Young African-American males encounter a variety of difficulties in society. Marginalization, profiling, gun violence, alcohol and drug addiction, poor personal choices, poor academic preparation and performance, and high incarceration rates...these are merely some of the issues young black males face in the current environment. Foremost, they are over half of the victims of gun homicide in America's largest and smaller urban centers.

Our goals at The Black Male Summit®, a non-profit, faith-based, community prevention and intervention program of symposiums, conferences, lectures and workshops (featuring experts from various fields and successful celebrities) are to inform and encourage youth to pursue and complete higher education, as well as to pursue entrepreneurship. In doing so, they can start and maintain businesses for their families and future generations.

Victoria Sheppard, Ph.D. was the sole founder of The Black Male Summit®, a non-profit, faith-based, community prevention and intervention program. William R. Sheppard is the current President of the organization.