HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — When Corey Dupree first became a father at 20 years old, he found himself looking for a community.

“I became a dad when I was 20 years old, that was my daughter, who’s now 12. And my son was born when I was 23. So I sat back and just thought about all the resources and sometimes lack thereof that were made available to dads and just the community that I wish I would have had as a college sophomore and senior,” Dupree told abc27.

That’s why Dupree founded Layers of Black History, a Central Pennsylvania-based organization focused on breaking down the barriers of systemic racism and inequity of educational resources through events, workshops, community-building and more.

Now, the organization is gearing up for its Men Raising Black Boys Conference, which is coming to Harrisburg next month. The event’s goal is to address crucial conversations in Black male parenting and mentorship.

When planning the event, Dupree says he was inspired by the men who helped raise him.

“I wanted to go ahead and holistically think of all the men in my life who have played a part in being father figures. So whether it’s my big brother Todd — who was a white man from Big Brother Big Sister– who I’ve known for 24 years, –or if it’s my biological father who was incarcerated for the majority of my life, or my uncle, or my house father from Milton Hershey School from my time spent there,” Dupree said. “I wanted to go ahead and kind of bring together this community of all of my countless coaches and just provide a resource for dads, coaches, mentors and just be in one space and build a community.”

The event, organized in partnership with the Philadelphia-based organization Black Men Heal, will seek to promote open conversation and dialogue among speakers and guests.

The day will start with a panel discussion featuring three former NFL athletes, including the local legends Jawon Chisholm and Jordan Hill, who will talk about the importance of mentorship and physical health.

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Some speakers will also come from out of state. Among them will be a Washington D.C. teacher of the year who will talk about the importance of Black males in education.

The workshops will be about an hour long and topics will include mediation practices, social father concepts, and more.

Dupree says he will personally lead a workshop on adverse childhood experiences.

“There’s going to be tons of opportunities to expand your horizons, to make sure you’re bringing those things home, that they’re not just staying here. And the mission is for everybody who signs up, you should be coming with somebody else. Right. If we’re looking to go ahead and build this community, that’s how you build a community. You bring your brother,” he said.

The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at Harrisburg University. More information can be found at layersofblackhistory.com and tickets will be on sale until May 11.

Businesses and organizations looking to donate or sponsor the event can find contact information on the organization’s website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.