LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In the West Las Vegas Library, nearly 300 students participated in the annual African-American Youth Leadership Summit on Thursday in honor of Black History Month.
Event organizers say the summit is a great way for students to be educated, entertained and empowered in their communities.
Every year during Black History Month, a select number of Las Vegas high schoolers spend their day discussing the challenges they face as minority students, and how they'll be able to succeed after graduation.
As they celebrate with a deeper purpose, the hundreds of students make a point to talk about, learn about and celebrate who they are during the event.
The summit is filled with presentations from entrepreneurs, who teach about financial literacy and taking ownership of personal ideas, dreams and goals.
Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy says the annual summit's goal is to leave a mark on the students as they prepare to graduate.
"Coming from the community I grew up in, I wasn't exposed to as much as the information that they will be exposed to today," McCurdy said. "But comfortable is the enemy of success."
Before the serious presentations, there was a celebration of fun where students were able to dance, paint and even hang out with Grammy-nominated artist Fyutch. He had the responsibility of hyping the students up before the day got started.
"To be included in this community and this vibe is beautiful," Fyutch told students during the event."To celebrate and learn and empower each other, that's what fuels us. So to give that to youth is why I dedicate a lot of my art and music to that."
From dance-offs to discussing Black history to reflecting on living as a minority, McCurdy says that the summit continues to help shape the future of the Black youth in the Las Vegas valley.
He said, "Without knowledge of the past, you're bound to make mistakes of the past."
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