The Cipher Series

THE CIPHER SERIES

Mic check…set the stage.

Over here at BE2T, our mission stretches far beyond simply placing more men of color in the classroom. Though we aim to achieve the aforementioned, we also yearn for a deeper understanding of the psychology of today’s young black men and how that may or may not affect their approach to education as a whole. As we embark on this journey of black male achievement, we relentlessly continue to comb through potential internal and external barriers that may pose a detriment to the educational, professional, and personal trajectory of young men of color.
We were looking for something supplemental to further augment the regimented professional development and education curriculum we offer to BE2T fellows. We wanted something substantive that our young men could intimately engage with, and simultaneously have a sense of ownership. Our goal is to create an ultra-safe space for young men to fully immerse themselves into group and individual introspection yielding an intense, unfiltered, organic dialogue between young men-of-color. If we want a better understanding of their experience, we must set the stage for them to speak. Everybody gather ‘round. Quiet down. Welcome to the Cipher...

Definition of flow…the cipher.

The Cipher is a professional and personal development workshop that consist of a series of introspective discussions around social topics pertinent, relevant, or centric to the black male experience and the overall growth of the individual. Fellows utilize this space to share stories, experiences, successes and failures. The Cipher employs thought provoking issues and events to spawn open-ended conversations that are usually transformative and enlightening for all participants. These discussions serve as a major component to BE2T’s comprehensive qualitative research conducted to bridge the gap between men of color and the classroom.

Previous Cipher Topics and Discussions 2013-15: