Black Youth Guidance Forum (BYGF) 2025

Celebrating a Decade of Empowerment: Guided by Maat for Belonging & Connectivity

RSVP for this Event

The Black Youth Guidance Forum (BYGF) proudly marks its 10th anniversary with a transformative celebration rooted in the timeless principles of Maat—truth, balance, harmony, and reciprocity. This milestone event highlights the critical role of belonging, connectivity, and well-being in empowering Black youth and their communities to thrive academically, personally, and professionally.

This year’s forum explores how a strong sense of belonging fuels academic success, mental health, and leadership development, equipping students to navigate a rapidly evolving world shaped by artificial intelligence, technological innovation, and global networking. Participants will engage in educationally purposeful activities, including:

• Inspiring keynote speakers
• Four tailored instructional tracks for PreK-5th graders, 6-12th graders, Parent Advocacy, and Leadership

ancestral wisdom and forward-focused leadership, this event serves as a space for reflection, learning, and action. Join us as we honor the past, illuminate the present, and inspire a future where every student is valued, connected, and prepared to build meaningful relationships. Together, we uplift, educate, and empower the next generation of change makers!

Date: April 12, 2025
Time: 9:00 am to 2:30 pm
Location: Northridge Center | University Student Union (USU)

RSVP for this Event

Schedule at a Glance

Featured Speaker: Fluke Fluker

About Fluke Fluker
Founder Village Nation

Fluke Fluker is a former Marine sergeant and a basketball player for California State University in Northridge. He has spent twenty-two years coaching basketball at every level from middle school through professional. In 2003, Fluke, now a teacher and coach at Los Angeles’ Cleveland High School, joined with fellow teachers Andre Chevalier and Bill Paden to found The Village Nation, a groundbreaking project aimed at closing the achievement gap between African American and white students. The astounding results achieved by the Village Nation have been reported in major media outlets all over the United States. Fluke and his Village Nation co-founders have been featured guests on Oprah, where host Oprah Winfrey praised the organization by saying, “The Village Nation serves as a leading example for people who think out of the box.” Cleveland High School, the once-failing school that is home to the Village Nation, is now designated as a California Distinguished School. Looking back at the success of the Village Nation, Fluke says, “Our children no longer see themselves as the problem but instead as the solution—they have taken a firm stance in understanding the responsibility that accompanies their culture and heritage.”

Guest Speaker: Dr. Joshua Fredenburg

A Call To Greatness! – Igniting the ‘Leadership Greatness’ Within To Make A Positive Impact In Your Community, Nation, and World!

Throughout history, blacks have been able to overcome numerous challenges, develop solutions to some of the most complex problems in the world, and make a positive impact in their communities, nation, and world because there have been black leaders who were able to unlock the greatness within.

In this powerful session on leadership greatness, Dr. Jay not only helps emerging leaders activate the leadership greatness from within, but he provides a set of leadership applicable strategies that will empower emerging leaders to emerge, elevate, and strive towards becoming emerging leaders of social impact within their community, nation, and world!

It’s your time to lead and become the great leader you were born to be!

About Dr. Joshua Fredenburg
International Speaker, Author, Leadership Trainer, President of Circle of Change Leadership Experience

Dr. Joshua Fredenburg is a globally acclaimed speaker, author, certified emotional intelligence coach, television guest expert, and leadership consultant. With over 18 years of experience, he has inspired audiences in 49 states and internationally with transformative messages on leadership, diversity and inclusion, self-care, resilience, career and personal empowerment.

As an accomplished author, Dr. Fredenburg has written eight impactful books addressing leadership, healthy relationships, generational diversity, resilience, and professional success. Notable titles include “50 Questions Before You Say, ‘I Do,’” “Are You the World’s Next Top Leader,” and “The First-Generation Student Career Playbook.”

As the President and Founder of the Circle of Change Leadership Experience, Dr. Fredenburg has spent the past 15 years empowering culturally diverse and first-generation students to achieve leadership excellence and career success. Many participants of this transformative program now work for some of the world’s most influential organizations.

The Black Youth Guidance Forum (BYGF) provides participants with a unique opportunity to engage in educationally purposeful activities which include featured speakers, four instructional tracks (PreK-5 graders, 6-12 graders, Parent Advocacy, and Leadership), and the Nonprofit Resource & Advocacy fair.

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who is interested in the health, well-being, and educational attainment of African American students and other students of color in PreK-12 grades, including but not limited to:

• High School Administrators
• Teachers
• College Administrators
• Faculty
• Support Staff
• Counselors
• All Students, including elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary
• Nonprofit Organizations in Los Angeles County
• Business Community
• Health Advocates
• Parents
• Religious Institutions

About the Forum

The Black Youth Guidance Forum (BYGF) is a day-long leadership program for CSUN students in the Africana Studies Urban Studies option, credential candidates, and Liberal Studies majors. We will also include African American youth and other youth of color, school stakeholders (e.g. parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, and staff), and nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County.

The BYGF serves:

1. to promote racial uplift, health & wellness, college preparation, and leadership development to our target population
2. to provide assistance and training in culturally relevant practices for preparatory students at CSUN and school stakeholders
3. to establish a college collaboratory (community partnerships) with nonprofit organizations for understanding and developing clear pathways for African American youth and other youth of color to enter post-secondary education

The BYGF provides participants with a unique opportunity to participate in educationally purposeful activities which include featured speakers, four instructional tracks (PreK-5 graders, 6-12 graders, Parent Advocacy, and Leadership), and the Nonprofit Resource & Advocacy fair.

The BYGF has been designed to accomplish the same educational mission as the DuBois-Hamer Institute for Academic Achievement at California State University, Northridge, which is:

To promote student success through community and campus partnerships. We cultivate active and collaborative partnerships with faculty, staff and students across the CSUN campus community; work with local groups and organizations in Los Angeles County; and provide service to cultural and educational institutions in the community (www.csun.edu/dhiaa).

For more information, contact Dr. Cedric Hackett, Director, DuBois Hamer Institute for Academic Achievement at cedric.hackett@csun.edu or by phone at 818-677-3311.

RSVP for this Event

Communication Services

Communication services (sign language interpreters, note takers) are available for this event. Requests for services must be submitted at least five (5) working days in advance. Please contact Dr. Cedric Hackett at cedric.hackett@csun.edu.