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A Meeting Place For many years, African-Americans have assembled informally at various national and regional Boys & Girls Clubs of America events. These meetings were often held on-site, in corners of lobbies and locations near the conference sites. While not a part of the formal B&GCA programs, the gatherings served as an opportunity for African-American professionals to express their opinions regarding various issues which were unique to them at their Clubs and in the Boys & Girls Club Movement. Colleagues were able to compare obstacles, receive mentoring and share frustrations in a constructive and non-threatening environment.

Passing It On Over the years, the need for professionals to share and discuss issues in an environment that allowed a free-flow of information among colleagues, without retaliation, has continued but a number of new elements have evolved. Successful African-American executives who have demonstrated their knowledge, expertise and skills are partnering with newer staff to share best practices and offer counseling. The opportunity for such dialogue is a critical component to the recruitment, retention and development of the future leadership of the Boys & Girls Club Movement.

It is in this spirit that the Society of African-American Professionals (SOAAP) was formed. The inaugural meeting was held on September 17-18, 1999 in St. Louis, MO. The goal - to actively promote the development and advancement of qualified African- Americans into senior and executive level positions within the Movement. As B&GCA President Roxanne Spillett often says, "diversity is not just the right thing to do, but it is the smart thing to do."

"I've been in the Boys & Girls Club Movement for 30 years and I have seen many changes during that time. From the formation of the Concerned Professional Association to the implementation of a National Diversity Plan, progress is being made," said Lou Dantzler, president/CEO of Challengers Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles. "However, there is more work to be done and SOAAP can help," added the Dean of Society for SOAAP.

While the Society of African-American Professionals provides and accepts assistance from any professional in the Boys & Girls Club Movement on the recruitment, retention and upward mobility of African-Americans, its general membership and some of its forums are designed specifically for African-Americans. This allows the continuation of the tradition of open dialogue, particularly to discuss the unique and critical issues that African-Americans face in their career development.

Leaving a Legacy SOAAP hopes to leave an indelible mark on the Boys & Girls Club Movement, one that benefits all Club professionals working tirelessly to serve kids. With the right vision, support and leadership, this is possible. Hailed by Life as one of the great preachers of our time and spiritual adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr., Howard Thurman said it best:

Keep alive in me the forward look, the high hope, The onward surge. Let me not be frozen Either by the past or the present. Grant me...Thy sense of the future.