DURHAM, N.C. — A leadership conference for young men of color kicks off this weekend in the Triangle.
Durham Success Summit pairs participants with mentors and industry partners to prepare them for their dream careers.
What You Need To Know
Derek Rhodes founded the nonprofit, Durham Success Summit
Rhodes is a Durham local with a long-term goal to help thousands of young men in his community
The free summit is being held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Founder Derek Rhodes grew up in Durham and graduated from Duke University.
He took a job with Microsoft in Seattle this past spring, but quit shortly after. It was around the time of the Daunte Wright shooting and the Derek Chauvin guilty verdict in the George Floyd murder case.
“Forty-eight hours later, I quit my job and decided Durham Summit would be more than a one-day event. It would be an organization that supported young men in Durham for the rest of their lives," Rhodes said.
As a young man of color himself, Rhodes felt a deeper calling to give back to his hometown.
“It's important to me that we are not just making sure young men are at the table, but that they actual have tools they need to be successful," Rhodes said.
This year more than 100 young me between the ages of 16-24 are attending. Rhodes says there are around 14,000 young men between those ages living in Durham. His long-term goal is to help 10,000 of them over the next 10 years realize and reach the career of their dreams.
“I'm always inspired or more motivated when I get calls from students who say we are making a difference in their lives, but I am always hungry for more impact," Rhodes said.
Rhodes funded the nonprofit from his own savings. Now he is in the process of applying for grants and funding to keep the summit going for years.
The free summit is being held Saturday, September 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees have to sign up for it in advance.