Participating Authors

Theme: Wisdom, Inspiration, Perseverance

Fireside Chat with Distinguished Author Justice Katanji Brown Jackson

Justice Katanji Brown Jackson

  • Ketanji Brown Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Miami, Florida. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees, both with honors, from Harvard University. Jackson clerked for three federal judges, including Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the Supreme Court. She practiced law, served as Vice Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and was an assistant federal public defender. Appointed to the U.S. District Court by President Obama in 2013 and to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 2021, Jackson made history in 2022 as the first Black woman confirmed to the Supreme Court. Her memoir, Lovely One, was published in September 2024.

    In this unflinching memoir, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson traces her family’s journey from segregation to her historic confirmation on the Supreme Court. Named “Ketanji Onyika,” meaning “Lovely One,” by her aunt, a Peace Corps worker in West Africa, Jackson learned from her parents to take pride in her heritage. She reflects on her resolve to honor this legacy, from breaking barriers in the segregated South to excelling at Harvard and advancing in law when few in power looked like her. Openhearted and inspiring, Jackson’s story of trials and triumphs resonates with dreamers who dare to pursue outsized ambitions.

Wisdom: Fireside Chat with Malcolm D. Lee, Book to Film

Malcolm D. Lee

  • Malcolm D. Lee is an award-winning writer, director, and producer known for box office hits  including The Best Man, Girls Trip, Night School, and Space Jam: A New Legacy. With Girls Trip,  Lee made history as the first filmmaker with an all-African American creative team in front of and  behind the camera to surpass $100 million at the domestic box office. In 2022, he returned to his  beloved franchise with The Best Man: The Final Chapters, an award-winning Peacock limited  series that landed on Nielsen’s Top 10, a first for the streamer.  

    Through his production company, Blackmaled Productions, Lee is developing a slate of film and  TV projects including New York Times best-selling author, Kennedy Ryan’s “Before I Let Go,” Car  Wash, and Drunk on Love, all with Universal Television, Brotherly (Amazon) and the highly  anticipated Girls Trip 2 (Universal Pictures).  

    In July 2025, Malcolm D. Lee expands his storytelling into the world of book publishing with the  release of his debut novel, “The Best Man: Unfinished Business,” - a continuation of the beloved  characters’ journeys from his iconic film franchise. Published by Storehouse Voices, an imprint of  the Crown Publishing Group (a division of Penguin Random House LLC), the novel is the first in a  planned trilogy of trade paperbacks. Books two and three are slated for release in 2026.  

    A New York native, Lee holds degrees from Georgetown University and NYU Tisch School of the  Arts. His work is defined by a commitment to telling culturally rich, inclusive stories that entertain  and inspire.

Inspiration: Exploration Panel with Dr. Bernard Harris and Tara Roberts

Dr. Bernard Harris

  • Dr. Bernard Harris is a physician, astronaut, venture capitalist, and philanthropist. As a veteran NASA astronaut, he has logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles in space. He has been involved in math and science education for over twenty-five years through the Harris Institute/Foundation.

    He holds a Bachelor of science in biology, Master of medical science, Master of business administration and a Doctor of Medicine. He is also a licensed private pilot and certified scuba diver.

    Dr. Harris serves on the board of directors for several companies and is the recipient of numerous awards, including nine honorary doctorates, two NASA Space Flight Medals, the NASA Award of Merit, and the National Space Grant Distinguished Services Award. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the recipient of the 2000 Horatio Alger Award and 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tara Roberts

  • Tara spent the last seven years following, diving with, and telling stories about Black scuba divers as they search for and help document slave shipwrecks around the world. Her journey was turned into an award-winning National Geographic-produced podcast called “Into the Depths” and featured in the March ’22 issue of National Geographic magazine. Tara became the first Black female explorer ever to be featured on the cover of the magazine. That same year, she was also named the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. Currently, Tara is an Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society. Her book "Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home and Belonging" hit stands in January 2025.

Perseverance: Black Women Leaders Historical Fiction Panel with Authors Carol Hopson and Tiffany Warren

Carol Hopson

  • After a remarkable 20-year career as a journalist and executive, Carole followed her dream to become a pilot and share her passion with others as a flight instructor, while raising her family. 

    Walking away from executive-level positions, she went to flight school with gusto and completed flight training at the peak of her corporate accomplishments. 

    True to her roots as a writer, Carole published her debut novel: A Pair of Wings, based on the life story of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, the first American to earn a French civilian pilot’s license.

