The African American Male Education Network and Development (A²MEND) organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by Black male educators who utilize their scholarly and professional expertise to foster institutional change within higher education to increase the success of Black male students.
A²MEND was formed in 2006, after six emerging Black male administrators met one another at UCLA, where they attended an annual professional development conference for new college administrators. While striking up a dialogue about the difficulties facing Black males, particularly in higher education, they realized that very few people were addressing this issue, and thus it was overdue for action.
Since its establishment, A²MEND has served as the premier nonprofit organization focused on addressing the educational success gap for Black male students in community colleges. Each year, A²MEND hosts the African American Male Summit in Los Angeles, drawing over 1,300 students, faculty, staff, and administrators to foster Black male success in community colleges.