priced at $125 and tables at $1,000. There will be musical entertainment as well as testimonials from CAAM mentees and members.

The goal for the scholarship fund is to have $500,000 in hand by 2017, Leroy said.

After the banquet, the 7th National M.A.L.E.S. (Mentoring, Advocating, Listening, Encouraging, Supporting) Conference will take place 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday in the auditorium of the Billy C. Black Building — also on the ASU campus — in Room 150.

At the conference, the theme will be “Real Models of Success.” It is expected to feature Kevin Powell, author of 11 books and “one of the most acclaimed political, cultural, literary and hip-hop voices in America today.” It also will include sessions on leadership training, post-secondary training and education, how to seek gainful employment, Hip Hop vs. Education, and safety from violent crimes.

The conference is open to high school and college males and men in the professional community, with an overall goal of putting together “missing pieces.”

“We are trying to put some pieces back in place that will add value,” Leroy said.

Bishop Frederick Williams, pastor of Gethsemane Worship Center and leader of the Stop the Violence movement, is slated to give the lunch address.

“He will give them more than just lunch,” Leroy said. “He will give them food for the soul.”

The on-site registration fee for M.A.L.E.S. will be $30, Leroy said.

Those paying by check should make them out to the ASU Foundation with CAAM written in the memo portion of the check. For more information on the two events, contact Leroy at (229) 430-1821 or (229) 894-5031.