Event aims to give young black people someone to look up to
Young, gifted and black.
Those characteristics were celebrated Sunday during the Lake County Forest Preserves' Profiles in Excellence Program at the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago.
The message affected at least one teen.
"This inspires me to pursue my education, go to college and get a degree," said Aaron Oglesby, 16, of Twin Lakes, Wis.
Oglesby has attended the annual Profiles in Excellence event for as long as he can remember with his grandparents, Catherine and Percy Johnson, of North Chicago.
"It's a big deal for kids to have someone they can look up to," Oglesby said. "This provides that."
Profiles in Excellence has been put on by the forest preserve district since 1983 and is designed to encourage the black community, particularly young people.
"I hope when people leave here today they will be inspired by the numerous achievements by African-Americans," said Gregory Gordon, a member of the African-American History Planning Committee. "This side of our culture is not always given press coverage or much space in textbooks. Our target audience is young people. They are not always exposed to this type of thing in pop culture."
About 300 people attended Sunday's event.
This year's Profiles in Excellence Program focused on black inventors including Willie Gamble, a comic book creator; Debra Culp, patent-holder of the CPR system and Edgar Douglass, a clock designer.
The event's keynote speakers were E. Scott Morris, a designer for Nike, Inc. and a North Chicago native, and Sandra E. Burke, a cardiovascular research scientist who has played an important role with the American Heart Association.
C. Charles Clency, a music professor with the College of Lake County, called the program a celebration of culture.
"Considering our long history and the people who have paved the way before us, it is important to be reminded of them," Clency said.
Cian Hardin, of Racine, Wis., attended with about 15 members of her church.
"It's just a really good, positive thing to be hearing," said Hardin, who is 24. "I wish more young people were here. It opens your eyes to all of the resources that are out there for African-Americans."