Ten Ocean Lakes students participated in the African American Male Summit hosted at Green Run High School on Jan. 24, 2026.
The summit, organized by VBCPS, included a guest speaker and workshops where middle and high school students focused on empowerment, mental health, cultural appreciation and career development. This year’s theme was “The time is always right to do what is right,” a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1965 speech at Oberlin College.
For Ocean Lakes junior Gabe Williams, the summit provided an opportunity to get out of his comfort zone and find spaces not traditionally found at Ocean Lakes.
“I think it’s important to have a space for young black men to be together in a positive environment because it’s honestly not an environment that I can easily find at our school.” Williams said. ”I find myself as the only black man in the class more often than not in most of my classes.”
Others have found the summit a source of pride and motivation over the years. Ocean Lakes senior Treymane Pleasant Massey first attended the summit his freshman year, and he says that the event has impacted him in a variety of ways.
“I met some of my best friends there and got a lot of inspiration from the summit, so I hope I can make the same impact on some of the younger people there,” Massey said.
Massey also believes that the summit serves a valuable purpose.
“I think it is important to know your history, and for the younger generation of African Americans to have a goal to reach,” he said. “When I went my ninth grade year, the summit gave me goals and more sense of pride in my skin color.”
That sense of purpose was reinforced throughout the day by various speakers, including Jakhari “JT” Taylor, the founder of educational consulting company Purpose Pushers. Taylor taught the breakout session “Stay Sharp Stay Solid,” which taught students how to navigate the journey of leadership.
He shared his journey from going to elementary school while living in a homeless shelter and finishing his freshman year of high school with a 0.75 GPA, to transforming his life — eventually graduating from Norfolk State University with a 3.8 GPA and earning both master’s and doctoral degrees.
“This was one of my favorite lessons by far,” Green Run High School sophomore Jordan Brown said. “To be able to lead is to be able to set an example for others. In order to lead, you need to be able to lead yourself and have a mindset and a goal for yourself.”
The summit also included a career fair and parent breakout sessions. Lionel Sapp, founder of creative tech agency The Digital Builders, said the opportunity to be at the summit was valuable for both his company and the students in attendance.
“I think it’s really, really important to have a space like this because African American men don’t have a lot of events like this,” Sapp said. “I’m a self-taught software engineer myself. I didn’t go to college to do what I do, and I thought it was important for me to show kids that it’s possible.”
