Austin's Black Male Summit Celebrates 10 Years of Community Building

The annual event focuses on mentorship, education, entrepreneurship, and healing for Black boys and men in Central Texas.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:53pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a group of Black men and boys in various poses, repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the community gathering and empowerment at the Black Male Summit.The Black Male Summit in Austin celebrates community, mentorship, and opportunity for Black men and boys.Austin Today

The 10th Annual Black Male Summit is taking place on Saturday at the Texas Empowerment Academy in Austin, bringing together hundreds of Black boys and men from across the region for a day centered on mentorship, education, entrepreneurship, and healing. Organizers say the goal is to elevate the mindset of men in the community and create lasting solutions to challenges facing Black families, including economic opportunity, education access, mental health, and community safety.

Why it matters

As Austin's Black population has declined over the past 25 years, the Black Male Summit provides an important platform to support and empower the local Black community. The event aims to redefine manhood for young boys, equip attendees with conflict resolution skills, and prepare them for the changing workforce, especially in Austin's growing tech industry.

The details

The 'Smart'N Up, Man Up Black Male Summit' welcomes participants ranging from 8 to 65 years old and older. Throughout the afternoon, attendees will engage in conversations on topics like conflict resolution, criminal justice reform, youth development, entrepreneurship, and navigating modern social pressures. Organizers stressed the importance of providing a safe space for honest discussions about mental health, education, and building a strong community.

  • The 10th Annual Black Male Summit is happening on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • The event runs from 1 p.m. to the late afternoon at the Texas Empowerment Academy.

The players

Robert Muhammad

Community activist, organizer, and CEO of the Texas Empowerment Academy.

Sheldon Lamey

Austin native and longtime community activist.

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What they’re saying

“The Black Male Summit is designed to continue to focus on things that we have control of, things that we can fix and enhance.”

— Robert Muhammad, Community activist, organizer, and CEO of the Texas Empowerment Academy

“We are actually creating a safe space for our men and boys to come together and talk about issues they're going through. Mental health, education, entrepreneurship, and conflict resolution are all very important because so many things in our community can be solved by just talking things out instead of going to violence.”

— Sheldon Lamey, Austin native and longtime community activist

What’s next

Organizers encourage all boys and men in the Central Texas community to attend the Black Male Summit and bring a young person with them to participate in the day's activities and discussions.

The takeaway

The 10th Annual Black Male Summit in Austin serves as an important community event to empower and support Black men and boys, providing mentorship, education, and a safe space to address critical issues like mental health, conflict resolution, and economic opportunity. As Austin's Black population has declined, the summit aims to help keep the community engaged and invested in the city's future.