Our Diversity Summit provides relevant diversity training that improves mental health service delivery and educational services. This free event is for providers and parents alike.
Attendance is flexible! If you're unable to attend the full event, you are still invited to register and attend whichever sessions you like.
VIRTUAL SUMMIT
9:00 AM-9:50 AM Keynote: Brandon P. Fleming
Over the past decade, Brandon P. Fleming has become one of the most highly awarded and sought-after educators, entrepreneurs, authors, and speakers in the world. Fleming’s miraculous story of transformation, captured in his book Miseducated, has become such a national hit that it is currently being optioned for television and film, and it is in the process of becoming a major theater production.
An at-risk youth and college dropout turned award-winning educator, Fleming is a former debate coach at Harvard University and Founder & CEO of the Veritas School of Social Sciences, a prestigious private school in Atlanta, GA.
In 2017, Fleming was recruited to become Harvard University’s assistant debate coach at the age of 26. Fleming soon made history at Harvard as the founder of the first pipeline program called the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project, which was designed to increase Black and brown enrollment at Harvard’s residential debate program where hundreds of gifted young scholars from over 25 different countries study and compete in an international academic debate competition.
Over seven years, Fleming has raised millions of dollars to enroll more than 250 students of color into Harvard’s summer debate residency on full scholarship. But there was one challenge that Fleming faced: How would he take Black and brown youth from mostly under-resourced schools in Atlanta, who had never been exposed to the rigors of academic debate, and prepare them in just one year to compete against some of the most elite debaters from across the globe? Fleming created a transformative curriculum that is designed to level the playing field for underserved students. And it did. For seven consecutive years, since the program’s inception in 2017, every cohort trained by Fleming has won the international competition as seven-time consecutive champions. News of the achievement has gone viral and broke national headlines, being featured on CNN, Good Morning America, the Steve Harvey Show and many more. Fleming’s school has gained the financial backing of Fortune 100 companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, Chick-fil-A, and many more.
As a renowned speaker, Fleming has keynoted for international governmental organizations such as the United Nations. Fleming has spoken at the nation’s most prestigious colleges, universities, and K-12 conferences. Fleming has also keynoted conventions for corporate executives at the nation’s largest brands such as Walmart, Bank of America, FedEx, and many more. At the age of 29, Forbes Magazine named Fleming to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. In 2020, The Root Magazine named Fleming one of the top 100 most influential African Americans in the United States. And in May 2021, North Carolina Wesleyan College bestowed upon Fleming the honorary Doctor of Humanities degree.
Workshop Speakers
Workshop speakers will be announced soon. Check back for more details.
Afternoon Keynote: Brittany Patterson, Ph.D.
Dr. Brittany Patterson is a licensed psychologist, author, speaker and consultant. She has served schools for more than a decade in various capacities and has specialized in school-based mental health services in underserved schools and communities. Dr. Brittany provides training and technical assistance to diverse school stakeholders on the impact of trauma and strategies to create safe, healing environments for students.
She is particularly passionate about identifying and building upon the strengths of youth and their communities to promote positive mental health and well-being. In fact, “The Fight” was inspired by five years of serving a Title I school in Baltimore City where she was consistently impressed by the gifts and talents of our “fighters” – students often “in trouble” for behavioral or emotional challenges. She found that invested adults, dedicated time, and ample skill building opportunities made a significant difference for the “fighters” and enabled many to not only survive but thrive!
Beyond her professional dedication to schools, Dr. Patterson is a proud daughter, sister and mommy! Her hobbies include spending time with her family over arts and crafts, food, outdoor sports, and reading. Ultimately, Dr. Patterson has one hope for all students, including her own children:
"You deserve safe spaces to learn and grow,
full of opportunities to share what you know,
and elevation of your talents for obstacles foreseen,
ensuring accomplishment of every goal and unseen dream."
- Dr. Brittany Patterson
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