100 Black Men of America Inc., The Coca-Cola Company and

the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Present2004 Student Leadership InstituteCourtesy of The Atlanta Inquirer newspaper (Atlanta, Georgia)
Atlanta, Georgia – Mr. Albert E. Dotson, Jr., Esq., National Chairman, and members of the Executive Committee of 100 Black Men of America, Inc., are pleased to announce the presentation of the 2004 Student Leadership Institute. The Student Leadership Institute is a collaborative effort between 100 Black Men of America, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company and the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. For more information, please visit: www.nbcahof.org”We are honored to collaborate with The Coca-Cola Company and its scholarship recipients, and the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. These organizations, like the 100, are positively impacting the communities in which we serve,” stated Albert E. Dotson, Jr. “It is imperative to the world to develop strong leadership among people of color. Training, education and development of leadership among our youth are vital. It is only when you are truly equipped with knowledge of self that you can begin to change the lives of others. It has been said, next in importance to freedom and justice is education. Without education, neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.”The Student Leadership Institute is an education and enrichment program for collegiate students who have demonstrated the capacity to become great leaders. The Leadership Institute is comprised of a series of interactive workshops that focus on social, economic and political issues facing our world today. The Student leadership Institute is an intensely-focused experiential learning opportunity. Spanning four days, the institute provides students a forum to exchange ideas with corporate and civic leaders. The program includes networking sessions, round table discussions and a Town Hall Meeting.With the theme “How To Bring Balance to the Book…the Ballot…and the Buck,” panelists, including Dr. Asa Hilliard, World Renown Expert on Urban Education, Author/Lecturer and Professor at Georgia State University; Jason Weaver, Actor/Writer/Producer; Thomas N. Todd, Esq., Civil Rights Attorney and Activist and Daryl Griffin, Chairwoman, Atlanta Business League and President of Accolades, Inc., engaged Leadership participants and the Metro Atlanta community during the Town Hall Meeting. Lively and passionate discussions centered around the following topic: privatization of education; respecting a parent’s right for alternate choices utilizing the voucher system without creating a segregated form of education; the relevancy of standardized tests such as state proficiency tests, ACT and the SAT; the justification of the rising cost of higher education and minimizing its negative impact on African Americans and other communities of color; the truth of economic and social status indicators stating African American males are either first in such things as drug abuse, as homicide rates, school dropout rates, and incarceration rates and last in such things as life expectancy, employment, school attendance, civic involvement and earning power; maximizing the African American community’s participation in the 2004 Election; the rights of the incarcerated, including the right to vote; and Affirmative Action: Is it alive or dead in America/What can we do to level the playing fields?The students had several opportunities to network with campus leaders of HBCU’s from around the country in the following venues: Town Hall Networking Reception, Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Black College Queens Pageant, Leadership Breakfast, and the Atlanta Football Classic. The 100100 Black Men was founded as an organization in New York City in 1963. The national organization, 100 Black Men of America, Inc., began with 9 chapters in 1986 as a national alliance of leading African American men of business, industry, public affairs and government. Today, under the direction of Albert E. Dotson, Jr., the organization has 102 chapters, and growing, in the United States, England, and the Caribbean. There are members from a myriad of professions, including corporate executives, physicians, attorneys, entrepreneurs, entertainers, elected officials, professional athletes, educators and men from numerous other professions.The 100, as it is widely known, has created programs which provide an environment where young people are encouraged and motivated to learn and achieve. Each member serves as a strong Black role model for our youth in today’s society. “Four For The Future,”(tm) and Leadership Development are the strategic areas of focus that supports the mission of the organization. Subject areas encompass Mentoring, Economic Development, Education, Health & Wellness, and the development of leaders around the world. All of the signature programs of the 100 are contained in one of these content areas. The accomplishments made through these programs have allowed the 100 to gain notable prominence internationally as one of the world’s leading organizations for mentoring African American youth.With a mission to improve the quality of life and enhance educational opportunities for African Americans, members of the 100 serve as a strong force overcoming the cultural and financial obstacles that have limited the achievements of African American youth, particularly young African American males. The organization has made outstanding progress, proving that Blacks can, and do, excel in corporate and community leadership. # # # #100 Black Men of America Inc., The Coca-Cola Company andthe National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Present 2004 Student Leadership InstitutePage 1