Activist-Literary Artist Aims to Empower Young People to Bring About Change on Campus and in the Community
November 15, 2022
Kevin Powell
WHAT: Kevin Powell – a Brooklyn civil and human rights activist, poet and author of 15 books – will bring Monroe Community College students together for a conversation focused on inspiring young people to “get from where you are to where you want to be.” Led by Monroe Community College’s TRIO Student Support Services, the event aims to bridge gaps among race, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, and disabilities.
Creating a vibrant, welcoming culture of inclusion and belonging and working intentionally as one institution to meet the needs of the community are among MCC’s priorities for 2022-23 and beyond.
WHERE: Warshof Conference Center, R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center on MCC’s Brighton Campus, 1000 E. Henrietta Road; parking is provided in lot M.
WHEN: Noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17
DETAILS: TRIO Student Support Services is a federally funded academic support program for low-income, first-generation learners and students with disabilities. In fall 2022, the program serves approximately 300 MCC students, a majority of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Powell is one of the distinguished political, cultural, literary and hip-hop voices in America. Growing up with an absent father in a Jersey City community stricken with extreme poverty and violence, he studied political science and English at Rutgers University with financial assistance and others supports through the Educational Opportunity Fund. He has since published a collection of poetry and 15 books, including the critically acclaimed autobiography “The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey into Manhood,” which is being adapted for the screen. A former 2-time Congressional candidate in Brooklyn, Powell is directing, writing and producing a documentary film, “When We Free the World,” a deep dive into manhood and fatherhood through the lens of African-American men and boys. His full bio is available online.