Space is limited for PEF’s “Men of Color: Changing the Narrative” Virtual Discussion event on Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Young men in high school and college are encouraged to hear from national experts about how to champion challenges into opportunities.
Registration for the online virtual discussion is extended until Thursday at 4 p.m. Zoom links will be sent to registrants. Attendees may register at www.pefchattanooga.org.
The presenters are:
Dr. Moise (Mo) Baptiste, PEF College Advancement mentor and founder of Grandii, LLC
Dr. Baptiste is the creator of the Leadership from the Margins Theory, which assumed conflict theory rather than systems theory. He currently serves as a College Advancement mentor at the Public Education Foundation. Dr. Baptiste has served as executive director of Student Affairs at UTC and the global director of Educational Affairs for the Haitian American Caucus. Dr. Baptiste’s research agenda explores how traditional leadership and organizational theories have been conceptualized and the intricate ways in which these theories are used to maintain systems of dominations. Dr. Baptiste also researches the identity formations and performances of males throughout the African Diaspora.
Dr. Brent Johnson, Critical Conversations in Education founder and host
Dr. Brent E. Johnson, is an associate professor of Education at Gordon State College, Barnesville, GA) as well as a school counselor at Rock Chapel Elementary School (Lithonia, Ga). Dr. Johnson uses a combination of critical pedagogical frameworks to integrate teacher candidate development with classroom training. As a school counselor, a critical self-reflective scaffolding surrounds his therapeutic technique in developing the social-emotional skills of elementary students. Johnson has multiple publications in the field of Education. In 2020, Dr. Johnson was selected as a University of Georgia Chancellor's Learning Scholar.
Brandon Pratt, Higher Education advocate; Bachelor’s and Master’s graduate (UTC and UT-Martin)
Brandon Pratt is a graduate from East Hamilton High School. He attended Georgia Northwestern Technical College as a student-athlete (Basketball). After his freshman year, he decided to focus on work because he was starting a family. His determination and family support helped him finish his education, first with his bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education from UT-Chattanooga and later his master’s from UT-Martin. At the age of 27, Brandon is proud that he was able to accomplish these goals. His passion is helping non-traditional students achieve their goal of earning a college degree.
Dr. Trae Cotton, assistant professor in Communication Studies, Chattanooga State Community College
Professionally, Dr. Trae Cotton has been a part of the opening of two public universities. The first was Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, Fl. where he served as a recreation program specialist, coordinator of the College Reach Out Program and assistant to the Dean of Student Services. He was later appointed the founding director of the Office of Student Development at California State University Channel Islands where responsibilities included the development of all co-curricular programs on campus, the associate dean of Student Life and the interim dean of Student Life. Dr. Cotton serves on multiple boards and community organizations.
Dr. Levar Smith, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, Morehouse College
Dr. Levar Smith is currently the assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Morehouse College where his research focuses on issues of state development, international political economy, and democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa. A 2002 graduate of Morehouse College, Smith also has a MS degree from the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech and received his PhD and MA in Political Science from Miami University in 2018. Before coming to academia, Dr. Smith worked in Banking, CARE International, and the Council of Foreign Relations.