    Carole also heads the Jet Black Foundation, dedicated to sending 100 Black women to flight school by the year 2035.

Tiffany Warren

  • Tiffany L. Warren is a novelist, screenwriter, and film producer who began her writing career in 2003 when she signed with Walk Worthy Press to publish her debut, What a Sista Should Do. She has gone on to publish over thirty full- length novels (eleven under pen name Nikki Carter) with Hachette Book Group and Kensington Books, and Harper Collins.

    A Cleveland native, Tiffany attended Champlain College in Burlington, VT and has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. She’s worked several decades in the private and public sectors in the technology and emergency management fields.

    In addition to writing books, Tiffany has a love for theatre, especially musicals. She has used her songwriting talent to write and produce several stage plays: What a Sista Should Do, The Replacement Wife and Just Like Yo’ Daddy, which featured many familiar faces like the late Tommy Ford (Martin), Grammy winning Shirley Murdock, Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show) and Christian Keyes to name a few.

    In 2021 Tiffany ventured into book to film. Her 2015 release, Favorite Son, is now a movie streaming on BET+ starring Rotimi and Grammy winning gospel superstar Jonathan McReynolds and directed by Robin Givens. Her second film project is a holiday adaptation of The Replacement Wife called The Sound of Christmas starring R&B stars Ne-Yo and Serayah. In December 2023, her third film was a holiday sequel to Favorite Son called A Favorite Son Christmas.

    Tiffany’s latest project is a historical fiction novel, about the first black prima donna Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, The Unexpected Diva (Harper Collins). In 2026, Tiffany will journey to the 1920's with A Wedding in Harlem (Harper Collins) about the disastrous marriage of Yolande Du Bois (daughter of W.E.B.) to Harlem Renaissance poet, Countee Cullen, and her unrequited love for jazz great Jimmie Lunceford.

Inspiration: Black Male Writers in Fiction and Non-Fiction

Wayne Dawkins

  • Wayne Dawkins is author of “Black Journalists: The NABJ Story,” and the sequel “Rugged Waters: Black Journalists,” [2003] plus the biographies “City Son: Andrew W. Cooper’s Impact on Modern-Day Brooklyn,” [2012] and Emanuel Celler: Immigration and Civil Rights Champion” [2020]. Last July, Dawkins published the double biography, “Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith: The Dynamic Duo that Desegregated American Sports.”

    He has been a professional journalist for more than 24 years, including 16 years at Gannett newspapers in Westchester, New York, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, then Gary, Indiana, plus the Daily Press of Newport News-Hampton, Virginia. Dawkins transitioned to academia two decades ago and taught at Hampton’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, then moved on to Morgan State University School of Global Journalism and Communication. Dawkins returned to Hampton U in fall 2024.

Jimmie James

  • Born in 1959 to a single mother of eight in Jim Crow-era Texas, Jimmie James emerged from humble beginnings, growing up in a shack without electricity or plumbing. He was the first in his family not only to graduate from high school but also to pursue and earn a college degree. He graduated from Prairie View A&M University at the top of his engineering class. In his thirty-three-year career with Exxon, James rose from an entry-level engineer to a globe-trotting executive, overseeing businesses across the world. Now retired, he splits his time between Philadelphia and Kiawah Island, and enjoys golfing, travel, photography, and chess. He and his wife, Erika, have two young adult children, Jordan and Alexandra.

Clarence Haynes

  • Clarence A. Haynes, a native Afro-Latinx New Yorker, is the coauthor of actor/producer Omar Epps’s lauded sci-fi/fantasy series Nubia: The Awakening and The Reckoning. He is also the author of the middle-grade nonfiction work The Legacy of Jim Crow. Haynes has penned articles for Newsday, Huffington Post, The Root, and The Grio, among other publications. He resides in Brooklyn, New York.

Wisdom: Education

Karida Brown

  • Karida L. Brown is an NAACP Image Award-winning author and public intellectual. A professor at Emory University, Brown is a leading scholar of systemic racism and the study of Black life. Her work, which spans over a decade of groundbreaking research and analysis, has earned her both national and international acclaim. She is the author co-author of The New Brownies’ Book: A Love Letter to Black Families, continuing the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois by centering Black narratives and empowering Black futures.

John King Jr.

  • John B. King Jr. served in President Barack Obama's cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education. Over the course of his extensive and influential career in public education, he has been a high school social studies teacher, a middle school principal, the first African American and Puerto Rican to serve as New York State Education Commissioner, a college professor, and the president and CEO of the Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization. King is currently the chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation's largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Both of King's parents were career New York City public school educators. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, an education researcher and former teacher, and his two daughters.

