 On Friday evening, November 21, the night before the 23rd Annual Destination HBCU College Fair, I sat down with Spectrum News inside Warrensville Heights High School to talk about something that continues to shape our future as a community: the decline in Black male college enrollment, and more importantly, what we can do about it. The interview was a great conversation and a therapeutic moment. We were standing on the eve of an annual event where scholars would be searching for opportunities, scholarships, and a sense of belonging. It was certain to be a day filled with impact. And for me, it was deeply personal. The city of Warrensville Heights has been my home since the age of four. Warrensville Heights High School, and the entire school district, is my alma mater. I graduated from this institution in 1988. I also had the opportunity to teach here for 12 years. I walked these halls as a student, returned as a teacher, and this year stood in the gymnasium to receive an honorary doctorate in front of my community. To sit in that building the night before the fair, talking about the future of Black men in education, felt like purpose coming full circle. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A Scholar Who Represents What So Many Are Facing During the interview with reporter Rose Todd, I sat with 11th grader Roland Jones, a talented band leader and future first-generation college student. He is thoughtful, focused, and resilient. He has experienced deep personal loss, yet he continues to show up, grow, and lead with purpose. Roland talked about wanting to go to college to learn new things and gain new experiences. He dreams of attending an HBCU and hopes to use music as a pathway forward. Roland is exactly why this work matters. And this will not be a one-time conversation. I plan to follow up with Roland and with his band director, Donshon Wilson — who is also a member of the Profound Gentlemen Ohio Cohort — to offer continued encouragement, resources, and mentorship. Supporting him is not about a news moment. It is about a relationship that grows, a young man who deserves consistent guidance, and an educator who deserves community around him. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The Data Paints a Clear Picture College enrollment nationwide declined by about 15 percent between 2010 and 2021. Black male enrollment has fallen even more sharply. HBCUs have seen nearly a 25 percent decrease in Black male students. These numbers represent real barriers, real inequities, and real missed opportunities. Yet they also demonstrate why spaces like the Destination HBCU College Fair and organizations like Profound Gentlemen remain essential for our community. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why My Journey Matters in This Work There was a time when my GPA was a 1.9. I know what it feels like to be overlooked by a system that does not always affirm young Black men. What changed my life was not luck. It was mentorship, representation, and a community that believed in me before I fully believed in myself. My journey from academic struggle to educator, author, impact leader, speaker, entrepreneur, and honorary doctorate recipient shows what can happen when support meets potential. In my book, Inspire Me Moments, I talk about living boldly, breaking cycles, and reclaiming purpose. Young men like Roland, and so many others across Cleveland, remind me why those words still matter.  Profound Gentlemen: Why the Presence of Male Educators of Color Changes Everything Nationally, only about 1 to 2 percent of teachers are Black men, according to federal data summarized by organizations like ASCD and ABC News/Good Morning America. This absence matters. Research continues to show that when students, especially Black boys, have even one Black male teacher early in their schooling, outcomes improve significantly. A study from Johns Hopkins University found that Black students who had at least one Black teacher by third grade were:
Studies from the IZA Institute of Labor Economics and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that having a same-race teacher:
The Education Trust found that students taught by teachers of color report:
At Profound Gentlemen, we invest in the journey of Black and Brown male educators. Our work extends beyond bringing men into the classroom. We provide mentorship, community, and professional support that helps them thrive — because when our educators thrive, our boys thrive. And when our boys thrive, our communities thrive. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Barriers Exist, But So Do Solutions In the Spectrum News interview, I named several barriers young Black men face:
Our mission is not simply to identify barriers. It is to dismantle them. Through mentorship, representation, community partnerships, and relentless advocacy, we are changing the narrative one scholar at a time. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Legacy Event With a Legacy Impact The next morning, Warrensville Heights High School filled with recruiters from dozens of HBCUs for the Destination HBCU College Fair. For more than two decades, this fair has served as a gateway, helping students secure scholarships, meet alumni, and understand that college is attainable. To stand in that space, in my own alma mater, on the heels of my honorary recognition, and in the presence of scholars who look like I once looked, reminded me that purpose has a long memory.  Read the Full Story, Further Reading and Supporting Research:
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A Character is BornA. Harris Brown's story begins as a child growing up to the temptations of the urban streets. However, due to a mother and grandmother’s prayers, their sacrifices kept him grounded. When so many youth that could have fallen victim to society’s woes; Anthony, and like the phoenix from the fire, he rose above life's challenges to walk bold in greatness. Read More... Archives
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