Superhero training for Black boys comes to Brooklyn

by Christina Greer, Ph.D.  

On April 11, Black Superhero Bootcamp will be in full effect for boys ages 12–17 at Brownsville Community Middle School BCMS; 85 Watkins Street in Brooklyn.

No, they won’t be dressing up like the Black Panther or Batman, but they will be developing skills that will help them navigate these sometimes unwelcoming environs. Black Superhero Bootcamp is the brain child of Charles Coleman, my friend and colleague from MS NOW (formerly MSNBC). Many of you many know Coleman from his tenure as a civil rights attorney and MS NOWlegal analyst and guest host.

“America’scurrentconversation continues to treat Black boys as an afterthought. Now, more than ever, it has become apparent that the community has a collective responsibility to engage on behalf of our boys to do for them what we cannot count on others for,” Coleman said. “In that spirit, Black Superhero Bootcamp is a day of fun, which will bring together Black boys in junior high school and high school in support of their continued growth and development to super-charge them with a morale boost that will power them past the finish line for the final weeks in the school year.”

Black Superhero Bootcamp is a one-day youth conference of activities, workshops, speakers, and panels that focus on the development of Black boys. Attendees will be divided into groups, with each group cycling through 50-minute sessions for “superhero” trainings. The sessions will be led by our guest speakers and panelists with a focus on three themes: The Power of Choice, Leading Where You Are, and A Plan to Finish Strong. The goal of this year’s Black Superhero Bootcamp is to encourage our young men to be more intentional in applying critical thought to how they navigate everyday decisions in their lives. There will also be a physical activities portion that will involve organized competition during one of the sessions.

The day will begin with breakfast at 9 a.m. and sessions starting at 10 a.m., with lunch for everyone around 12 noon. The afternoon sessions will finish at 2:30 p.m. with brief closing remarks and a 3 p.m. dismissal. The best part for busy parents is … it is a free program. Parents and guardians will drop off their sons for a day of inspiration, collaboration, and skill-building.

There is limited space, so to sign up a loved one or volunteer themselves, register with this form: Black Superhero Bootcamp.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.