In a locale with as much Latino influence as Austin, Texas, fulfilling the unique needs of boys and young men of color is paramount to the success of the entire community. Beyond Austin, Latino men all over the country are leading the way to provide resources to ensure that all boys grow into strong young men with opportunities to learn and thrive.
COSEBOC is no stranger to providing access to the most effective strategies and tools for affirming the entire diaspora of boys and men of color. Here is a glimpse of some of our Who’s-Who of Black & Latino men who will help bring focus and flavor to #COSEBOC11 in April’s Gathering of Leaders.
Dr. Eddie Fergus-Arcia
Dr. Eddie Fergus-Arcia, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, is part of the backbone of COSEBOC. A co-author of the well-known COSEBOC Standards, he led the development of the organization’s seminal document, which serves as the foundation for our year-round Professional Services.
During #COSEBOC11, Dr. Fergus-Arcia will lead the trending discussion on why boys and young men of color appear to be lagging behind in American schools. His presentation, “Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity: Using Data to Change Hearts and Minds” ponders disproportionality with regards to special education, gifted/AP/honors, and suspensions, and explores the roles of policy and practice in contributing to these outcomes.
Watch a short video below as Dr. Fergus-Arcia talks the “Causes of Disproportionality” and be sure to pick up his latest book, “Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity”
Dr. Gerald Reyes
Dr. Gerald “G” Reyes speaks truth to the youth, and COSEBOC is proud to have his leadership as part of the Young Men’s Passage at Huston-Tillotson University in April. As a Research Scholar at Stanford and an Assistant Professor at Mills College, Dr. G is entrenched in what he calls “a commitment to the empowerment of young folks, teachers, and school leaders to radically imagine ways to transform their own realities.”
The K-12 teacher is a self-described scholar-activist-artivist-public intellectual with a gift for reaching young people. In his own words, Dr. G is known for “standing…Standing up. Standing with. Standing for. Standing on the corner of the block professing truths and street wisdoms that don’t stop. Standing on rocks. Standing from seeds sown by those who came before. Standing in concrete fields with new seeds in hand to plant more. Standing in the pages of history, because history is not predetermined – it is a time of possibility. Standing tall so he could see. Standing to the side so you could be. And become. He stands. He don’t run. He stands. But never in the back of the bus. He stands because he must.”
Dr. Hector Montenegro
Dr. Hector Montenegro has a 40-year career of excellence serving as an educator and administrator in California, Texas, Virginia, and Washington D.C. schools. As the country’s Latino population continues to grow and manifest its influence on industry, politics, technology, and more, he has been heralded for helping educators to foster a balanced and systemic academic-SEL instructional model for their African American and Latino students (and English Learners).
Dr. Montenegro’s upcoming Annual Gathering workshop, entitled “Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Learning and Work Environment: The Qualitative Difference in the Success or Failure for Linguistic and Culturally Diverse Male” reflects on ways to uplift and motivate “students who feel marginalized, disconnected, and disengaged socially and emotionally from their school community.”
Learn more about other #COSEBOC11 Workshop Presentations here.