The Power of Us: National Black Men in Leadership Conference centers unity and collective impact

This past October, African Americans across the country celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Million Man March, a historical gathering that sought to increase the unity and accountability within the African American community. The tremors and energy of that moment are still being felt and on Dec. 4, Black men in leadership roles across various industries will come together to inspire, educate, and fellowship at The National Black Men in Leadership Conference.

The theme for the event is  “The Power of Us,” as the conference highlights the collective strength of Black men in leadership roles and explores how collaboration, allyship, and self-empowerment can foster systemic change, innovation, and growth.

The event brings together Black men from diverse fields such as business, education, community, and entrepreneurship to discuss new ways to embrace and develop leadership. The event will feature keynote speakers, including Hip-Hop artist David Banner, iHeart Media executive Tony Coles and over a dozen others (Dr. Calvin Mann, Tim Terrentine, Lawrence Hood, Dr. Dayan Douse, Jarrett Waddy, Ovell Barbee Jr., Jamel, Dr. Rubin Cockrell, Loyd L. Banks III, W. Scott Richardson, William J. Word, Dwayne Powell Jr., Damarqio K. Williams, Michael Peterson, and Joshua Roberson). 

“I think in the past, we were so focused on, ‘if I just keep my head down and I do a good job and I work really hard, that’s what’s gonna get me to advance’ and I just don’t think that applies anymore,” says Tony Coles who is the Multi-Cultural Business and Development president for Black Information Network. 

“The leaders for today, we have to be visible. We have to be intentional. And more than anything, we have to be looking for ways that we can make room at the table for other people. And I actually heard somebody yesterday with a line that I had not heard before. He said, ‘It’s no longer about making sure that there’s room at the table for someone else, it’s about being in a position to arrange where the chairs are at the table’.”

“We have to now be concerned with one another and how we are coming together as a collective to be able to advance opportunities and support for Black men within this country and within business and community and corporation and philanthropy and all of the things in order to continue making progress and climbing that trajectory to make impact,” says Darlene King-Turner who is president of The Unity Collaborative, a national organization that’s hosting and organizing the conference. 

Both King-Turner and Coles acknowledge that progress in the Black community has become much more centered around a collective voice than individual growth and advancement.

Instead of looking to one person to take the helm, they feel the community needs to empower and elevate each other. King-Turner says that it needs to be about the joining of resources so Black men will be enabled to mobilize and move forward. 

“What does that look like? It looks like us taking charge of our own communities, us taking charge of those that are surrounding us, and how we can pour back into those that are coming up behind us. It’s no more, ‘just let me move forward’. It’s about how do we all come together to be able to collectively do that as a whole, to stay focused, to make an impact,” says King-Turner

“It’s also about the impact and influence as well. Not only the mobilization, and I think that is so important and so critical, but it’s also what you do with that and how you’re using that, not only from a having a voice standpoint, but also making sure that you’re changing that voice and turning that into influence and access,” adds Coles.

The conference arrives during a tumultuous political climate. In October of 2025, Onyx Impact, a nonprofit research hub published The “Blackout Report: The Real-World Cost of Erasing, Distorting, and Suppressing Black Progress.”  The report cited that Black history, Black government officials, and economic initiatives for Black Americans have all been under attack. 

“When I think back to things that he’s shared with me over the years, every generation of Black men have gone through a period of time with political headwinds, with chaos, with all of that. And when you think about it, what got them through and what created more opportunities, what created new things, is exactly what Darlene’s talking about. It’s that sense of community.”

The Dec. 4 workshop will feature interactive workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Participants will gain valuable insights into navigating professional challenges, building wealth, developing leadership skills, and supporting mental well-being. There will be a special  focus on actionable strategies for both personal and professional development and attendees will leave with practical tools to elevate their careers and communities.

“It is going to be about the village supporting the village and what representation looks like and what opportunities are available. What are some of the challenges and how they navigate through those challenges? What are some of the celebratory moments and how did they get there in order to be successful? What are some resources that are out there that they may not have even known of,” says King-Turner. 

“It’s a convening of people who are at different points in their leadership journey, but they all understand that they have to show up for themselves and they have to show up for other people. And when you combine that kind of mindset in one room, that’s an incredibly powerful, powerful thing,” adds Coles.