The Black Boy Joy conference returned to Louisville to spark happiness and fellowship amongst Black male youth. Held at the University of Louisville’s Belknap campus on July 29, the event was geared toward building confidence and positive mental health for its attendees.
Created by Tez of 2Deep and named after his hit song, the Black Boy Joy Conference aims to inspire the Louisville community by helping young men and boys become “the best version of themselves.” The event will provide headshots to help boost their professional résumé and games and breakout sessions to connect all the boys across the age ranges. The conference allowed participants from ages 8-18 to take part.
Through interactive panels and the inclusion of a special guest, the boys will be encouraged to be proud of who they are, their identity, and their future. The event’s organizer, Cortez Hampton, Sr., spoke on the mission for the event.
“The goal is to have kids leave with a positive mindset about school and a positive mindset about life,” shared Hampton Sr. to WDRB.
He revealed how his own past prompted him to reach out as a mentor to adolescents, just as he was supported in his own childhood,
“I was around the violence. I was around everything that happens in our community, but the thing that got me past everything was having people around me to help me.”
Mental health awareness for Black men and boys is often marginalized, and this event seeks to combat that lack of knowledge and regard by encouraging open conversation for the demographic.
By discussing topics such as violence prevention and mental health, the Black Boy Joy Conference hopes to provide much-needed guidance for the city of Louisville’s youth and inspire other areas to connect with the young Black men in their community. Registration is still open to participate in the movement for Black Boy Joy.
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Source: Black Enterprise
