#BMEC2025 IS BACK! November 20-22, 2025, Loews Philadelphia Hotel

The 8th Annual Black Men in Education Convening (#BMEC2025) is coming to Philadelphia this fall!

CBED is thrilled to continue this powerful tradition of hosting the largest gathering of Black male educators in the U.S.! #BMEC2025 will be an electric and transformative event, expanding opportunities for professional development, mentorship, community building and collective action to drive change within the sector.

Together, we will focus on practical solutions for improving educational outcomes for all students and expanding opportunities for Black male educators and future educator activists moving through the Black Teacher Pipeline. 

#BMEC2025 will continue to build on the legacy of Black Teaching Tradition, drive change, inspire the next generation of Black male educators, and shape the future of education.

This event is currently sold out. Please stay tuned for updates or join the waitlist in case additional tickets become available.

JOIN OUR WAITLIST

 

2025 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

#BMEC2025 will feature a compelling lineup of esteemed speakers, engaging panels, and interactive workshops aimed at empowering us as Black educator activists and enhancing student outcomes.

The 2025 convening theme is: Power to the Pupil: History, Hip Hop, & the Future of Teaching & Learning

This year’s event will focus on the following critical strands:

1) STEM

2) Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support

3) Leadership and Policy Making

4) Physical, Mental and Social Emotional Health and Wellness

5) Parent and Community Engagement

6) Professional Learning and Development

7) Sports & Entertainment

 

Educators, secure support from your employer now!

DOWNLOAD LETTER OF SUPPORT

 

BECOME A #BMEC2025 SPONSOR

Are you interested in becoming a sponsor for #BMEC2025? The 2025 Black Men in Education Convening will provide a unique opportunity for companies and organizations to highlight their commitment to rebuilding the Black educator pipeline.

We offer a range of sponsorship packages that can help meet marketing, branding, and corporate social responsibility objectives.

2025 SPONSORSHIP KIT

BECOME A #BMEC2025 VENDOR

Vendors, interested in getting in front of some of the most engaged, forward-looking leaders in education? Consider tabling at this year’s BMEC, which offers a unique, powerful platform for businesses, artisans and organizations to connect with a community dedicated to uplifting Black educators.

