Registration is now open for a free, two-day conference designed to help men — particularly
non-custodial parents — to gain life skills, employment stability, and more.
The Racine Kenosha ELEV8 Men’s Conference will be held Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7 and 8,
at Carthage College.
Organizers said the program is designed to help men through practical workshops, mentorship,
inspiring speakers, and meaningful brotherhood.
Waleed Ahmad, coordinator of Racine County Workforce Solutions’ ELEVATE program, said
participants will gain practical life skills, emotional tools, and real-world strategies promoting
personal growth, healthier relationships, responsible fatherhood, and long-term stability.
“Non-custodial fathers often face unique hurdles as they work to stay engaged, responsible, and
present in their children’s lives. This conference is about ensuring they don’t face those
challenges alone,” Ahmad said.
“We’re creating a space where men can build practical skills,
strengthen family connections, and access the support they need to move toward stability and
long-term success. When non-custodial fathers thrive, their children, families, and communities
thrive with them.”
Non-custodial parents are those who do not have primary physical custody of their children but
do often have visitation schedules and financial responsibilities for their children, including
court-ordered child support payments.
The conference is an extension of the mission of the ELEVATE (Empowering Lives through
Education, Vocational Assessment, Training and Employment) program, which is to promote
family stability and self-sufficiency by providing essential support to parents navigating
challenges related to employment, child support, co-parenting, and legal matters.
“The ELEVATE program is transforming how we support families in our community. Instead of
relying on traditional, punitive enforcement, we are partnering with parents to help themovercome barriers to employment, access to training and build stability,” said Racine County
Executive, Ralph Malicki, who fully supports this empowering approach to working with
families.
Likewise, Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman supports the mission of the ELEVATE
program and the men’s conference.
“Helping parents to overcome obstacles and build strong families is at the heart of what we do in
county government, and ELEVATE is a shining example of this mission in action,” Kerkman
said. “There are many resources available to help parents advance their careers and lift up their
families, and I encourage our residents to seek them out.”
The Elev8 conference program includes sessions on identity, purpose and integrity; financial
stewardship, health and wellness; and emotional strength, parenting and leadership. Lunch-and-
learn sessions will focus on the building trades and entrepreneurship, and a resource fair
showcasing service providers and employment opportunities will be held both days.
There is no charge for fathers to attend the conference, although registration is required by July
24.
For more information, including a link to register, visit https://bit.ly/ELEV8-2026.
Organizers are also continuing to seek sponsorships to help support the conference programming
and logistics. For more information, contact Ahmad at 262-638-6551 or
Waleed.Ahmad@racinecounty.gov or Shalonda Black at 262-697-4744 or
Shalonda.Black@kenoshacountywi.gov.
Learn more about the ELEVATE program:
◼ In Racine County: https://www.racinecounty.gov/departments/hsd/supportive-
services/workforce-solutions/elevate
◼ In Kenosha County: https://www.kenoshachildsupport.com/programs.htm