Raleigh Youth Summit


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Registration Featuring Goals Presenters Special Presentation by NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives) Our Sponsors

*The Youth Summit is being held as scheduled.

The Raleigh Youth Summit is a collaborative, youth-inspired partnership between the City of Raleigh and the community designed to encourage, educate, and empower our YOUth through meaningful engagement as a way of connecting their present with our shared future. View Agenda and Download the Youth Summit App

  • Date: Saturday, October 1, 2022
  • Time: 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.)
  • Location: John Chavis Memorial Park
  • Cost: Free of charge (pre-registration required) 
  • Attendees must be 13-18 years old as of October 1, 2022

Registration

Please download the Youth Summit Registration Form, fill it out (including signatures), and email a completed copy to raleighyouthsummit@raleighnc.gov. You may also print the form, fill it out, and hand deliver it to any Raleigh police station, or mail it to:

Raleigh Police Department

ATTN: Youth Summit

6716 Six Forks Road

Raleigh, NC 27615

Featuring

  • Break-out sessions
  • Locally and nationally recognized speakers and presenters
  • Lunch
  • Information about education and career opportunities
  • Giveaways
  • Dance party!

Goals

  • Provide a voice for our YOUth in City government
  • Provide a voice for our YOUth through meaningful engagement opportunities
  • Develop future leaders who have a valued voice in community and city affairs
  • Inspire by connecting our YOUth with employment and education opportunities
  • Engage our YOUth in conversations about issues affecting their daily lives
  • Connect YOUth with their peers and local YOUth-serving programs

Presenters

The following presenters have been confirmed, but more are being added!

