For Jash’d Belcher, the question was never whether young Black men could lead. It was whether they would have the chance to see it for themselves. As the founder of HBCU Power and a film producer with credits including the Sundance Film Festival selection A Boy. A Girl. A Dream. and the ABFF-winning feature Death of a Telemarketer, Belcher built the PowerHouse Summer Academy at Morehouse College to answer that question directly.
The two-week program, holds June 26 through July 10, gives high school students hands-on exposure to filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and leadership on one of the most storied HBCU campuses in the country.
More than a summer camp
Belcher is deliberate about what the academy is and what it is not. “The PowerHouse Summer Academy is not just a summer camp, it is a transformational leadership and career immersion experience,” he said. Students live and eat on Morehouse’s campus, spending two weeks surrounded by Black excellence, tradition, and brotherhood.
For many, it is their first time away from home in a college environment. “They wake up every day on a historic HBCU campus. They interact with college students and professionals, and begin to envision themselves attending college and becoming leaders,” Belcher said. “It builds maturity, independence, confidence, and aspiration in a way that is hard to replicate anywhere else.”
Building skills that travel
Inside the academy, students work with professional equipment and software, learning storytelling, directing, cinematography, editing, branding, and social media content creation. The goal reaches well beyond technical training. “Beyond the technical side, they also learn how to think creatively, collaborate with others, problem solve, and tell meaningful stories,” Belcher said. “Those skills are valuable, whether they become filmmakers, entrepreneurs, athletes, executives, or business owners.”
Entrepreneurship and financial literacy sit at the center of the curriculum as well. “We want students to understand ownership, wealth building, and how to create opportunities for themselves,” he said. “We want them to think beyond getting a job, and begin thinking about building companies, creating intellectual property, and leaving a legacy.”
The power of seeing yourself in the room
Guest speakers and mentors come from film, television, media, business, and sports, and many share backgrounds similar to the students they address. “Representation matters,” Belcher said. “When students see successful Black professionals in film, television, media, and leadership, it expands their thinking about what is possible.
Many of our guest speakers and mentors come from backgrounds similar to our students. They share authentic stories about overcoming challenges, building careers, and creating success. Those conversations often have lifelong impact because students realize their dreams are attainable.” Parents consistently report seeing increased confidence, maturity, discipline, and communication skills in their sons after the program ends.
“One of the most important and powerful moments is watching students who arrive shy or uncertain and begin to open up throughout the program,” Belcher said. “By the end of the academy, those same students are leading conversations, creating projects, speaking confidently in front of groups, and building genuine friendships with young men from different cities and backgrounds.”
Who should apply
The program is open to high school students, and prior filmmaking experience is not a requirement. Belcher welcomes young men with an interest in film, content creation, entrepreneurship, sports, fashion, or simply figuring out what comes next. “If they have a desire to learn and to enjoy themselves, that is a requirement,” he said.
The program intentionally keeps space limited to maintain close mentorship and a high-quality experience for every student. His hope for every graduate is clear. “My biggest hope is that every student leaves believing that their future is bigger than they imagined before they arrived. The Academy is about helping young men discover who they are, while giving them tools and exposure to help shape who they become.” Applications and registration are open at powerhouseacademy.net.