A sea of black men—and the women who love them—touched down at the JW Turnberry Miami Resort and Spa on Wednesday in high anticipation for Black Men XCEL, an annual four-day gathering that recognizes and empowers men of color. Each year, the summit, which is sponsored by FedEx, enriches black men with thought-provoking workshops, star-powered panels, and professional development sessions, along with a variety of social and leisure activities.
Black Men XCEL: Day 1
After checking in, attendees arrived at registration where they received badges and swag bags filled with goodies. Later that evening, they mixed and mingled at a warm welcome reception in their finest red-carpet attire. Their enthusiasm continued at the third annual Black Men XCEL Awards, which pay tribute to innovators, trailblazers, and game-changers who have risen to astonishing heights in their respective fields, sponsored by AT&T. This year’s honorees include civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson, legendary soul singer Eddie Levert, National Urban League President Marc Morial, and NFL Hall of Famer and groundbreaking entrepreneur Jerome Bettis.
Ed Gordon at the 2019 Black Men XCEL
Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Ed Gordon opened the ceremony reflecting on the impact of The New York Times’ 1619 Project, which takes a deep dive into the history and legacy of American slavery.
“In 1619—four hundred years ago this month—20 Africans landed in Port Comfort, Virginia, brought here in chains and traded for food,” said Gordon, the master of ceremonies. “That moment would begin the journey of a people, our people, in America across four centuries marked by close to 250 years of slavery and followed by decades of legal segregation [and] discrimination,” he said. “Our journey, however, is not about being victims. It is about perseverance, self-determination, triumph, pride, succeeding against insurmountable odds.”
Marc Morial, president, National Urban League
BLACK ENTERPRISE President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. also gave opening remarks, paying homage to the legacy of BLACK ENTERPRISE as the premier publication spotlighting professional black men in business.
“For nearly five decades, Black Enterprise has been the only media outlet that has intentionally, consistently, and unapologetically shared with the world in our magazine and on our website and social media platforms the contributions of black men as corporate executives, Wall Street financiers, doctors, attorneys, engineers, and, of course, entrepreneurs.” Graves also described Black Men XCEL as a franchise that serves to further the legacy of his father, Earl Graves Sr., who launched the print magazine in 1970.
Shortly thereafter, Corey Anthony, senior vice president, Human Resources and chief diversity officer at AT&T, delighted the audience with a story of how Levert, the lead singer of The O’Jays, impacted his life and, ultimately, helped his marriage.
Tony Waller, senior director, Corporate Affairs Constituent Relations for Walmart, then presented the first award of the night. While accepting his award, Morial expressed the urge to “bust the myth” of black men fostered by stereotypes and negative imagery.
Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, NFL Hall of Famer and entrepreneur
After Bettis and Levert received their respective honors, activist Jonathan Jackson accepted the award on behalf of his father, Rev. Jackson, sharing powerful words of inspiration.
The celebration of black men will continue until Sunday with golf tournaments, luxurious spa experiences, a Mars vs. Venus trivia competition, and live comedy, and concert performances. You can follow along on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #BMXCEL.
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