“This is the most important time of your life. You will develop who you are for real now…You will have to decide how to define yourself for yourself for the first time in your life.”

These are the words of Gregory Harden, keynote speaker and founder of H.E.A.D.S. — a black student organization that stands for Here Earning A Destiny Through Honesty, Eagerness and Determination of Self. Harden, who also serves as associate athletic director for the University, enlivened the crowd at the 9th annual “Reflections in Black” H.E.A.D.S. event at the Michigan League. Harden's speech encouraged students to live up to their academic potential, despite outside distractions.

The event, which featured influential black leaders on campus as well as performances by the University of Michigan Jazz Quartet, aimed to welcome black students back to the University through inspiring ideas of unity, intellectual growth and reinforcing notions of progress in equality.

The event opened with a word from LSA senior and H.E.A.D.S. chair James Stinson III, who encouraged students to remain focused on their studies as they embark upon a potentially difficult year of school at the University.

“Being a Michigan student is a challenging journey as you learn and grow academically and personally,” Stinson said. “But we know you are up to the challenge.”

College is a peak time for growth and development as a person, and students need to be independent and learn for themselves who they want to be, Harden said.

Harden also encouraged students at the event not to let stereotypes and performed judgments become excuses for not living up to academic and personal potential.

“It’s too easy to provide an excuse for not doing what you came here to do,” Harden said. “If you’re human then you will be constantly attacked by fear and self doubt.”

He concluded by urging students to free themselves from past struggles in order to move forward — likening these difficulties to modern day forms of slavery — and to realize that help is always available on campus if needed.

“If you can’t let it go by yourself, get help,” Harden said. “But let go of any chains around your neck. Slavery is slavery, whether you’re talking about the 16th, 17th century or we’re talking about today.”

John Lockard, adjunct lecturer of Afro-American and African Studies and member of the National Conference of Artists, spoke next, echoing Harden’s sentiment and recognizing the difficult history that blacks have faced, while urging students to continue to move forward.

“Tonight is a special evening because we attempt to inspire and recognize that there is a history,” Lockard said. “… this attitude that has been handed down for a couple centuries in our country about being less than human can really, really destroy one’s possibilities.”

The event also featured two informational videos about the progress of African Americans on campus, beginning with the University’s creation in 1817. It discussed the significant developments made at the University during the Civil Rights movement, as students began to rally for equal rights and opportunities.

Engineering sophomore Chanel Beebe said she was able to learn a lot about the history of African-Americans at the University through last night’s event.

“I didn’t really know about the history of black people on campus and I thought that was really interesting,” Beebe said.