We were proud to serve as a sponsor for the 8th annual Black Men in Education Convening (BMEC), hosted by the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) and empower more than 30 teachers, principals, administrators, and students from Mastery Schools the opportunity to attend free of cost, make lasting connections, and be empowered to return to their campuses ready to make change! STEM Assistant Principal at Harrity Elementary, Walter Bounds, reflected on the opportunity as “…a space that allows Black men in education to share openly, learn collaboratively, and walk away feeling both recharged and affirmed in our purpose.”

Over 1,000 educators from across the region and nation gathered under the theme “Power to the Pupil: History, Hip-Hop, & the Future of Teaching & Learning” to learn from a range of panelists and workshop facilitators, including Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer Lupe Fiasco. Among the presenters were our Deputy Chief of Leadership Initiatives, Raymond Fields, and Program Director of Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders, Latanya Simmons. Together, they co-led the Reclaiming Wellness: Addressing Systemic Harm and Fostering Belonging for Black Educators workshop, guiding educators in identifying commonalities through storytelling and developing techniques to combat biases in the classroom and beyond.

Under the leadership of CBED founder, CEO, and former Mastery Shoemaker principal Sharif El-Mekki, the event has evolved into a premier gathering space to celebrate education and equip leaders with the tools needed to ensure a more equitable landscape for all. Chris Rivers, Employee Relations Talent Partner at Mastery Schools, appreciated that the Convening reinforced the need for Black male representation across academic and support positions. In the spirit of BMEC, if you are interested in contributing to diversifying the educator pipeline, opportunities are currently available for school year 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 within Mastery Schools in Philadelphia and Camden.