Grant Bennett
  • Grant Bennet – Grant Bennett is a proud native of Fayetteville, North Carolina. As a high school baseball standout at Pine Forest High School, Grant earned an academic and athletic scholarship to Morehouse College. In May of 2020, he graduated from Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and began his professional career at Google. He currently works at Google as Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Strategist, with a concentration on Analytics, Partnerships and Storytelling. His background as a former college baseball athlete, entrepreneur, producer, and researcher has led him to engage in meaningful work with various brands and organizations. As a researcher, he has engaged in projects at Harvard Business School, UC Berkeley, Stanford Graduate School of Business, UNC Charlotte, and Vanderbilt University. Outside of research, Grant has worked on projects for the NFL, NBA Africa, Adobe, Adidas, Forbes, HBOMax, and The Clinton Global Initiative. Due to his work in the community, He was named a 2021 HBCU Nike Yardrunner and in the 2022 cohort of the Fayetteville Observers 40 Under 40. In addition, he serves as the Founder & President of The Two-Six Project. The organization is a 501c3 tax exempt organization that was created to assist marginalized students through intentional programming in his hometown. The organization has provided over $60,000 in community support through its programming.
Tai Caldwell
  • Tai Caldwell –  Tai Caldwell, AKA Tai Connects, is a Mental Health Advocate, Community Outreach Facilitator for StandUp SpeakOut of NC, and survivor of childhood trauma. She is passionate about applying her training and lived experience to empower individuals who desire transformative growth in their personal and professional lives. Tai enjoys working with people, but she loves working with teens. She has over fifteen years of experience working directly with youth and teens via after-school programs, conferences, workshop and group facilitation, residential counseling, and student ministry. Tai knows how essential it is to focus on mental health and wellness as a catalyst to living a fulfilled life. She is a trauma-informed and resiliency educator. Tai is a certified Peer Support Specialist and Youth and AdultMental Health First Aid provider. She's all about empowering individuals to achieve their hopes, dreams, and goals during their recovery journey. Today, Tai is expanding her influence by providing consulting to advocacy organizations, facilitating workshops and keynotes across the country, and creating relevant resources to support students and families. She’s become a leading voice in mental health awareness and advocacy.
Qu'Derrick Covington
  • Qu'Derrick Covington – Mr. Covington is a well-sought-after speaker, presenter, leadership development coach, and mentor who has traveled the nation to speak to crowds of more than 3000. In 2018, Qu' Derrick was acknowledged as one of the most prominent voices of his generation and could impact the lives of all ages. In 2016, He was invited to our nation's capital by Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge to discuss voting rights and other Important Issues facing today's Millennials. In 2022, He was invited to present at the White House to discuss the need to diversify Ocean Science in Black and Brown communities, focusing on HBCUs and MSIs. Qu'Derrick is a two-time HBCU graduate, and he now attends Howard University pursuing a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. Mr. Covington currently serves as the Chief Diversity Officer of the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO)., which provides interactive workshops, seminars, and at-sea experiences for more than ten thousand students nationwide. In 2019, Qu' Derrick founded the Tulsa Initiative Inc., an entrepreneurship mentoring platform that uplifts and motivates while inspiring generations to liberate themselves to freedom while impacting and serving their communities. Qu' Derrick is also the Owner of QD Real Estates, located in the DMV/NC area. Mr. Covington fully accepts his life's work to transform and empower others through his life stories.
Delon Fletcher
  • Delon Fletcher – Inspiring GREATNESS throughout School Districts, Private Sector Industries & Municipalities Just Reach, Inc. provides consultative services to support organizational development solutions to exceed desired outcomes. Just Reach, Inc. is founded by Delon Fletcher. With his unique ability to connect with stakeholders and curate relationships, Delon has become an emerging source of counsel on strategic initiatives locally and abroad. Fletcher uses team-building skills to achieve success and leverages knowledge from broad professional experience. Delon has served as an Executive Project Lead for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). As a member of the leadership team, he led Provider Hardship Outreach development and was responsible for building and implementing action plans to sustain operations for the impacted N.C. Medicaid Provider community. Prior to his tenure with DHHS, he was appointed to serve as the District Office Manager on behalf of Congressman Christopher Shays, serving the constituents of Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District. In this capacity, Delon represented the Member of Congress on various State and Federal levels of planning, community engagement, crisis management, and constituent services. Delon currently resides in Raleigh, N.C. and can be found sharing his perspective on Community/Parent Engagement and working to eliminate educational disparities.
Christian Gray