Perseverance: Entrepreneurs and Disruption

Dr. Uché Blackstock

  • Dr. Uché Blackstock is a physician and thought leader on bias and racism in healthcare. She is a former MSNBC medical contributor and is the founder and chief advisor of Advancing Health Equity, as well as a former associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the former faculty director for recruitment, retention, and inclusion in the Office of Diversity Affairs at NYU School of Medicine. She was recognized by Forbes magazine, in 2019, as one of “10 Diversity and Inclusion Trailblazers You Need to Get Familiar With”, in 2023 by Fortune Magazine as one of “13 Innovators Shaping the Future of Health”, and in 2024, as one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in Health”. Dr. Blackstock received both her undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University, making her and her twin sister, Oni, the first Black mother-daughter legacy graduates from Harvard Medical School. Her generational memoir, LEGACY: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine, was published by Viking Books on January 23, 2024 and became an instant New York Times best-seller. Dr. Blackstock currently lives in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York, with her two school-age children.

Monique Rodriguez

  • Monique Rodriguez is the founder and visionary behind Mielle - the fastest growing, Black-founded and woman-led beauty brand offering quality, natural products for textured hair consumers. After her own personal healthy hair care journey went viral on social media, Monique launched Mielle in 2014 with just one product, the Mint Almond Oil. Today, Mielle is a global sensation, with orders in more than nearly 90 countries around the world. The brand’s products can be found in more than 100,000 stores across the U.S. in retailers such as CVS, Rite Aid, Sally Beauty, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, and Walmart. Her brand's widespread popularity has amassed over 1 million followers on social media, affectionately called Mielle

    Mavens. Through education, innovation and transparency, Mielle has earned the trust and loyalty of consumers, cultivating a devoted community and ultimately attracting the attention and support of investors. In 2021, Monique became the first Black woman to raise a non-controlling, nine-figure investment from Berkshire Partners, and in 2023, Mielle announced its historic partnership with P&G Beauty.

    Monique’s accomplishments in the beauty industry have been recognized by the Glossy 50 (2021), WWD's Beauty Industry's Next Generation Power Players (2022), Fast Company Brands That Matter (2022), BeautyMatters Future50 (2023) and WWD x Footwear News x Beauty Inc 50 Women in Power (2023). She also serves on the Executive Leadership Advisory Boards for Hope Chicago and Building Better Futures.

    Monique's success has defined her as a leader in the business community, inspiring women and young girls alike. Driven by her faith and purpose, Monique is passionate about helping women and small business owners around the world reach their potential. From her Secret Sauce to Success annual retreat, to the Mielle Global Education & Entrepreneurship program and the work of the Mielle Cares nonprofit, Monique strives to provide Black and brown communities with education, mentorship and financial support.

Alencia Johnson

  • Alencia Johnson is an award-winning and highly sought-after social impact adviser and cultural commentator. She is the founder of 1063 West Broad, a media and social impact consultancy leading at the intersection of culture, impact, and purpose. She has advised the presidential campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and President Barack Obama, in addition to her work with leading advocacy groups like Planned Parenthood's national office, entertainers, brands, and corporations. She is regularly seen on MSNBC, CNN, and ABC and has been featured on NPR and in The Washington Post, Essence, Glamour, and more.

Inspiration: Political Figures

John Conyers III

  • John Conyers III is an accomplished entrepreneur and dedicated political organizer deeply rooted in the Detroit community. He's a proud graduate of Detroit Renaissance High School and pursued studies in Philosophy at Morehouse College and The New School. John is committed to revitalizing Detroit's economy through Jobs, Justice, and Peace. He's also an avid basketball enthusiast, mentoring youth in valuable life skills. Additionally, as the son of former Congressman John Conyers, Jr., and former City Council President Monica Conyers, John brings a unique perspective to community service and humanitarian causes given his family's generational civil accomplishments.

Juanita Tolliver

  • Juanita Tolliver is an MSNBC Political Analyst, an Opinion Contributor for theGrio, and a Contributor for SiriusXM Progress. Previously, she served as the Director of Campaigns at the Center for American Progress. She is a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Perseverance: Trauma and Healing

Tamika Mallory

  • Tamika D. Mallory is a trailblazing social justice leader, movement strategist, globally recognized civil rights activist, co-founder of Until Freedom and the historic Women’s March, and author of the national bestseller State of Emergency (2021). She served as the youngest-ever executive director of the National Action Network. Her speech in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota—entitled “State of Emergency”—was dubbed “the speech of a generation” by ABC News. Mallory is an expert in gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, and grassroots organizing.

