Robert M. Coatie MLK Youth Forum
The MLK-Robert M. Coatie Youth Forum was hosted on January 17, 2024, at FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus. The Robert M. Coatie Youth Forum follows in the spirit of the MLK Commemorative Breakfast. While the focus is to target middle and high school students, the dedication is at the same level in bringing renowned speakers to inspire these youths to not only achieve their best, but to follow the ideals of Dr. King in their everyday lives.
The 2024 Robert M. Coatie MLK Youth Forum keynote speaker was Mr. Ernest Crim III, who is an Anti-Racist Educator and hate crime survivor who uses (Black) historical narratives to empower and educate families and train educators through an equitable lens. Mr. Crim, a south side of Chicago native and University of Illinois graduate, is a former high school history educator of 12 years, who now teaches Black History to the world through social media with a platform that reaches over 2 million people monthly. Additionally, he is the CEO of Crim’s Cultural Consulting LLC, an international speaker, an author of two bestsellers (‘Black History Saved My Life’ and ‘The ABCS of Affirming Black Children’) and a passionate progressive education activist, who has been featured on ABC, WGN, PBS, CBS, NBC & Newsweek, amongst various other outlets. To Ernest, his purpose is to creatively strategize how we can use our past to create a better future, entrenched in equitable practices.
Past Robert M. Coatie Youth Forum Keynote Speakers