  • Christian Gray –  Coach Christian Gray created DIVERSE (Dedicated Individuals who Value Education, Relationships, Success, and Effort) which is an organization that uses basketball as a tool to develop youth-professional athletes holistically, on and off the court. DIVERSE is a culture centered around community service, player development, and youth advocacy. Offering several services such as leadership development, financial literacy, academic enrichment, mentorship, and camps/clinics, DIVERSE serves a large number of youth within Wake & Cumberland county as well as abroad in countries such as Mexico and the Bahamas. DIVERSE was founded through Coach Christian Gray’s passion for service, mentorship, and love for basketball. Even at a young age Coach Gray has acquired much experience, from coaching Division I basketball to working with first-round NBA picks. Coach Gray has been a Player Development Coach for more than 8 years and has worked with an array of clients both male and female such as Brice Johnson (PRO), Cat Barber (Pro), Isaiah Miles (PRO), Dominique Wilson (PRO), Jorden Tucker (Butler), and many other high-level players. Alongside this stat, DIVERSE has a 95% scholarship receiving rate for its athletes. The class of 2021 consisted of Bobby Pettiford jr. (Kansas), Daylen Berry (UNCC), Lucas Taylor (WFU), Eric VDH (Ole Miss), Reiven Douglas (Quinnipiac), & Redford Dunton (Ft. Wayne Purdue). Off the court, Coach Gray serves as a life coach, with a holistic approach to leadership and development.
Judge McCullers
  • Judge Damion McCullers – Judge Damion McCullers is a lifelong resident of Wake County. He attended and graduated from William G. Enloe High School. After earning his diploma, he moved on to North Carolina Central University and graduated with departmental honors in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. In 2003, he earned his Juris Doctorate from Campbell University’s Norman A. Wiggins School of Law. Since then, Judge McCullers has prepared to serve. He held positions with Legal Aid of North Carolina, worked as a general practitioner as a founding partner at McCullers Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC. While in private practice he served in several key roles as General Counsel for St. Augustine’s University, a Wake County District Court Arbitrator, licensed Superior Court Certified Mediator and Certified National Basketball Association (NBA) Agent. He served on the Leadership Development Committee for the Wake County Bar Association and Wake county 10th Judicial District and Wake Bar Association Board of Directors. On April 13, 2021 Governor Roy Cooper appointed Judge McCullers to be Wake County’s 67th District Court Judge.
Ashley Parker Dunston
  • Judge Ashleigh Parker – Dunston is a District Court Judge in the 10th Judicial District, which encompasses Wake County. Prior to her appointment by Governor Roy Cooper, Judge Dunston served the citizens of North Carolina as an Assistant Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice and as an Assistant District Attorney at the Wake County District Attorney's Office. Judge Dunston graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wake Forest University and cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law. She is only the 3rd and youngest African American female to hold this position in Wake County since the District Courts were established over 50 years ago.
Sharlene Provilus
  • Sharlene Provilus – Sharlene is a national speaker and spoken word poet. She is also the CEO of Write Speak Inspire, LLC, a speaker management firm and storytelling community, as well as the founder of the redeemed Art Collective, an art collaborative based in Raleigh, North Carolina (NC). For nearly two decades, Sharlene has been inspiring audiences with her story. She has led workshops, delivered keynotes, and shared her most vulnerable moments through spoken word performances with tens of thousands of people. Sharlene talks about the power of adoption, having had the rare experience of being adopted twice in one lifetime. Her focus is youth and family advocacy as well as student leadership development. Sharlene uses the performing arts as a tool to advocate and bring awareness to issues that impact the most vulnerable in our community. She leads, creates, and speaks from a deep place of authenticity. You will often find her merging creativity and leadership. Her ability to capture audiences on stage as a performing artist gives her a distinct advantage as a speaker and trainer. Today, Sharlene continues to coach student leaders and professionals around the country while working on the manuscript for an upcoming book project.
Lenny Walls
  • Lenny Walls – Gifted with confidence, ambition, and a passion for learning, Lenny Walls is determined to succeed in all that he does. The fuel to his drive began to overflow after he lost his father at the tender age of 5. He watched his mom struggle both working and selling drugs to provide for the family. With all odds against him, Lenny made it to the NFL and played professional football for over 10 years. His longest tenure with the Denver Broncos. Aside from his legendary athletic prominence, he is an entrepreneur and servant leader in the community with a passion to influence and add value to others. Lenny took the lessons of his years in the NFL on and off the field and established various enterprises. Lenny is a certified coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker with the John Maxwell Leadership Team. In this capacity, he develops, motivates, and coaches individuals, teams, and businesses to reach pinnacle heights. In 2011 Lenny established Walls Next Level Fitness which is his healthy living company providing personal training, meal plans, online coaching, group classes, and other health benefiting products. In 2013 Lenny established his non-profit foundation, Breaking Down Walls (501c3). His mission is to use the power of mentorship and affordable sports programs for at-risk youth to positively impact children and influence a healthy mind, body, and soul. Lenny believes that anyone can design an extraordinary life for themselves if they are willing to recondition and reprogram their thought process regardless of their circumstances. His personal mission is to inspire others to live healthy, wealthy, and wise. In 2019 Lenny established Walls2Walls Capital in partnership with Rainwater properties to build his real estate portfolio. Primarily focusing on single-family and multi-family rehabilitation projects. In 2021 Lenny established Walls2Walls Investments partnering with a global technology company that helps people earn and learn in the financial markets. Everything from stocks, indices, cryptocurrency, and the forex market. 

Special Presentation by NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives)

The Law and Your Community is a nationally recognized hands-on training program for young people ages 13-18 designed to improve their communications with law enforcement officers and their understanding of their federal, state, and local laws.

Our Sponsors

Logos of Youth Summit Sponsors