    —

    I Lived to Tell the Story: Love, Legacy, and Resilience

    This is a raw, heartfelt memoir of perseverance, redemption, and triumph from Tamika D. Mallory, trailblazing social justice leader, activist, and co-founder of the Women’s March.

    In I Lived to Tell the Story, Tamika Mallory takes readers beyond the headlines and podiums, offering an unfiltered look at the moments that shaped her—not just as an activist but as a woman navigating love, loss, and self-discovery.

    From her early days as the daughter of civil rights organizers in Harlem to her battles with the personal pain that many never imagined—the trauma of sexual assault, the pressures of motherhood, the fallout of public scrutiny, and the fight to reclaim her peace—this is Tamika as the world has never seen her before.

    A follow-up to her “masterful” (Marc Lamont Hill) debut, State of Emergency, which confronted the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, this memoir ventures deeper into her journey. Tamika shares untold stories of resilience, courage, and internal struggles while waging war against injustice in America.

    At its core, I Lived to Tell the Story is not just about activism; it’s about what happens after the smoke clears. It’s about healing, survival, and the power of truth to bring us closer to ourselves and one another.

    This isn’t the story you think you know—it’s the one you’ve been waiting for.

Reverend Liz Walker

  • Liz Walker is the founding director of The CAN WE TALK… Network, a nationwide collective of spiritually inspired, community-based, clinically supported programs addressing America’s epidemic of post-traumatic stress and grief through the healing power of sharing personal stories. 

    Storytelling has always been Reverend Walker’s calling and most effective platform. As the first Black woman to anchor the Boston-area evening news, she found herself in an industry that defined the neighborhood of Roxbury largely by violence. When she became an ordained minister, called to lead Roxbury Presbyterian Church, she learned a different story, meeting scores of families marked not only by trauma but by courage--including the family of Cory Johnson, a young, murdered church member. In the wake of their worst nightmare, that family’s willingness to talk about their pain inspired Reverend Liz to create CAN WE TALK… weekly community gatherings where residents are encouraged to share traumatic experiences, increase their understanding of psychological trauma, and learn coping skills. CAN WE TALK… offers mental health support to many who otherwise might not receive it. Since it began in 2014, Can We Talk has been replicated in 18 different sites nationally. 

     A master’s graduate of Harvard Divinity School (’05), Liz Walker has long been actively involved in a healing ministry. In 1998, she helped found the Jane Doe Safety Fund, a multimillion-dollar anti-violence initiative in Massachusetts that continues to work on policy and supports domestic abuse shelters and safe houses around the commonwealth. In 2001, she began a 10-year humanitarian mission in South Sudan one of Africa’s most troubled countries, and helped build a girls’ school there. In 2015, the US State Department invited her to Belgium to help coach a culturally diverse group of young women in self-empowerment and building cross-cultural relations. 

    In New England, Reverend Liz is still best known as one of the region’s most popular television news anchors, a position she held for 21 years. An icon in the Boston community, she has received numerous honorary academic degrees and professional recognition, including two Emmy awards representing the highest honor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 

    Considered one of the nation’s most healing voices, Reverend Liz will launch her first book, No One Left Alone in April, based on a simple truth: the wounded heal best together. Reverend Liz’s life, like her book, has been described as "Inspiring, thoughtful, and beautiful"… "a tender reminder and spacious invitation…” to experience the grace and love in all of us. 

Inspiration: Young Adult/Children

Nichole Austion

  • Stephanie Browne brought together a group of friends in 1998 to form Divas Uncorked, a wine social club that made learning about wine accessible and delicious. The Divas, as they started calling themselves, took turns hosting wine tastings and dinners, serving education along with their best recipes. Those gatherings led to write-ups in publications like Heart & Soul, Newsweek, Ms. Magazine, Working Mother, O: The Oprah Magazine, an appearance on The Today Show and public events and workshops featuring major figures in the food and wine industries.

    Divas Uncorked became winemakers themselves, creating one of the few women-owned wine labels in the early 2000’s. Their work in the wine industry took them to South Africa in 2006, where they became the first Black oenophiles to open the historic Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction (formerly the Nederburg Wine Auction).

    Stephanie turned her attention to retail, opening Bon Vivant Wine Company, a store designed with wine education in mind. She curated tours, dinners and grand tastings from their store.

