News release from the City of Fort Wayne:
Fort Wayne UNITED to participate in Global Leadership Summit
(August 9, 2016) – The Fort Wayne UNITED program is continuing proactive efforts to enhance opportunities, advance youth advocacy and help ensure the safety of all residents with a focus on African American men and boys.
More than 50 African American boys and girls are scheduled to take part in the Global Leadership Summit on Aug. 11-12 at the Grand Wayne Center. Participants will learn about leadership concepts, conflict resolution, communication, and many other components of effective leadership. On Aug. 11, the young men and women will have the opportunity to have lunch with several community leaders from 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Fort Wayne UNITED is a mayoral initiative that was announced by Mayor Tom Henry last month. It places two national efforts, Cities United and My Brother’s Keeper, into one program to make a meaningful difference with an emphasis on listening, input, letting voices be heard, and engagement.
The vision is for every black male in Fort Wayne to be respected and valued with an opportunity to reach their full potential. The mission is to advocate for and implement policies, practices, and procedures to ensure equity and opportunity for black fathers, brothers, and sons at home, work, school, and community through collaborative efforts.
Goals to lead to positive outcomes include engagement of black men and boys, the community, policymakers, philanthropic community, and data gathering.
Criminal justice, non-profit, clergy, health, and education leaders, along with representatives from the Fort Wayne Police Department are part of the Fort Wayne UNITED Committee that’s been working for the past several months to make Fort Wayne the best community possible and move Fort Wayne UNITED forward.
Programming as part of Fort Wayne UNITED includes:
- Fort Wayne UNITED L.I.V.E. sessions (Listening to input and voices through engagement) – An effort to create a safe place for African American males to share their thoughts and concerns on a variety of topics including education, employment, and family.
- Fort Wayne UNITED L.I.V.E. forums – Quarterly meetings bring the Fort Wayne Police Department and African American males together to discuss perceptions, perspectives, and experiences.
- Fort Wayne UNITED Public Safety Academy training – In partnership with the Fort Wayne Police Department, African American males are exposed to real-life scenarios that allow them to experience training, experiences, and challenges that local law enforcement faces daily.
- Fort Wayne UNITED Choose Success Initiative – African American males learn about the positive outcomes of good decisions and the negative consequences of poor decisions. Young people are exposed to hands-on experiences through the building trades and courtroom proceedings.
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