TAMPA, Fla. — Tens of thousands of people from across the country have traveled to Tampa for the 84th Omega Psi Phi Grand Conclave. More than 150 students are participating in the fraternity’s International Youth Leadership Conference, designed for high school-aged males. 

What You Need To Know

  • Tens of thousands of people from across the country have traveled to Tampa for the 84th Omega Psi Phi Grand Conclave

  • More than 150 students are participating in the fraternity’s International Youth Leadership Conference, designed for high school-aged males

  • Its mentors guide students through workshops and address issues facing young males today, including self-esteem, health and wellness, social and personal responsibility, academic growth and development and conflict resolution

  • The workshop also includes learning about Black history throughout the city of Tampa. The fraternity says it designed this historical tour to prepare the next generation of leaders by linking them to their past

“It feels like a great honor, mainly because many people don’t get this opportunity,” said attendee Marcus Jordan.

Marcus Jordan is visiting Tampa from Alabama for the International Youth Leadership Conference, one of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's flagship youth events that historically precedes the Grand Conclave. He’s one of more than 150 students in the program.

“We’re building young folks to be better leaders not just in their schools, but in their communities,” said International Youth Leadership Conference Chairman Keith Pemberton.

Its mentors guide students through workshops and address issues facing young males today, including self-esteem, health and wellness, social and personal responsibility, academic growth and development and conflict resolution.

“There's always some violence or just other things happening around. So it's good to be in this program where, like mentors, all that can check up on you,” said attendee Kameron Coleman.

The workshop also includes learning about Black history throughout the city of Tampa.

The fraternity says it designed this historical tour to prepare the next generation of leaders by linking them to their past.

“I’m learning more about our black history that we are really not taught in school,” said attendee Canon Pickett.

Cannon Pickett learned about the program from his father, who is a member of Omega Psi Phi. He also learned about other historical fraternity members who have had a lasting impact.

Fred Hearns, who is also a member, serves as a curator of Black history at the Tampa Bay History Center.

“Omega Men are all over the state of Florida,” said Hearns. “But here in Tampa, it’s the Pi Iota chapter that has been here since 1946. Our courthouse is named for George Edgecombe, an Omega man and a member of our Pi Iota chapter. We have several schools and very significant things here in Tampa named for Omega men.”

For example, the students visited a local library named after Florida NAACP field secretary and Omega member Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Through these activities, Pemberton says young people can develop a greater appreciation for the struggles of those who came before them and the progress that has been made.

“I think it’s limitless on which way you can reach these students,” he added.

Pemberton mentions that these students are discovering their own potential through their own narratives.

“They are going to impact even more when they go home to their communities, take what they learn and build from that,” he added.

Keeping with the theme of “Conclave with a Purpose,” the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. prioritize mentorship and fellowship, creating a foundation that inspires youth to think, achieve and aspire to be leaders.