Dr. Cornel West to Keynote Black Men in Leadership Summit in Detroit

Dr. Cornel West, one of the most notable living Black authors and philosophers, is delivering the keynote at the 2nd Annual National Black Men in Leadership Summit on Thursday, Aug. 18 the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel in Detroit. Joining Dr. West are Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and National Diversity Council’s Chair Dennis Kennedy who both will be opening the summit.

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The summit aims to create more Black men ready for the boardroom, chief officer positions, and leadership. It aims to gather college-bound and college-age Black men and other minority groups for discussions and actions on how to improve access to educational opportunities, improve retention, and leverage networks in education, and business. For this year, the summit is convening with the theme “The Resilient Leadership: Connection, Community, and Contribution.” “It is critical that we create more opportunities for diverse representation in the C-Suite and beyond,” Angeles Valencia, CEO of the National Diversity Council. “Our agenda of renowned speakers, insightful topical discussions, and workshops will educate and inspire attendees.’

Dr. West is known in pop culture for his role as Councilor West in “The Matrix Reloaded,” and “The Matrix Revolutions.” He also provides an extensive philosophical commentary on the “The Matrix” universe in “The Ultimate Matrix Collection” release. He has also collaborated with some iconic musicians like Prince, and Talib Kweli. West has also released hip-hop, soul and spoken word albums including “Sketches of My Culture,” “Street Knowledge,” and “Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations.” On the intellectual side, Dr. West is known for his influential books “Race Matters,” and “Democracy Matters.” He is one of the primary voices in America’s democratic socialist thought and has previously supported candidates who shared this philosophy. Last year, he has partnered with MasterClass to teach an on-demand class on philosophy “to teach you how thinking like a philosopher can help you navigate your personal relationships, your decision-making, and your everyday life,” the class description states. Dr. West joins some of the illustrious experts of their own fields including singer Mariah Carey, tech commentator Marques Brownlee, and TV personality RuPaul in the platform.

The summit will feature panels from an extensive list of Black men holding executive positions at some of the top institutions including DTE Energy, Michigan State University, and Microsoft. For a full list of the event’s speakers, you can check the summit’s website.