EDUCATION SUMMIT FOR VISIONARIES



SATURDAY
AUGUST 19TH
on Bayou Road

introducing

BE NOLA's 4th Annual
BLACK IS BRILLIANT
Summit 2023

You’re invited to attend the BLACK IS BRILLIANT Summit!

BE NOLA’s annual summit, “Black Is Brilliant,” is an exclusive space for Black educators and visionaries in the education landscape to gather and dream a future that is uniquely for us, by us.

During this summit, we will highlight Black brilliance in our community that dares to shine in the face of direct and indirect systemic oppression and allows our children to shine brighter as a result of deep care and unyielding work.

The brilliance we see in our servant-leaders has no air of respectability politics. It thrives among those making this world a better place in the hood just as much as those who sit in high seats. We hold high their Black gaze, which asserts the centrality of our humanity as a people.

The Black Is Brilliant Summit gathers visionaries who make space to see into the heart of us as people, raw and untapped. They are the ones who push us to tend to places where we have full governance and autonomy while advocating for a more just society wherever we are planted. We believe that Black brilliance offers an answer to every challenge we face if we look close enough.

The 2023 summit will take place on New Orleans' Black Wall Street, Bayou Road, and be broadcast via specialized installations at beloved Black-owned spaces across the city. From barbershops to art studios, these high-traffic “viewing venues” will provide an opportunity for the general public to learn, understand, engage, and advocate alongside BE NOLA for the support and development of Quality Black Educators (QBEs) for New Orleans children.

This is not a moment, this is a movement. Black education is a lifestyle and we honor it as such. By exploring and discussing the state of Black education and our community from a strengths-based lens, we will build on existing bright spots to articulate the next paradigm shift in education.

Catch the Vibe

#BLACKISBRILLIANT

The idea for BE NOLA’s annual education Summit grew from community conversations with Black teachers, parents, artists, social workers, and activists across New Orleans. The first Black Is Brilliant Summit was conceptualized and curated by BE NOLA’s Chief of Community Programs and Partnerships, Stevona Elem-Rogers, in 2020 and launched as a fully virtual experience produced by Saint Josephine Consultants. In 2021 Elem-Rogers expanded the Summit program to include an in-person programming experience for educators and viewing hubs at Black-owned businesses across the city. 

The Summit is Black-centered, rigorous in thought, intimate, and joyful. Sessions explore the idea, so central to the history and practices of Black education, that “education is a lifestyle” and doesn’t just happen within the four walls of a school. Ultimately, the Summit helps Black educators expand their connections to community assets, strengthen networks, and deepen their reservoir of sustainable practices.

Watch a recap of the 2022 Summit and take a peek at these photos to catch the vibe!

The Black Is Brilliant Summit's virtual and in-person events have been managed and produced by a local, Black, woman-owned business, Saint Josephine, since 2020.


#BLACKISBRILLIANT

THE DEETS

Black Joy Hour / EZine Launch

JUSTINI’S (INVITE ONLY)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 18TH, 6PM

On Friday, August 18th, BE NOLA’s inaugural cohort of "Black Is Brilliant Institute graduates will gather in an intimate community of friends and supporters to kick off the summit with a happy hour and official launch of their Ezine, featuring A Collective Prayer to the Black Future. This will be an evening to share, socialize, network, and give and receive joy. Enjoy a DJ, light refreshments and free drinks. Attendance is invitation only.

BE NOLA #BlackIsBrilliant Summit

BE NOLA #BlackIsBrilliant Summit BAYOU ROAD (aka “Black Wallstreet”), BENOLA COMMUNITY APP & VIEWING LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY (LEARN MORE)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19TH, 11AM

On Saturday, August 19th, plug into the summit by attending virtually, registering for the in-person experience on New Orleans’ Bayou Road, and/or stopping by a viewing venue at one of several curated Black-owned spaces across the city. The combination of virtual and in-person locations enables educators and the general public who live in all corners of the city to experience the event. The Summit schedule is Black-centered, rigorous in thought, intimate, and joyful - created to move mind, body and spirit. Participants will enjoy unfiltered, honest conversations, hear from dynamic Black artists, activists and thought leaders, and lean into key themes important to our community. Register early to secure your access.

(The BENOLA Community App is only accessible to Summit registrants at this time.)

#BLACKISBRILLIANT
IN ACTION

Take a peek into the worlds of select #BLACKISBRILLIANT summit guests.

Freedom Summer

Black and Brown...

Building Power...

Addis NOLA

Sounou - Kumbuka...

SecondLine Shorty

Hot 8 Brass Band

2022 Summit Recap

McKenna Museums

The Self-Aware..

Visual Lecture:

Turning Tables

#BLACKISBRILLIANT

GUEST LIST

Ashley Lorraine

bio

David Dennis Sr.

bio

Hot 8 Brass Band

bio

Justen Williams

bio

Mary Moran

bio

Secondline Shorty

bio

Stevona Elem-Rogers

bio

Watotos of Kumbuka

bio

Antwigadee!

bio

Andrea Stricker

Dasjon Jordan

bio

Dr. Avis Williams

bio

Dwight & Beverly McKenna

bio

Jessica Robinson

bio

Ken Jones

bio

Lauren Turner

bio

Mama Vera

bio

Prince Lobo

bio

Troy Glover

bio

Turning Tables

Kelda Summers

bio

SHOP

#BLACKISBRILLIANT

#BLACKISBRILLIANT

THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR

Presenting

With additional support from:

BE NOLA
BLACK IS BRILLIANT
Summit 2023

Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

© BLACK IS BRILLIANT SUMMIT 2023