The Youth Empowerment Conference will be July 25th from 10am-1pm.
This is a virtual conference for young men in middle school and high school, hosted by Seeds of Wisdom and sponsored by TRIO Programs at the University of South Carolina. Registrants will receive access to on-demand videos from our speakers and musical guest.
Our core values are Integrity, Discipline, Education, and Ambition (IDEA). Conference sessions will prepare young men in a number of areas:
- Overcoming adversity
- Financial literacy
- Mental health and wellness
Keynote Speaker:Chris Singleton often speaks about how love is stronger than hate, which is even more relevant today. He is a former professional baseball player and known as a national speaker who has been featured on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CNN, and USA Today.
Session Speakers: Marshall Moses, Dr. Allen Pope, Jr., and Brandon Baskett.
Special Performance by Hey-Zooz, an up-and-coming Hip-Hop artist from Atlanta, GA.
Marshall Moses, also known as SOULBODY Meta, is a professional athlete and global speaker. He played collegiate basketball at Oklahoma State University in the Big 12 Conference. One of his most cherished accomplishments was winning an Olympic Gold Medal in 2015. He is still enjoying a career as a professional basketball player and is a burgeoning musician.
Dr. Allen Pope, Jr.is a native of Fort White, FL. He attended the Florida A&M University, home of the Rattlers. While there, he obtained a Bachelors of Science (B.S) in Psychology and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S) in School Psychology. He currently serves as a District Lead School Psychologist in a local school district. He also recently obtained his Doctorate Degree in Educational Administration at South Carolina State University, home of the Bulldogs.
Dr. Pope is married and has two daughters. He enjoys reading, exercising, attending sporting events, swimming, traveling, and learning about the world. His current research interests center around self-concept and academic achievement.
Brandon Baskett is the founder and president of Seeds of Wisdom. He is in his ninth year as an educator in South Carolina and currently an administrator in a Midlands school district. He is a former high school English teacher and assistant basketball coach.
He founded Seeds of Wisdom because he wanted to be for young men what he wishes he had when he was younger. He is a first-generation college graduate from a single-parent home, where his mother never earned more than $30,000 per year. The goal of this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is to mentor young men so that they can create a better tomorrow.
Hip-Hop artist, Hey-Zooz, announces virtual performance with Seeds of Wisdom
Hey-Zooz is a talented musician with a captivating personality. His ability to intertwine personal experiences with such diverse sound yields comparisons to the likes of Tory Lanez and J. Cole. A&R Factory touted Hey-Zooz as an artist who will make your teeth grit after the release of his 5 song EP, Recovery in 2019.
In his most recent single Why?, Hey-Zooz shares his story navigating the music industry: “Freedom’s essential to exercising our mental truth.” This song comes after careful decision to remain independent after negotiations with record labels stalled amid the Covid-19 pandemic.