FREDTALKS
Back to School Bash (2022)
Back to School Bash Celebrates the Start of the School Year. Keynote speaker Frederick Edwards spoke about the importance of education. He detailed his journey from believing he wasn’t college material, to earning an athletic scholarship to losing his athletic scholarship due to injury, to transferring to North Dakota State University, to graduating, and pursuing a master’s degree in education.
Dragon Student Leadership Summit (2022)
Fred was invited to present a keynote on leadership and equitable values at Minnesota State Moorhead. Fred challenged the student leaders to learn and grow in an afternoon of challenges aimed at giving you the opportunity to contribute to your student organization, causes you care about, and the MSUM community.
NDSU’s Learning to Lead Panel (2022)
Fred was honored to be asked to be a panelist for NDSU's Learning to Lead: Pathways to leadership and advice from prominent local leaders of color panel discussion. In addition, Fred Edwards and other community leaders answered many questions from the moderator and students.
Students at NDSU asked: How do you become a better leader? In what ways does being a person of color in a position of power affect those around you? How does one keep their identity from being lost in the workplace? And many other thought provoking questions.
Afrique (2022)
It was Fred's honor to contribute two original spoken word pieces in celebration of African people coming together. Black student associations from North Dakota State, Moorehead State, and Concordia united to organize Afrique Night, a celebration of cultures from the African Diaspora. Events included fashion shows, dancing, and singing. Attendance was widespread through the Fargo Moorhead region. Several of the region's favorite performing artists were on hand.
Educators for Equity - Teaching Black History, In Your Classroom. (2022)
Fred gave a presentation to a group of student teachers at Mankota State University. Fred was reached out to by this group to discuss activism in the classroom and teaching Black history. As a result of this presentation, students sought answers to questions and a night of meaningful engagement ensued. Topics discussed in the meeting included: Black history in schools, intersectionality, white saviorism, tokenism, and tools to disengage from further marginalization of marginalized communities.
TEDxFargo - “Pamoja: Alone Aint vulnerability” (2021)
Fred gives a Tedx talk to the City of Fargo. Togetherness in Swahili is Pamoja, Alone aint vulnerability describes the many barriers and walls put up to hide who we are and the pain we face. The pandemic showed Fred that we are all needed in order to survive. It was through his own breakthrough he was able to take off the armory of vulnerability and embrace the power of unity, togetherness and Liberation.
TEDxNDSU - “
Why I Must Speak Out About Racial Discrimination” (2017)
"Let's talk about what's in my mind during this negative time." Frederick Edwards Jr. expresses his concern about modern-day racial discrimination and how it has affected so many lives--including his own. Tune in to listen to his experiences of struggle and resiliency as a person fighting against discrimination.
The Importance of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace (2021)
Fred conducted a virtual workshop for the employees of Tourism Alliance of Fargo Moorhead. The dialogue and activity helped the participants understand the value of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the workplace.
Black Students Matter (2021)
Fred gives a virtual keynote presentation to the African Heritage Education Network & Toronto Black Education Network (AHEN-TBEN). He presented to the administrators, staff, and students in Toronto, Canada, about the disparities in education that hinder Black students. Providing a remedy to combat a system designed to perpetuate White supremacy, Fred provides some tools for everyday interventions.
JOY FEST (2020)
Co-curating and hosting a community event, Fred brought joy to the community. The pandemic may have kept many of us inside, but joy can bring us outside. We organized Joy Fest to provide healing and resources to meet the needs of the community. From therapists to entrepreneurship opportunities, there were many other stations set up for live art and poetry. This event included free food, live entertainment, arts and crafts, dunk tank, pie-eating contest and more. Joyfest is a force to be reckoned with. The event was held at Island Park which is the heart of the city. We invited everyone to come together to learn, to grow, to relax, and lastly, to enjoy one another.
The 2nd Annual Juneteenth (2021)
Fred Edwards Hosted and Curated this years Juneteenth celebration. This year’s Juneteenth there is a combination of education, entertainment, and giving back. A community event raising cognizance of "Freedom day" aka Juneteenth. We had Live Jazz, Blues, DJ playing soulful music. Resource tables with a local therapist, yoga specialist, breath-work experts, and other community organizations that provide much-needed services. We had Soul food for the entire community to enjoy. To tie the event together it is paramount to have a philanthropy aspect, thus this year we will had a clothing drive and food drive.
Leadership team : John Stewart, Anthony J Ferris, Alaki Ajang, Meghan Yerhot and Laura Wauflestad.