    In 2020, Stephanie created “Sipping Sense,” a community of lovers of all things cooking, cocktails and dining. She released “Sipping Sense: Uncorking the Flavors of Wine, Entertainment & Healthy Cooking,” in July 2024 where she shares her favorite recipes, entertaining tips and the wine knowledge she’s learned along the way.

    Stephanie is a widely recognized as an innovative healthcare leader with more than 30 years experience in strategic healthcare organizational design including technology design, talent acquisition, DEI/human resources innovation and management. She has held numerous non-profit board appointments and serves now on the boards of Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Dukes County HR Advisory Council and The. Boston Club. She currently serves as Fractional Chief People Officer at Dimock Community Health Center in Roxbury and her work as a health care advocate and manager has had a positive impact on all of Boston’s neighborhoods and beyond.

Temeka Mitchell

  • Tameka Mitchell is a motivator, entrepreneur, author, slayer of imposter syndrome, and most importantly, a mom. Her love of storytelling and dedication to children’s literacy inspired her to build a legacy of writing books that encourage children to be fearless and believe in themselves. This passion led to the creation of Mini Motivator Books, the children's book division of Maternity Motivation Publishing, LLC. Mini Motivator Books aims to inspire a generation of confident readers. Through Mini Motivator Books, she hopes to motivate mothers and create stories and visuals that would have connected with her as a child and will inspire her own children. Her focus is to produce content that is a tribute to people of color with vibrant, simple messages that encourage family and community conversations.

    Her debut book, My Super Mom and Her Sidekick Crew, was written as a celebration of family, culture, and heritage. Tameka’s mom, Benita, and her grandmother created the blueprint for establishing a nurturing village, and that stuck with Tameka from an early age. As a child, it was powerful witnessing the creativity, discipline, encouragement, and style of these two incredible women in her life. The superpowers they displayed and passed on were something she wanted to celebrate.

    This book is a message to children that every family is different, and while every mom is a superhero, they sometimes need help too. It takes everyone working together to be a strong superfamily. Most importantly, children should see themselves as an active part of their family. By identifying themselves as one of Mom’s sidekicks, they’ll learn that we all can do extraordinary things.

    "My Super Mom and Her Sidekick Crew" is just the first of a series that explores and celebrates the various roles and superpowers of the “sidekicks” in our families. The second installment, Dad Saves the Planetarium, honors dads and other "Man Grown-Ups." In addition to these engaging stories, Tameka is the author of The Great Math Detectives Workbook, a captivating educational resource designed to make math fun and accessible for young learners. This workbook encourages children to become detectives in solving math mysteries, fostering a love for numbers and problem-solving in a creative and interactive way.

    When Tameka isn’t writing for children and motivating moms, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two beautiful children.

Wisdom: Food/Wine

Stephanie Browne

  • Meet Nichole Austion, a dedicated advocate for STEM education, an engineer, and the author of Miles and the Math Monsters. With a degree in computer systems engineering and experience in technology fields, Nichole is committed to breaking barriers in STEM. Her work with the National Math and Science Initiative focuses on empowering students and educators with the tools needed to excel in STEM.

    Inspired by her own math-intensive career and her son’s struggles with math anxiety, Nichole wrote Miles and the Math Monsters. The book introduces children to math as a friendly and approachable part of their everyday lives. Through the adventures of young Miles and his quirky monster friends, the story helps kids build confidence and see math as a valuable and enjoyable companion.

    In addition to writing, Nichole actively supports STEM education through workshops, mentoring, and community outreach. At this year’s book fair, she looks forward to sharing her journey, discussing her creative process, and inspiring families and educators to explore the exciting world of STEM.

Kiano Moju

  • Kiano Moju is a Kenyan/Nigerian American author, culinary producer, and director dedicated to making African flavors part of everyday cooking. She began her career as a video producer for BuzzFeed’s Tasty and has since worked on culinary productions for brands including Food Network, Tastemade, and Vogue.

    Her debut cookbook, AfriCali, blends the flavors of her heritage with her California upbringing and was recognized as one of the best cookbooks of 2024 by The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Los Angeles Times, Saveur, and Food & Wine. Through her pop-up dining concept, Jikoni, she continues to make African cuisine exciting, accessible, and part of the everyday table.

