Kevin Powell, Journalist, Activist and Author

Kevin Powell is one of the most celebrated political, cultural, literary, and hip-hop voices in America. He is a prolific writer and a GRAMMY-nominated poet; Kevin is a heavily sought-after public speaker who has lectured in all 50 states and on five continents. A native son of Jersey City, New Jersey, the human and civil rights activist has been engaged with nearly every democratic movement of the latter 20th and early 21st centuries, either as a servant-leader, a behind-the-scenes advocate, or in a leadership position with fellow writers, artists, and change agents. In 2008 and 2010, Kevin ran for the United States Congress in his adopted hometown of Brooklyn, New York.

Kevin’s writings, ranging from interviews, celebrity features, social commentary, poems, and blogs, have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Amsterdam News, CNN, NPR, ESPN, Essence, Ebony, Rolling Stone, Esquire, HuffPost, Utne Reader, The Guardian, Politico, The Progressive, Complex, British GQ, and other outlets.

As an author, Kevin has written 16 books, including Grocery Shopping with My Mother, his third volume of poetry; The Education of Kevin Powell, his critically acclaimed autobiography, which is being adapted for the screen; and his most recent title, The Kevin Powell Reader, which collects over 30 years of Kevin’s literary output. Currently, he is working on a biography of the iconic rapper and actor Tupac Shakur, who he interviewed several times as a founding senior writer for Quincy Jones’ groundbreaking Vibe magazine.

L. Joy Williams, NAACP NY State Conference President

L. Joy Williams is a seasoned political strategist, civic leader, and dynamic speaker with a passion for empowering individuals and communities to engage in the democratic process. As President of NAACP New York State Conference, L. Joy is dedicated to advancing civil rights, advocating for social justice, and creating lasting change in her community. Her leadership also extends to her role as Chair of Higher Heights PAC, where she works to amplify the political voice of Black women across the nation. Through her work, L. Joy has built a reputation for delivering impactful speeches, training sessions, and workshops that inspire action. Whether leading discussions on policy reform, advocating for racial equity, or facilitating conversations on civic engagement, her voice resonates with audiences across the country.

Femi Redwood, Award-winning Journalist and Correspodent

Femi Redwood is a Murrow Award-winning journalist and host of Beyond Black History Month, a podcast soon entering its third season that connects today’s news to Black history. For more than a decade, Femi has worked in prestigious newsrooms including VICE News, CBS Newspath, and Audacy, holding a range of roles from on-air correspondent to department manager. She is the former chair and current treasurer of the National Association of Black Journalists LGBTQ+ Task Force and serves on the board of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. You can find much of her latest reporting on TikTok, where she covers underreported stories for a new generation of news consumers.

Tamika D. Mallory, Civil Rights and Social Justice Activist

Tamika D. Mallory is a mother, grandmother, award-winning social justice activist, and author—one of the most influential leaders of our time. She made history, alongside the other national co-chairs, when she helped shepherd the largest single-day demonstration in American history: the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. Tamika is the co-founder of Until Freedom, an intersectional social justice organization that serves as a clearinghouse for organizers, activists, attorneys, artists, celebrities, formerly incarcerated individuals, and others committed to liberty. Her significant contributions have earned her recognition as one of TIME 100’s Most Influential People, inclusion on Fortune’s list of the World’s Greatest Leaders, and the Phoenix Award from the Congressional Black Caucus.

C. Virginia Fields, National Black Leadership Commission on Health (NBLCH), President and CEO

C. Virginia Fields, MSW, served as the President and CEO of the National Black Leadership Commission on Health (NBLCH), formerly known as the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc., from February 2008 to June 2024. She brought to the role more than eighteen years of experience as an elected official in New York City. Throughout her tenure in public service, Ms. Fields earned widespread recognition as a leader and consensus builder, addressing important policy issues at city, state, and national levels. Prior to her election to public office, Ms. Fields established a distinguished career in the professional field of social work. In 1989, she was elected to the first of two terms as a New York City Council Member. She subsequently served as President of the Borough of Manhattan from 1998 to 2005. In 2006, Ms. Fields became the first African American woman to seek the office of Mayor of New York City as a Democratic candidate.

Norman Siegel, Civil Rights Attorney

Norman Siegel is a civil rights and civil liberties lawyer. He is a graduate of Brooklyn College (1965) and New York University’s School of Law. Born in New York City and raised in Brooklyn, Norman graduated from NYC public schools and is committed to restoring excellence in public education. From 1989 to 2002, he co-taught “Civil Rights & Race Relations” at his alma mater, New Utrecht High School. Norman is a frequent contributor to many of the city’s major newspapers and appears often in broadcast media, contributing to and enriching the debate on civil rights, race relations and civil liberties. He has been a board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation for 40 years, and was also a founding board member and the treasurer of the Amadou Diallo Foundation.

