LOS ANGELES — The African American Male Education Network and Development organization (A2MEND) conference marked its 10th anniversary last week by attracting more than 1,000 attendees and more than doubling the total amount of scholarship money awarded last year.
The meeting brought together faculty, staff, students and administrators from across the country to address strategies that affect the success of African-American male community college students. This year, the summit raised $43,000 to help support 59 students in their education in community colleges as well as while transferring to four-year institutions.
A2MEND hopes to shed light on the institutional challenges and barriers for African-American males so that educational outcomes will improve and close the achievement gaps for these students.
“We are here to serve those who are underserved,” said Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. “We need to ensure that our doors remain open. We are the Ellis Island of higher education.”
Students were also privy to contact with recruiters from several historically Black colleges and universities, including Howard University, Fisk University and Bethune-Cookman University. The college fair also had representation from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, San Diego among many others to look over transcripts for transfer-ready students and attendees.
A2MEND president Dr. Dyrell Foster emphasized the necessity of challenging the status quo within institutions in order to ensure the success for African-American males in community college, in their career development and academic success.
“Addressing racial and equity gaps on our nations’ campuses is critical and requires taking risks to do the right thing on behalf of our students,” Foster said. “We can no longer solve the problems that exist on our campuses with the same thinking and behaviors that have caused the problems in the first place.”