Celebrating Graduates : Preparing the next generation Panel (2021)
On June 25th in an outdoor venue (Gooseberry Park) Fred Edwards and others we are invited to give insight to new juniors, seniors, & high school graduates in the FM area. Fred recently graduating with his masters was able to get insight into the process of applying for graduate school and all the things he wish he knew before he started. This school year was tough for everyone and these youth deserved to be highlighted.
Concordia’s “Making Change Happen” Panel (2019)
The social justice program at Concordia college invited Fred and three others to talk about the injustice we are fighting in the community of Fargo, ND. From Moms Demand Action to Planned parenthood. I was a panelist at Concordia’s “Making Change Happen” event. Fred learned a lot about other people’s walks of life. What makes them get up and say, “I can’t stand for this anymore. I’m going to do something or rally behind an organization that is.” Most importantly, how values and morals drive our behavior to go outside of our comfort zone.
Fargo Youth Initiative Key Note (2019)
Fred was honored to get the opportunity to speak in the New Fargo City Hall. In this 45 minute presentation, he told his story, challenged the audience to turn their pain into passion. But most importantly, to think about two questions: How do they want to be remembered when they die? How do they want to be loved? These are questions I've had to ask myself daily. Blessed beyond my imagination and happy to have the ability to serve the Fargo youth initiative: The Fargo youth initiative is a group of high school leaders from Fargo South, North, and Davies H.S.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration (2020)
Fred had the opportunity of hosting the 2020 MLK celebration put on by the Fargo Human Relations Commission. Many people he looks up to earned awards for their service in the community. A year later and Dr. Kings quote is still deep-rooted in my forebrain. King says, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort & convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Deesha Dyer NASPA IV West Conference (2019)
During the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) IV west 2019 conference in Fargo, ND. Fred had the opportunity of interviewing Deesha Dyer, the former social secretary for the Obama administration. Furthering the conversations on how to impact your community Deesha spoke on how you affect the neighborhood you've grown up in. You break stigmas attached, and you succeed regardless of your educational background. You work in politics and become one of the top 100 influential African Americans in America. Instead of complaining about the lack of travel in the Black community. You create a scholarship and program that allows young black women in Philadelphia high schools to travel and go to places like Paris and London.
Black History Month Open Mic (2019)
Fred hosted a Black history month open mic. This year Fred performed "ten commandments" written by Anthony Ferris, partnered by Alaki Ajang. This event was a massive success due to collaboration with the Somali Student Association and Black Student Association.
Hip Hop for Hope (2018)
Fred gave a spoken word piece about the development of Love. The best way to give back is to give from the heart. The NDSU Hip hop team invited me to open up the event and do some spoken word pieces for the NDSU hip hop Team's charitable event. All proceeds went to Charism, an afterschool program that helps low-income students with afterschool help and STEM.
Real Estate Radio with Erik Hatch (2020)
Fred wasfeatured on Real Estate radio with Erik Hatch. They discussed his life story, his mindset shift, and generational trauma. They go even further in discussing combatting racism as business leaders and our responsibility to ourselves and the community.
The Seven: influencing positive change in our community (2019)
Fred gave a key note at The Seven. The Seven was an interactive human rights experience. A discussion to learn what it means to organize, advocate for, and influence positive change in our community—topics ranging from preparation to obstacles. The theme Fred chose was “focus,” telling the story of growing up. What he thought was expected and how his life improved when his thinking transformed.
Nice X: Equity (2020)
Fred helped organize and introduce the NICE X Equity event. This event was to provide solutions for NDSU such as: How might we create more opportunities for underrepresented students to connect and lead on campus? How might we celebrate and welcome diversity on campus? How might we increase equity across campus? Individuals and/or teams with the most compelling solutions will be provided with resources, mentorship, and support from The Nice Center to bring their ideas to life on campus and in our community.
Dakota Memorial School - Commencement Speech (2019)
Freds first high school graduation commencement speech at the Dakota Memorial school. He was able to give a talk about his life, trials, and tribulations along the way from middle school to college. In this photo, we have the faculty who work at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, the superheroes who show up every day and give value to these kids. For a year, Fred built a connection with these students through writing workshops and sharing personal stories and spoken word pieces. He was delighted to see these students walk across that stage and acquire their high school diploma.
Free At Last Panel (2018)
As part of Concordia 2018, Frederick Edwards participated in the Free At Last Panel. The Concordia community celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day every year on the third Monday of January. We do so not only as a reminder of King’s personal achievements but also, and more importantly, as the opportunity to engage the entire community in thoughtful and informed explorations of issues that define King’s life and legacy – nonviolence and direct action as tools for social change, altruistic love as the basis of the beloved community, the courage to stand up for truth and justice regardless of the consequences, and an unrelenting resistance to oppression and exploitation.