"Listen to who they say they are. Carve out space for them to share their family histories and traditions. Find out what little things make them smile. Inquire about their hopes and dreams that delights in the most profound possibilities of life: true acceptance, validation, the ability to love, be loved and just be! Listen, listen, listen! And when you feel like you can no longer listen or you've listened enough, challenge yourself to LISTEN some more," said Roger Bridges, MSW, associate head of school for Advancement, Equity, Inclusion, and Counseling at Echo Horizon School, and the co-founder of the Empowerment & Engagement Coalition Conference for African American Boys in Independent Schools.