The Male Empowerment Network (MPower) will make connections with its first annual Men of Color Summit on Saturday.

The Men of Color Summit is an all-day event that will take place ain the Student Center Ballroom. 

The summit will feature a keynote speaker, educational workshops, an empowerment brunch and social networking opportunities. It will end with a formal gala and scholarship banquet for a night of dancing, food and fellowship. 

Kevin “Kelvin” Opoku, an advisor with the Male Empowerment Network (MPower), hopes the summit gives students the opportunity to create connections that allow them to see themselves within different departments and professions. 

“It’s really for students to recognize who they are as a person,” he said.” They can start making those actions to work on who they want to become.” 

It will begin at 8 a.m. with opening remarks and breakfast for attendees in the ballroom.

From 9 a.m. until 11:45 a.m., students can attend breakout sessions followed by a Brother’s Brunch at noon. 

Afterward, attendees can go home and prepare for the formal attire gala and awards banquet from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. 

There are two separate tickets for attendees, one ticket allows you entry to attend only the gala and the other allows guests to attend the summit. Registration for a summit ticket includes all meals during the summit, one gala ticket, one empowerment brunch ticket and a one-year subscription to the MPower Network.  

The summit and gala are free for all college and high school students. For professionals, a gala ticket is $40 and summit tickets are $75. 

Keynote speaker Cesquinn Curtis, the associate vice president of the Division of Student Affairs at Kent State, will be in attendance to discuss MPower Network’s theme for the year: recognition, reflection, and renewal. 

Breakout sessions will discuss belonging, gaining a support community and moving motivation into inspiration. 

The Male Empowerment Network,  also known as the Mpower Network, was established in 2010 with the mission of supporting “the cultural, academic, professional, personal and social development of men of color.” 

The group meets weekly in the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center (SMC) every Tuesday at 6 p.m. and hopes to make the Men of Color Summit an annual event.

Samira Brown is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].