The Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center and La Casa Cultural Latina are joining forces to host the 2018 Black and Latino Male Summit on March 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the I-Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign.

This year’s theme is “Decolonizing Our Minds, Body, and Culture.”

The purpose of the program is to deconstruct common narratives, build consciousness as to who men of color are and discuss how they can continue to serve as agents of positive change in their communities, Jorge Mena, assistant director of La Casa, said in an email.

“The summit aims to create an experience that sparks reflection and ignites action from its participants,” he said.

The first summit was held in the spring of 2011 and was known as the Black and Brown Male Summit, Mena said. It was created in order to provide a space for Black and Latino male students to discuss issues impacting masculinity and develop strategies to achieve academic success, professional development and overall wellness.

The summit will feature keynote speaker David Stovall, a University alumnus and current faculty member of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Event coordinators are hoping that around 250 people will attend the event, and Mena said many attendees will be coming from universities across Illinois, including Northern Illinois University and Bradley University.

With a light breakfast and lunch included, the event will include speakers, workshops and discussions.

Admission to the BLMS is free for University students and $10 for non-University students.

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