Get Involved
Sponsors
Jack in the Box
Thank you to Jack in the Box for their generous support of this event.
Shane Paul and Chuck Stauffer offered a donation which will go to offset expenses related to producing today’s event. They are local businesspeople and we appreciate their support. Please visit their local restaurants at:
- Jack in the Box: 7979 Broadway, Lemon Grove
- Jack in the Box: 1047 Sweetwater Road, Spring Valley
SD Nights
SD Nights (San Diego or Safe Destination Nights) is a program designed to provide teenagers a safe place for recreation and enrichment during critical hours, and to reduce gang and criminal activity among our youth. SD Nights is part of DPR’s strategy to engage, establish, equip and empower youth throughout San Diego County, giving them tools to make better decisions, build strong character, and improve their quality of life for years to come. Providing youth with a Safe Destination during evening hours will deter them from engaging in destructive habits like drug/alcohol use and gang activity. Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy during critical hours through diverse activities are less prone to become involved in these negative behaviors.
People often make life-impacting decisions as young men and women that remain with them for the rest of their lives. As they transition from youth to adulthood, most people tend to gravitate toward what is convenient and what they are surrounded by. By giving young people the opportunity to become involved with something positive and productive, we can influence not only their lives, but the lives of others around them.
Student African American Brotherhood of San Diego State University
Of the events that SAAB puts on every year, 5 major events include the Powderpuff game put on for the sisters, helping at the YMCA for the annual Halloween event, the SAAB Talent show, and the SAAB Signature Program, in which the brothers hold a dinner for members/students, faculty/staff, and other organizations that have supported them. They take this time to reflect on the events of the year, recognized outstanding students/faculty, and officially announce the new executive board for the upcoming year. The last major event is the annual Young Men’s Leadership Conference at Mount Miguel high School, which SAAB has been supporting since the first conference in 2006. Other events also include leadership conferences, retreats, luncheons with faculty and staff, and intramural athletic teams. As well as the weekly meetings and discussions, they facilitate business professional meetings, social activities, and community service with various organizations in the community. The weekly meetings will range from topics including hip-hop culture and black identity to faculty/guest speaker led discussions. They also include some lighthearted topics such as dating advice and general tips and tricks that everyone could benefit from knowing.
Grossmont Union High School District
The GUHSD and Mount Miguel High School have hosted the conference since its inception in 2006. We appreciate their ongoing support.
Damion Donaldson
Damion Donaldson pursues innovative and creative approaches to increase the productivity, computer literacy and financial capabilities of young professionals through strategic planning, career coaching, game-based learning, public speaking, program development and instructional design. He has served non-profit organizations, universities, community programs and a government agency within the past 15 years. Damion has recruited and coached talented minority college and high school students to obtain competitive internships with several Fortune 500 companies as a National Recruiter for INROADS and as Leader of Tomorrow program Director (Orange County Area) for LA’s National Black MBA Association. Damion has designed and facilitated professional development workshops for the University of Southern California (USC) Career Center, Cal Poly Pomona’s MESA program, CSU Fullerton/San Bernardino, HACU Scholars, TEALCU Scholars, Raytheon college internship program and Tavis Smiley’s Youth-2-Leaders program. Damion has a Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts and Science in Psychology from San Diego State University and a Master’s of Science in Education from the University of Southern California.
POWER REFERRAL SERVICES
Franklin Garrett
Franklin Garrett is the Director of Divisional Educational Initiatives in the Division of Physical Sciences at UC San Diego. His experience in higher education includes strategic planning, multicultural counseling, advising, student services coordination, and student account services. Franklin received his Master’s in Education with an emphasis in multicultural counseling from San Diego State University and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Educational Leadership at UC San Diego and CSU San Marcos. Franklin directs the Student Success Center in the Division of Physical Sciences. He develops, leads, and manages programs and initiatives that deliver student developmental services across the Division’s entire student body.
Thad Hughes
Community Activist and Motivational Speaker
Thad Hughes has been a supporter of and presenter at many of our conferences over the years. He is unable to join us this year but made a generous donation to help cover expenses related to today’s event. We appreciate his generosity! We thank him for his donation and look for him to return in person in the future.
Dr. Lizana and Family
Dr. Angelyn Moultrie-Lizana was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Rialto, CA. She graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a BA in Biology. She then earned her D.O. Degree from the College Of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and then earned a Master’s of Science in Health Professions Education from Western University of Health Sciences. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine. She is a founding partner in the Pioneer Medical Group where she is the Medical Chair of Operations and the Chair of the Family Medicine Department. She is a Captain in the United States Navy Reserve and was most recently the Deputy Surgeon for Commander Seventh Fleet and is currently the Deputy Surgeon for Commander Naval Forces Korea. She is a member of many state and national medical and military associations.
She and her husband Oren are proud parents of Ashley Lizana, a student at the University of Notre Dame who is a member of several National Honor Societies.
We Will Rise
We Will Rise is an organization in San Diego CA, comprised of a group of Black men who are committed to positive change in the communities in which they live. The men meet once a month to discuss issues related to learning and empowering themselves as well as creating opportunities to support the community.
Antonio McNeil
Antonio McNeil, 23, is a young entrepreneur born and raised in San Diego. Also known as, The Marathon Agent, Antonio has a successful career as a Realtor in Southern California who also owns and invests in homes for financial growth and residual income.
As a former student and graduate of Mount Miguel High School, Antonio succeeded as a student and was offered a scholarship to attend Portland State University in 2014. However, with numerous family & personal problems at home, he moved out of his family home at 17 making a future in college non-existent for him at the time. At the age of 19, Antonio passed his Real Estate exam and received his License. He started from the bottom, living in a 200 square foot studio, working 2 part time jobs to pay rent and bills and invest back into his new career as a Real Estate Agent. On his own, he built his career in the industry from being almost homeless at the age of 20 to now earning over a six-figure income in Real Estate and owning his condo in North Park.
Antonio strives to be a positive example & impactful role model to the younger generations in his community by empowering and mentoring the youth who strive to be their own entrepreneurs and start their own businesses. Antonio plans to be a staple in the community to provide help, information and guidance to the troubled youth who struggle to invest in their own future. He plans to stay and invest in the youth for decades to come.
Antonio McNeil made a significant contribution via his sponsorship of the breakfast items served this morning. We are thankful for his generosity and his efforts on behalf of today’s conference.
