Black History Month (U)

<p>Freeman A. Hrabowski, III -- a charismatic leader who was jailed for almost a week as a 12-year-old in the fight for civil rights in the early-&#39;60s Alabama -- has spent two decades as the president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) striving to channel minorities toward grad school. His research and publications focus on science and math education with special emphasis on minority participation and performance.

<p>With his trademark panache, Derreck Kayongo tells his courageous story of survival, social entrepreneurship, and humanitarianism, and the life lessons he learned along the way. </p><p>From Ugandan refugee to successful entrepreneur, CEO, and renowned human rights activist, Derreck’s journey inspires audiences to dream big. Through personable and articulate storytelling, he shares his visionary ideas for harnessing the power of observation and creative problem solving, applicable to any organization or community.

<p><strong>Renowned activist, civil rights leader, community organizer and politician Benjamin Jealous outlines what it will take to secure true equality for all Americans and to empower the next generation to lead toward a better future.</strong></p><p>With a background in social justice advocacy, Ben brings a unique perspective to his role as Executive Director at the Sierra Club, focusing on issues of environmental justice, climate change, and conservation.

<p>Dr. Marc Lamont Hill shares a bold vision of the future, where social progress and the pursuit of equality depend on listening to each other while adopting a fearless attitude toward change.</p>

<p>As a scholar and award-winning author, Dr. Hill expertly dissects political and social moments as a way to initiate frank discussions on culture, politics and race. By identifying key issues, challenges, controversies and trends in the news, he spotlights the work that must be done to sustain the ongoing struggle for equality and freedom.</p>

<p>Jay Smooth enlightens with poignant observations about music, race, politics and other important cultural and social issues, while promoting the importance of mutual respect.</p><p>As the former host of <i>The Underground Railroad</i>, New York City’s longest-running hip-hop radio program and the popular video blog, <i>The Ill Doctrine</i>, Jay has established himself as a unique and leading voice at the nexus of sociopolitical issues who brings a singular perspective on society and culture.</p><p>Through thoughtful examination, Jay m

<p>From the board room, to film/TV sets and even the Obama White House, Angelica Ross is a leading figure of success and strength in the movement for transgender and racial equality and a star in Ryan Murphy’s hit FX series <em>Pose</em>.</p><p>Making TV history, the show features the largest transgender cast ever for a scripted series - five transgender women of color cast to play five series regular roles, including Angelica’s role as the witty and fiesty ‘Candy Abundance,’ the brashest member of the ‘House of Abundance.’ Angelica’s performance is receiving r

With a timely message about the transformational power of protest, Janaya Khan is a leading activist who engages you in a profound discussion about social justice and equality.

Known as ‘Future’ within the Black Lives Matter movement, Janaya is a black, queer, gender-nonconforming activist (pronouns: they, them, theirs), staunch Afrofuturist and social-justice educator who presents an enlightening point of view on police brutality and systemic racism.

<p>Alicia believes that Black communities deserve what all communities deserve -- to be powerful in every aspect of their lives.</p><p>An author, political strategist, organizer, and cheeseburger enthusiast, Alicia founded the Black Futures Lab to make Black communities powerful in politics.

<p>A rising community leader, Payton Head is invested in developing institutional cultures that are grounded in equity. He empowers students and campus administrators to fight hatred with radical love for others and themselves.</p><p>Following the events in Ferguson, he spearheaded conversations about improving race relations in the state of Missouri. Head’s viral Facebook post detailing his experience with fighting systemic injustice at Mizzou ignited the student body to fight for a more inclusive campus and be a change agent in higher education.