The recent cuts to education under the Trump administration are poised to have a particularly detrimental effect on Black students, especially in urban school districts with majority minority populations like Philadelphia.
To counteract these challenges, a forum held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center gathered prominent African American educators and leaders to strategize on empowering Black students.
As part of its 98th General Convention, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. hosted a panel titled “Advocacy in Education: Empowering Black Men for College and Beyond,” highlighting the need for Black institutions to come together in the face of diminishing federal and state support for education.
Dr. Nina L. Gilbert, director of the College for Excellence in Education at Morehouse College, emphasized the urgency of developing new methods for preparing educators and students alike.
She stated, “In this time where education is under attack as we understood in the public education sector, history is being redefined, where science is being ignored, where civics is being dismantled, it is our time now to create something new.”
Moderated by journalist Jeff Johnson, the panel featured a lineup of influential figures including Rutgers University President William Tate, Walter M. Kimbrough, interim president of Talladega College, and Everett B. Ward, former president of St. Augustine University and 35th general president of Alpha Phi Alpha.
Throughout the forum, the discussion illuminated the roles that Black fraternities, sororities, and community institutions can play in supporting African American education amidst current adversities.
Johnson posed a critical question regarding the state of the Department of Education, noting its closure and lack of resources available to states for educational support.
The panelists proposed a range of strategies, including forming partnerships with public and private sectors, as well as leveraging relationships with churches and parents’ groups to bolster support for Black educators and students.
In his address, Ward called for African American elected officials to adopt innovative approaches to advance education for African American students, citing Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham, Alabama, as a model for this kind of engagement.
Woodfin, who previously served on the city’s school board, encouraged collaboration between community leaders and the business sector to prioritize education initiatives.
Ward highlighted Woodfin’s efforts to create “The Birmingham Promise,” which allows students in Birmingham to attend community colleges and universities tuition-free, regardless of their standardized test scores or GPA.
Similarly, in Oklahoma City, a partnership led by the Alpha Community Foundation transformed an abandoned elementary school into a community center that offers various educational resources and facilities to local youth.
Recalling historical struggles for education, Ward reminded attendees that the Black community has consistently sought educational opportunities, even when faced with systemic inequities.
He encouraged a return to communal support systems, stating, “We’ve got to go back to those days. …We’ve got to be more entrepreneurial.”
Panelists conveyed a sense of urgency regarding the impact of the Trump administration’s policies, particularly the assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that previously aided Black students in predominantly white institutions (PWIs).
Kimbrough cautioned that the presence of Black fraternities and sororities might be threatened as federal support diminishes, which could further marginalize their role at PWIs.
He stated, “I’m here to tell you have chapters (at PWIs), they might go away. That’s where we are right now, because you can’t have your minority recruiters.”
Kimbrough emphasized the necessity for African American organizations to develop funding mechanisms that support students pursuing higher education, from undergraduate studies to graduate, medical, and law schools.
“The organizations can do that kind of work, because if we don’t do that kind of work, you’re going to see a significant drop-off in people who look like this room going to college, going to graduate and professional school,” he advised.
Tate, drawing on his experience as a university president, stressed the importance of using targeted language to advocate for inclusion in educational programs, rather than relying solely on DEI terminology.
During his tenure at Louisiana State University, he established a mentoring program aimed at supporting students from middle school through graduate school, funded by individuals dedicated to fostering educational access.
He asserted, “If you have the right language, you can have the right program.”
The overarching sentiment among the forum participants was a resilient belief in the Black community’s ability to navigate educational challenges despite cuts and limitations.
Gilbert expressed optimism, stating, “I’m excited because this is our opportunity to innovate, to disrupt, because no one’s coming to save us — but we’ve never been able to rely on formal institutions to ensure that we educate properly.”
She encouraged collective action and independent efforts to devise solutions for future generations, asserting that there are resources and tools available for progress.
In a time marked by uncertainty in educational policy, the collaboration and solidarity demonstrated by these educators and leaders serve as a beacon of hope for Black students and their families navigating a changing landscape.
The forum illuminated the pressing need for innovative strategies to address educational disparities and emphasized the power of community-driven solutions to ensure that Black students continue to have opportunities for success in their academic journeys.
image source from：philasun
