Larry Scott Blackmon considers himself a connector. He has spent a number of a long time in authorities affairs and civic management, and his resume exhibits it. He’s the CEO for the Blackmon Group, a authorities affairs agency he based in 2023. In February, he took workplace as State Committeeman of the seventieth Meeting District, representing Harlem. However he additionally has some musical historical past in his background as nicely: Blackmon is the son of artist Larry Blackmon, lead vocalist of the legendary R&B Funk band Cameo. On the ultimate day of Black Historical past Month this yr, Blackmon was capable of convene greater than 60 Black males for what he calls the primary Harlem Black Males’s Brunch, with the aim of networking and fascinating in a dialog about find out how to assist each other professionally, personally, and communally. He says it would proceed as a bigger initiative going ahead. “Bonds have been solid, a commonality was discovered, and a vulnerability was uncovered that touched everyone within the room,” Blackmon mentioned, popping out of the brunch. It was open to Black males throughout town and state and featured professionals from ministry, healthcare, enterprise, actual property, authorities, training, and extra, starting from school college students to seniors.
Blackmon conceived of the concept from a sense that there was an absence of communal assets for Black males to assemble. After a dialog the place he realized of a Black girls’s brunch happening, he was impressed to create one for Black males.
A musical background results in extra Born and raised in Harlem, Blackmon grew up within the Drew Hamilton Initiatives along with his grandparents, who owned Tiger Cleaners within the Bronx. However he additionally cut up time in Atlanta along with his father, who would journey typically, even befriending superproducer Jermaine Dupri, who lived in the identical advanced on town’s South Aspect. He notes that his father’s band was one of many first acts accountable for Atlanta’s later music growth. From his household and different supportive figures, he was instilled with values of neighborhood and giving again.
Blackmon performed basketball at Rice Excessive Faculty and A. Philip Randolph Campus Excessive Faculty, each of which, he says, allowed him to concentrate on making a optimistic trajectory for himself regardless of potential distractions for a younger man in Harlem on the time.
After graduating with levels from SUNY New Paltz and Metropolitan School of New York, Blackmon turned concerned in music manufacturing and advertising and marketing, first working as a PA on the Apollo and later with EMI Data. He later established his personal promotion firm and was tapped to assist with C. Virginia Fields’ marketing campaign due to his distinctive promoting concepts, which started his foray into politics. He has labored for a number of different profitable campaigns since. Earlier this yr, he was named by Metropolis & State New York as one of many 2026 Who’s Who in Political Consulting and Communications.
Persevering with in civics, Blackmon was later vice chairman of Contemporary Direct for 9 years, and was capable of ship wholesome meals to neighborhood members on the top of the pandemic. Presently, he’s the board chair for the Higher Enterprise Bureau for New York and president of the New York Affiliation of Chapters of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He says offering area and alternative for Black males is a core mission of his and is what led him to create the Black Males Brunch initiative. Maintaining Black males targeted
On the brunch, attendees have been engaged in discussions on points together with maintaining Black males engaged and knowledgeable politically, the necessity for unity and assist assets for Black companies, religious progress, financial growth, and bodily and psychological well being and wellness.
Outstanding names in attendance included Harlem Democratic District Chief William Allen, CEO of The Brooklyn Financial institution Jude Bernard, political commentator and Columbia Professor Basil Smikle Jr., Rev. Jacques DeGraff, NY-15 candidate Michael Blake, actual property entrepreneur Welby Accely, and Sankofa Haus proprietor DJ Spynfo.
“This wasn’t finished to make a revenue. It wasn’t finished to make a political assertion. It was finished to deliver Black males in a room…who typically really feel at instances alone and who typically really feel that they don’t have somebody that they are often with, apart from a fraternal group,” Blackmon mentioned.
Going ahead, it was determined to comply with up on the occasion as a quarterly meetup, with the subsequent one happening in Brooklyn in June.
“It’s inspirational to the remainder of the neighborhood to see that Black males can get collectively in that kind and style,” Blackmon mentioned. “For Black males to come back collectively and meet one another, shake fingers, chuckle, speak concerning the battle that we face as businessmen in a secure area is totally rewarding in and of itself.”
