“Rooted Beyond: No Borders in Our Brilliance” is the theme for this year’s Black & Brown Male Summit, now in its 16th year. The summit is expected to attract hundreds of Black and Brown young men to Highline College on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. 

Each year, the summit primarily focuses on providing a space for high school and college-age men to:

  • Critique social structures that inhibit them from being successful in education
  • Celebrate their achievements despite the obstacles and barriers they may face
  • Contextualize their self-identity socially, culturally, historically and politically through a sense of self and value of self

The ultimate goal of the summit is to empower and motivate young Black and Brown men to excel in academics and to accept nothing less than excellence from self.

The daylong summit will include two keynote addresses, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

The morning keynote address features Foos In Medicine, two Latino, first-generation UCLA medical school graduates (Irvin Garcia Real and Alexis Aleman) who have over half a million social media followers. Both will soon be the first doctors in their families. They have faced many obstacles on the path to medicine, and understand the challenges that underrepresented minorities face in higher education, especially in the medical field. They will share their journey through a system that wasn't built for them and inspire the next generation of medical professionals.

The afternoon keynote address features Marcus Harden. Harden is a lifelong student of love, legacy, and liberation. A passionate educator, mentor, and storyteller, he has spent over two decades uplifting the brilliance of those often left out of the history books, especially young men of color and the everyday heroes who quietly shape our communities. In 2018, he launched Black History Today, a movement-turned-exhibit celebrating unsung Black leaders, rooted in love, gratitude, and collective memory. Harden is the co-founder of the Academy for Creating Excellence (ACE), a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Black male youth and adults through various educational and community programs. He is also the Executive Director of the Washington State Charter School Commission.

In addition to keynote presentations, attendees can also choose from 11 interactive workshops that speak to the summit’s theme.

The summit will also offer a Resource Fair in which attendees can learn about academic programs and resources provided at Highline College as well as community resources available for young men of color.

The event is free for male-identified high school and college students. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for those who have registered.

Event Details

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025
8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Highline College
Building 8 (Highline Student Union)

Questions?

Visit bandbsummit.highline.edu or email bbsummit@highline.edu.