Upcoming events.
Black History Month Luncheon and Keynote, Dr. Copeland
Community College of Philadelphia
Black History Month Luncheon and Keynote, Dr. Copeland
Community College of Philadelphia
Our Song, Our Story, Black Music in America
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Our Song, Our Story: Black Music in America
Wednesday, Feb. 4 | 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Winnet Student Life Building, Great Hall, Room S2 19
Join us for an interactive Black History Month experience exploring the transformative journey of Black music in America. From spirituals and the blues to jazz, soul, and hip hop, this multimedia keynote highlights how Black artists have used music as a force for survival, resistance, innovation, and joy.
Keynote speaker Dr. Walter E. Copeland, professor in the Division of Business and Technology, will spotlight Philadelphia’s powerful influence on Black music, featuring The Sound of Philadelphia, The Roots, Patti LaBelle, and today’s emerging artists. The program includes guided reflection and group discussion on music’s role in social movements, cultural identity, and personal expression.
Schedule
Program: 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Lunch: 12 to 1:30 p.m. (Tables will be released for the buffet to keep the line moving smoothly.)
Complimentary luncheon menu includes chicken stew with African seasonings, jollof rice, fried catfish, and sweet potato pie.
Click the link to Register
About the Keynote Speaker
Dr. Walter E. Copeland II focuses on leadership, education, and public health with an emphasis on equity, access, and community empowerment. His work explores how culture, storytelling, and lived experience shape identity, resilience, and social change. He is committed to creating spaces where students and community members can reflect, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue that connects history to present-day realities.
Guided Conversations Follow-Up with , Dr. Copeland
Monday, Feb. 9 | 12 to 1 p.m.
Pavilion Building, Klein Cube
This follow-up session with Dr. Copeland continues the conversation from the keynote through a student-centered, facilitated dialogue. Students will explore Black history, music, and what success looks like for them while connecting personal experience to academic and career goals. Light refreshments will be served.
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Guest Lecturer, Rutgers Univ
During this session, Dr. Walter E Copeland II speaks with emerging scholars about the art of translating complex research into language that informs, resonates, and moves communities to action. While academic credentials signal expertise, true impact is measured by one’s ability to communicate clearly across diverse audiences — from dissertation committees and journals to policymakers, media, and the public. This talk emphasizes message clarity, accessibility, and purpose beyond titles, preparing doctoral candidates to share their work in ways that influence both scholarship and society.
Octavius V. Catto
At the Octavius V. Catto Conference, I spoke on the idea of being “Built for This,” a reminder that Black communities, Black leaders, and Black men in particular are not defined by deficit but by endurance, brilliance, and inherited strength. I connected this theme to health equity and leadership, showing how systemic barriers, mistrust in healthcare, and limited access do not erase our capacity to lead, heal, innovate, and advocate for our own well-being. “Built for This” was presented not as a motivational slogan but as a lived truth. It reflects the history of surviving inequality, navigating bias in medical systems, and still pushing forward to redesign care, elevate wellness literacy, and open doors that tradition once closed. The message centered on reclaiming autonomy over health, redefining our narrative, and stepping into leadership with the understanding that we are not waiting to be validated. We are already equipped.