“The networking and collective thinking in the sessions were invaluable. This event was exactly what I needed to inspire and inform my work.”

On Saturday, June 1st, He is Me Institute proudly hosted its inaugural Building Black Male Teacher Pathways Summit at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston. This groundbreaking event brought together leaders and representatives from educational institutions across Massachusetts, including school districts, higher education, government agencies, and community organizations. The Summit, a cornerstone of He is Me’s field-building work, aimed to catalyze discussions and collaborations to drastically increase the number of Black male teachers in the US, aligning with the organization’s mission.

The Summit commenced with a powerful keynote address by Dr. Regina Robinson, Deputy Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. Dr. Robinson’s speech resonated deeply with the attendees, as evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive feedback; 88% of participants strongly agreed that the keynote was “inspiring and thought-provoking​.”

Following the keynote, participants engaged in two dynamic breakout sessions led by local education leaders. In the first session, attendees were grouped with peers from similar organizations to dissect their current initiatives for developing and supporting Black male teachers (BMTs). This session provided a critical space for participants to reflect on their successes and identify areas for growth. The dialogue revealed a shared commitment to improving the recruitment, retention, and retirement of Black male educators, with 75% of participants strongly agreeing that the Summit offered meaningful opportunities for relationship-building and collaboration​.

The second session encouraged cross-sector collaboration, grouping participants with those from different parts of the education ecosystem. This facilitated rich conversations on how various organizations could potentially collaborate on future initiatives. The feedback highlighted the value of these discussions, with two-thirds of attendees strongly agreeing that they gained valuable insights into the unique strengths and challenges Black men face in the education field​​. One attendee noted, “The opportunity to be in community with members and educators who shared best practices and offered an opportunity to network and connect further with others in this important work,” which was particularly impactful.

In collaboration with Great Schools Partnership, the Summit underscored the critical need for building Black male teacher pathways and demonstrated the impact of cross-sector collaboration. The combined efforts of all participants were instrumental in the event’s success, highlighting the importance of supporting Black male educators throughout their careers. We also gained valuable feedback from participants on how we can enhance our support for institutions aiming to improve pathways and sustainability for Black male teachers.