VENDOR INTAKE FORM

Dr. Howard Fuller
Co-Founder of the Dr. Howard Fuller
Collegiate Academy
Bomani Jones
CEO of Old Soul Productions
Charise Cheney
Professor, Black Studies at University of Oregon
Dr. Camika Royal
Director & Associate Professor,
Urban Educational Leadership
Dr. Tony Watlington
Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia
Yasmeen Majid
Black Panther Party Veteran Member
Dr. Na’ilah Nasir
President, Spencer Foundation
Rachel Skerritt
Chief Strategy Officer
Attuned Education Partners
Dr. Greg Carr
Professor of Africana Studies, Howard University
Dr. Charles Payne
Director, Joseph Cornwall Center
for Metropolitan Studies
Dr. William Hayes
CEO of Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia
Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick
Award-Winning Author & Dean Emerita
Howard University School of Education
Dr. John B. King, Jr.
Chancellor, SUNY
Hamid A Khalid
Activist For Justice and Freedom
Lupe Fiasco
Grammy Award-winning rapper, songwriter, producer, and visionary
Abigail Henry
Schomburg Fellow/Graduate Assistant
Ashley Ogbonna
Education Attorney
Ashlyn Thomas
Research & Engagement Manager, UNCF
Brynn Johnson
Senior Manager, Educator Initiatives at National Geographic Society
Clyde Cole
Senior Associate, Great Schools Partnership
Dr. Constance Lindsay
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, UNC Chapel Hill
Courtney Taylor
Founder & Executive Director The E.V.E. Group
Darren Rainey, Sr.
Founder, Melanated Masterminds
DaSean Jones
Parent Advocate, DC parent
Dr. David McGuire
Principal, Rooted School Indy
David Spellmon
CEO, Positive Archer Solutions
Dr. Aaron Bass
CEO, EastSide Charter School
Dr. Asya Johnson
Creator & Founder of HBCU Early College Prep-NYC
Dr. Donna-Marie Cole
Executive Director (PEDC) & Assistant Professor, East Stroudsburg University
Dr. Essence Allen-Presley
CEO & Founder, The Education Institute for Early Intervention (EIEI)
Dr. Jacob Easley II
Educator | CEO | Podcaster
Dr. Larry Collier
Co Founder, Educational and Community Strategies
Dr. Mike Brown
Director, The Principal Leaning Center (PLC)
Dr. Nadia Bennett
Founder and CEO, When Brown Girls Lead
Dr. Paula Stanton
Supervisor of Culture and Climate, Harford County Public Schools
Dr. Didi Watts
Co-Founder, Watts of Power Foundation
Dr. Peter Watts
Co-Founder, Watts of Power Foundation
Dr. Tasean Baldwin
Doctor | PhD | Educator | Teacher
Dr. William White
Faculty, North Seattle College
Elaine Wells
Quality Education Advocate, Global Thinking Initiatives Inc
Emily Sagor
Policy Manager, Teach Plus Pennsylvania
Evalaurene Jean-Charles
CEO & Founder, Black on Black Eduaction
Gary Beidleman
Superintendent, New York City Public Schools
Gavin Smith
Boston Latin Academy Head of School
Imani Wulff-Cochrane
Delaware State University Undergraduate Student
Ismael Jimenez
Educator and Activist
Jamal Berry
President & CEO, Educare Washington DC
Janear Hankerson
Accountant, Educator, and Comedy Writer
Jason Acosta
Deputy Senior Director, Diversity Recruitment and Special Initiatives at NYC Public Schools
Jeff Livingston
CEO, EdSolutions
Jeremy Cooper
Educational Leader & Researcher School District of Philadelphia
Jillian Ogundele
Instructional Coach, Black Teacher Collaborative
Kareem McQuilkin
Education Manager, We Do It 4 The Culture
Kazmir Davis
Principal, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School
Keilani Martin Goggins
Managing Director, BEI
Lisa Lazare
Executive Director, Educators for Excellence MA
Mario Jovan Shaw
Social Impact Leadership Coach
Dr. Mary Rice-Boothe
Founder, Leading-Within, LLC
Maurice Blackmon
PhD Student, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Meredith Anderson
Director of K-12 Research, UNCF
Miriam Kamya
Director, Strategic Partnerships National Geographic Society
Nikia D. Garland, MS, MA
Literacy Coach, Indianapolis Public Schools
Njemele Anderson
Founder of Linked Destinies Academy
Orin Robinson
Dean Of Students, Durham Nativity School
Ryne Anthony
Co-Founder and Director of Innovation Fluxspace
Sabion Kelley
5th-8th Grade Social Studies and Leadership Teacher, Durham Nativity School
Sharae Curd
Pennsylvania Managing Director of Programs, Teach Plus
Shayna Renee Hammond
CEO of Lead For Liberation and Indigo Unbound
Shomari A. James
Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO Equity Now, Inc.
Dr. Sonn Sam
National Director of Partnerships Big Picture Learning
Dr. Tamisha Sales
Social Impact Innovator & Researcher Girl Coalition of Indiana
TaraShaun Gipson
Executive Director, Black Principals Network
Vicki Jones
Senior Project Manager, TeacHCPS
Will Okrafo-Smart
Recruitment Director Teach For America
William Krasnow
Founder & CEO, SwiftScore
Willie Buford
Out of School Time Education Consultant
Winston Cox
Co-CEO of Cox LEADS, LLC
Zaretta Hammond
CEO of Transformative Learning Solutions
Zaynab Baalbaki
TPS Coach and Networks Co-Lead
#WENEEDBLACKMALE TEACHERS

Research consistently shows the profound impact Black male educators have on students. Black boys with at least one Black teacher are 39% less likely to drop out of school, and when they have a Black male teacher, they are 18% less likely to be identified for special education services. Furthermore, Black students who have two Black elementary school teachers are 32% more likely to pursue higher education. Yet, Black men make up less than 2% of U.S. public school teachers, underscoring the critical need for continued focus on recruiting and retaining Black male educators.

Check out the First Annual KIPP DC Black Men in Education Convening that took place in March 2025 in collaboration with the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED). This transformative event attracted 200 Black Men in Education and brought CBED’s annual convening to D.C.! Plenty thanks to Andre Samuels, Director of School Equity Initiatives and to all of the Dreamkeepers who attended!

Watch BMEC x KIPP DC (2025) Recap Video

WE RECALL #BMEC2024

Last year, #BMEC2024 was a sold-out event, making it our largest convening to date! We drew an incredible 1,400 attendees from across 40 states and four countries, representing a diverse range of Dreamkeepers in both education policy and practice. The convening featured 170 breakout speakers and was honored to have Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings as the keynote speaker on the 30th anniversary of her seminal book Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Students. #BMEC2024’s theme, Deacons for Our Future: Dreamkeepers Yesterday, Today, and Forever, celebrated the enduring legacy of Black male educators and their transformative impact on the future of education.

A look back at #BMEC2024 in Photos

WHAT BMEC ATTENDEES SAY

“Seeing so many brothers in education is uplifting.”

“I was forced to reflect on how my actions, both deliberate and unconscious, caused some of my students to be excluded and left out. I brought back more of a willingness to learn about my students—to reach them in a way that not only is inclusive but also genuine.”

“The vibe was the thing—a day where you just feel at home as a man of color in education.”

“Convening provided life-giving energy, fitting for uplifting and encouraging spiritual warriors. Wide variety of session topics and truly delightful interactions with everyone who crossed paths.”

“I was surrounded by people who didn’t look like me…There were jokes and references I didn’t get, times I felt excluded from the conversation…I was keenly aware of how every person interacted with me and constantly questioned what they were thinking about me and my presence. In other words…I got just the smallest window into the experience of many Black male educators and students in our schools.”