2025 Program

Moderated by:

Traci Wilkes Smith

  • Traci Wilkes Smith is a Senior Vice President of the Talent Representation Group at CSE, a sports and media talent representation agency. Traci’s focus is representing award-winning journalists, best-selling authors, senior-level media executives and new media creators. Most recently, Traci was the visionary behind now New York Times Bestselling author and NBC News Anchor and Investigative Correspondent, Vicky Nguyen’s Memoir, “Boat Baby.” Traci is also the Founder and CEO of the Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival (MVBBF).

    Traci has served as an attorney and agent at WTA, a law clerk for the Superior Court of New Jersey, and an associate at ArentFox, LLP. Traci earned a BA in Political Science and African American studies from Rutgers College and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law. Traci is also a member of the New York and New Jersey state bars. 

    Married with two children, Traci also believes in giving back to the community. She serves on the Rutgers University Executive Advisory Council appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs as well as the Executive Board of Directors for the National Blood Clot Alliance which holds special significance to Traci having survived a pulmonary embolism at the age of twenty-five. Traci has served on the Board of the New York Association of Black Women Attorneys and is a 2020 fellow of the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP). She is also a Senior Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts, and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Traci regularly appears on industry panels and recently had the honor to serve as a TED talk-style speaker for the annual MARK Leadership Conference, the largest student leadership conference in the country. In her spare time, Traci plays doubles tennis, meets with her 10 year Brilliant Bodacious Book Club, and is currently co-writing her first book.

Walter Pryor

  • Walter Pryor is a product of the South, the Black Church, and a strong family unit of resilient, formidable women. He is a cum laude graduate of Hendrix College — from which he received the President’s Medal — and a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. His 30+ year legal career has spanned large and small law firms, the U.S. Department of Justice, Capitol Hill, corporations, and higher education. He is passionate about education and has devoted a significant amount of time to serving on boards and volunteering in that space. This Leaves Me Okay (Heliotrope Books, 2025) is his first book.

Victoria Christopher Murray

  • Victoria Christopher Murray is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author of The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies. She attended Hampton University, and received her MBA from New York University Stern School of Business.

    With more than 30 titles and 3 million books in print, Victoria has won ten African American Literary Awards, and has five NAACP Image Award nominations, where she won in 2016. Five of her novels have been made into movies for Lifetime.

    Her latest novel, Harlem Rhapsody is a USA Today Best Seller and was a CBS News Calvi Book Club pick.

Dr. Monica Page

  • Dr. Monica Page is a licensed psychologist, children's yoga instructor, and author of Remembering Our Bella - her first children's book about coping with grief and pet loss.  A former kindergarten teacher and University of Miami Faculty member, Dr. Monica integrates her education and experience as a teacher, psychologist, and mom to present stories that are heartfelt and empowering. She strives to highlight positive gender and racial identity development throughout her writing, as they are the hallmark of both her parenting and therapeutic styles.

April Ryan

  • White House Correspondent April Ryan has a unique vantage point as the only Black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House – a position she has held for 28 years, since the Clinton era. She is now the longest-serving Black tenured White House Correspondent in the History of the United States. Her position as a White House Correspondent has afforded her unusual insight into the racial sensitivities, issues, and attendant political struggles of our nation’s past presidents.

    April can be seen on MSNBC. She is also the Washington D.C Bureau Chief and Senior White House Reporter for The Black Press, USA. She has been featured in Essence, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle magazines – to name a few. April Ryan has served on the board of the prestigious White House Correspondents Association. She is one of only three African Americans in the Association’s over 100-year history to serve on its board. She is also an esteemed member of the National Press Club. In 2015, Ms. Ryan was nominated for an NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author) for her first book.

    In 2016, she was presented with the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Trailblazer Award from the National Council of Negro Women. In 2019, April Ryan became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and was recognized as the 2019 Freedom of the Press Award Winner by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. April was nominated in 2021 with the NAACP Image Award for Social Justice Impact. In 2024, she was selected as an honoree for the category of “Media Maves” as part of EBONY Magazine’s Power 100. April is a Baltimore native and Morgan State University graduate, and she gives back to this community by serving as a mentor to aspiring journalists and assisting with developing “up and coming” broadcasters. April considers her greatest life’s work raising her two daughters, Ryan and Grace – who are phenomenal young women.

    April Ryan is the author of the award-winning book, The Presidency in Black and White, and At Mama's Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White (December 2016), where she looks at race relations through the lessons and wisdom that mothers have given their children. April is also the author of Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House. Her latest book, Black Women Will Save the World, celebrates Black women's resilience and unheralded strength, reflects on "The Year That Changed Everything" — 2020 — and discusses African-American women's unprecedented role in upholding democracy.