Dr. A.R. Bernard, Christian Cultural Center Global, Founder and Chairman

Dr. A.R. Bernard is the Founder and Chairman of Christian Cultural Center Global, one of the nation’s largest independent churches with over 32,000 members and campuses in Brooklyn, Long Island, and Orlando. A former banker turned spiritual leader, Dr. Bernard’s transformative journey from the streets of Brooklyn to global influence began after his conversion to Christianity in 1975. Alongside his wife Karen, he built a ministry dedicated to faith, community, and cultural renewal—now leading a $1.2 billion “Urban Village” development project in New York. A trusted voice on faith and culture, he has appeared on CNN and Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday, and advised leaders including Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Denzel Washington. An author, media host, and CEO of ARB Media, Dr. Bernard continues to shape national conversations at the intersection of faith, leadership, and culture.

Donna Lieberman, New York Civil Liberties Union, Executive Director

Donna Lieberman has been the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union since December 2001. She also founded the NYCLU’s Reproductive Rights Project. Under her leadership, the NYCLU has become the foremost defender of civil rights and civil liberties in New York. Lieberman pioneered an integrated advocacy model the combines strategic litigation, policy analysis, lobbying, organizing, and public education. The NYCLU prioritizes strengthening democracy, promoting equality, pursuing justice, and protecting liberty and privacy while centering New Yorkers most impacted by attacks on civil liberties: people of color, young people, and low-income New Yorkers.

Justice Milton A. Tingling, New York State Supreme Court

Harlem-born Justice Milton A. Tingling earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Brown University, and received his Juris Doctorate, cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1982. lt was the same year his father, the Honorable Milton F. Tingling was elected to Civil Court. ln 2000, Justice Tingling became the first North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law graduate ever elected to New York State Supreme Court. He sat in NY County. Justice Tingling was re-elected to the Supreme Court in November 2014. At the end of December 2014, Justice Tingling retired from the bench to accept an appointment by the New York State Appellate Division First Department as New York County Clerk, Commissioner of Jurors and Clerk of the Supreme Court.

Erica Ford, Founder, LIFE Camp, Inc.

Erica Ford is one of America’s most impactful voices in human rights, public safety, and youth empowerment. For over 40 years, she has led transformative efforts from Southeast Queens to the global stage, building community-led systems to reduce violence, champion wellness, and ignite leadership. Founder of LIFE Camp, Inc. and architect of the NYC Crisis Management System, Erica’s visionary work helped influence national policy—including the designation of gun violence as a public health crisis and the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Her pioneering use of peace ecosystems, credible messengers, and cultural healing tools like the Peace Mobile and the color orange as global symbols of peace has transformed cities worldwide.

Herb Boyd, Senior Writer, New York Amsterdam News

Herb Boyd is a journalist, teacher, author, and activist. His articles appear regularly in the New York Amsterdam News. He is a former teacher of black studies at the City College of New York and the College of New Rochelle. In addition to the Amsterdam News, Boyd’s work has been published in The Black Scholar, The City Sun, Down Beat, Emerge, and Essence. He has been recognized with awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the New York Association of Black Journalists. In 2014, the National Association of Black Journalists inducted Boyd into its Hall of Fame.

Glynda Carr, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Glynda C. Carr is a nationally recognized leader harnessing the collective political power of Black women—from the voting booth to elected office. As Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Higher Heights, the political home for Black women, she has built a powerful network empowering Black women to be informed, engaged, and take action. Since co-founding Higher Heights in 2011, Carr has led game-changing movements like #BlackWomenLead and #BlackWomenVote, helping elect over a dozen Black women to Congress, New York’s first Black woman Attorney General, and supporting the confirmations of Vice President Kamala Harris and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. A sought-after political analyst and advocate, her insights have been featured by ABC News, MSNBC, The New York Times, and Essence. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and The Links, Incorporated, Carr continues to lead with vision, amplifying Black women’s voices and reshaping American democracy.

DeNora Getachew, DoSometing, CEO

DeNora Getachew is the CEO of DoSomething, the 32-year-old hub for youth-driven leadership and service. She oversees the P&L, stewards the Board of Directors, and drives organizational strategy to fuel more than 1 million young people, who engage with their innovative digital platform. DoSomething educates young people with causes they care about and equips them to find ways to make a difference in their communities. She is a democracy lawyer, who has worked to promote free elections and a multiracial democracy in government and the nonprofit sector. She has served on the NYS Public Campaign Financing Commission and the Civic Readiness Task Force. DeNora chairs the board of Higher Heights for America and is President of the Greater New York (NY) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

Amity Paye, Liberation Ventures, VP of Narrative Change

Amity Paye is the VP of Narrative Change at Liberation Ventures, a field catalyst accelerating the movement working towards reparations for slavery, its legacies and a culture of repair for all. Before joining Liberation Ventures, Amity spearheaded the first communications department at the online racial justice organization Color Of Change, led strategic communications for new organizing campaigns at the labor union 32BJ SEIU, supported grassroots communications at The Black Youth Project 100 New York and spent a decade reporting on Black youth and social justice for a variety of national and Black news outlets.

