Cornel West to be keynote speaker at WFU Multicultural Summit

By Vanessa Urruela Willis
(336) 758-5237
March 27, 2002

Wake Forest University will host a Multicultural Male Summit April 12-13 for 150 minority male students at North Carolina universities. Author Cornel West will be the keynote speaker for the summit that will be sponsored by the Wake Forest Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Minority men attending the following universities were invited to participate in the summit: Wake Forest, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina School of the Arts, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T University, Johnson C. Smith University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Elon University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, Shaw University, East Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Asheville and Appalachian State University.

“We are honored to have Cornel West and all of the presenters speak at Wake Forest because the topic of cross-cultural appreciation is especially relevant for today’s young men and women who will become future leaders,” said Lamaya Covington, assistant director of Multicultural Affairs at Wake Forest.

Sandra Guzman, former editor of Latina magazine and an Emmy Award-winning journalist, will present “Accountability in Relationships” on April 12 at 8 p.m. in Benson University Center, Room 401.

Dr. Illya Wilkerson, an internist with Greensboro Medical Associates, will present “Men’s Health” on April 13 at 10:15 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. in Greene Hall, Room 145.

Duane Davis, founder of the Coalition of Black Investors, will present “Planning Your Financial Future” April 13 at 10:15 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. in Greene Hall, Room 162. Davis is the host of “Ticker Talk Live” on Black Entertainment Television (BET).

Eric Watts, assistant professor of communication at Wake Forest, will present “Strategies for Post-Graduate Success” on April 13 at 11:15 a.m. in Benson University Center’s Pugh Auditorium.

Jeff Yang, founder of A. Magazine, will present “Diversity and Cross-Cultural Appreciation” on April 13 at 3 p.m. in Pugh Auditorium. A. Magazine is the largest publication for English-speaking Asian-Americans. He also collaborated with Jackie Chan to write the star’s autobiography, “I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action.”

Cornel West, professor of Afro-American studies at Harvard University, will present “Accountability, Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” April 13 at 8 p.m. in Wait Chapel. West’s books include “Race Matters,” “The African-American Century: How Black Americans Have Shaped Our Country” and “The Cornel West Reader.”

For more information, call the Office of Multicultural Affairs at 336-758-5864.


Editor’s note: The Multicultural Male Summit is open only to registered students from North Carolina universities. The schedule provided in this release is for media use only. Please contact the News Service in advance to arrange interviews with the speakers.