W&L Hosts Black Future Leaders Experience Conference on Oct. 24 The theme for this year's Black FLEX conference is "The Black Playbook."

By Erica Turman
October 21, 2020

Washington and Lee University is hosting its second Black Future Leaders Experience Conference (Black FLEX) on Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. Black FLEX provides a space for young, thriving Black scholars to cultivate the most distinguished versions of themselves.

The leadership conference, which is being held virtually, will be approximately three hours and forty minutes and is open to the W&L community. Participants can register for free here.

The theme for this year’s Black FLEX conference is “The Black Playbook.” The event will host a wide array of panelists and speaker-led discussions regarding identity, mental health and financial literacy.

“Last year, we had an amazing time hosting our first Black Future Leaders Experience Conference,” said Lauryn McCray ’22, president of W&L’s Student Association for Black Unity. “This year, we decided to host the conference virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While still maintaining similar aspects from last year’s program, the new virtual format allowed us to invite students from multiple universities and colleges across the country. Although we aren’t able to host everyone in person on our campus, being able to meet with and hear from different students across the country is an element of Black FLEX that we’re all looking forward to.”

The keynote speaker for this year’s conference is Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin.

Fulton has dedicated her life to transforming family tragedy into social change. Since the death of her 17-year-old son during a violent confrontation in 2012, Fulton has become an inspiring spokesperson for parents and concerned citizens across the country. Her book co-authored with Tracy Martin, “Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin,” shares the intimate story of a tragically foreshortened life and the rise of a movement that awoke a nation’s conscience.

Despite the intense struggle of losing a child, Fulton has become a role model to many by turning her grief into advocacy. She lends her voice to speak against violence toward children and the need to build better, safer communities for all.

A Miami native, Fulton graduated from Florida Memorial University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. A proud mother, Fulton worked for the Miami-Dade County Housing Development Agency for over 25 years and is a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Miami Gardens.

This virtual leadership conference is hosted by the Student Association for Black Unity at Washington and Lee University and sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, Alumni Engagement Office and Office of Inclusion and Engagement.