Vanecia T. Wilson, United Federation of Teachers, Political Director

Vanecia has been an educator for 32 years. She became an educator because she wanted to empower children with knowledge, which brings truth and sparks a lifetime of learning. In 2023 she was appointed to be the Political Director of the United Federation of Teachers. As the Political Director, Vanecia advocates for legislative efforts that have a vital impact on the profession of teaching, as well as for equality & equity for all students within the New York City Public School System. Vanecia became an advocate because she believes in justice for “all” and that speaking truth to power commands the attention of the public to seek equality, equity, and enlightenment. She is unafraid to stand up for what’s right, and, as one of her favorite Shirley Chisholm quotes says, “if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

Christina Carrega, National Criminal Justice Reporter, Capital B

Christina Carrega is an award-winning journalist and the national criminal justice reporter for Capital B. She has previously reported for CNN, ABC News, the New York Daily News, and the New York Post, with a focus on courts and justice issues impacting Black communities. Christina is also an adjunct professor at NYU’s American Journalism Online Master’s Program and a Fulbright Specialist. Her work has earned honors from the New York Association of Black Journalists, and NABJ. A Brooklyn native and first-generation American, she holds a journalism degree from St. John’s University.

Hasani Gittens, Journalist

A proud CUNY Baruch graduate, Hasani Gittens began his professional career at the New York Post just a week before the Sept. 11 attacks and has been in the thick of covering world-changing events ever since. He honed his skills as a national editor for nearly a decade at NBC News and before that as a manager locally at WNBC. In 2019, he helped found THE CITY, the award-winning nonprofit news outlet focused on the five boroughs. For six years as deputy editor, he oversaw the reporters who covered City Hall, transit and transportation, youth issues, incarceration and courts, as well as being a supervisor of interns. For the past few years, he has been a workshop leader, judge and co-host of the Baruch High School Journalism Conference and Awards. He lives in his hometown of Queens, with his wife — a Baruch professor herself — and their toddler son.

Karen Wharton, Citizen Action of New York, Democracy Coalition Coordinator

Karen Wharton is a democracy organizer and advocate with extensive experience advancing structural reform in New York politics. As Democracy Coalition Coordinator for Citizen Action of New York, she leads the Fair Elections Coalition of NY, which secured statewide public campaign financing after a 20-year grassroots fight. In 2025, she co-led, alongside the New York Working Families Party, the successful campaign to defeat a proposal to replace NYC’s elections with an open-primaries system. She also served as Brooklyn organizer in the 2019 Ranked-Choice Voting campaign and led voter education for its 2021 rollout. Karen’s current priorities include limiting foreign corporate contributions to New York elections, codifying voting rights for individuals detained pre-trial, expanding automatic voter registration, and aligning municipal elections with state and federal cycles. She is the founder of the NY BIPOC Democracy Table, a Steering Committee member of the Let New York Vote Coalition, and serves on the board of the League of Women Voters of NYC.

Keron Alleyne, Activist, Community Organizer

Keron Alleyne is an activist, community organizer, a long-time resident of East New York Brooklyn, and former candidate for political office. He has over 10 years working in city, and state government ranging from your local community board to the annals of the state capitol. In addition he has been a grassroots organizer for over a decade, from growing food to combat our community health profile, shoveling snow for seniors throughout the pandemic, and to most recently organizing a rally to shut down a smoke shop that was posing as a candy shop. Currently Keron is a NYC firefighter working in the busiest engine in the city of New York while organizing the community in his spare time. Keron has received his masters in Public Administration and a local degree in community service. His skills, experiences and education has tremendously prepared him for continued advocacy, service and dedication to the people and community.

Diallo Shabazz, Organizational Strategist, Sustainability Expert and Cvil Rights Advocate

Diallo Shabazz is an organizational strategist, sustainability expert, civil rights advocate, and a leading authority on workforce development and educational innovation. As Managing Director of Braven Solutions, a strategic consulting firm, he leads multi-stakeholder initiatives that align governments, corporations, and educational institutions to design workforce systems that advance equity and economic growth. Diallo is also CEO of the non-profit organization S.T.E.A.M. Engine which designs, launches, and supports STEM high school and programs across New York City and State. Over the past decade, Diallo has advised Ministries of Education, universities, and training centers in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Earlier in his career, he held roles with the NAACP, 100 Black Men, NYC Department of Education, Solar One, and District Council 37. He has also held fellowships and leadership roles with the United Nations Environment Program, and the National Committee on U.S. China-Relations. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two daughters