Diversity & Inclusion (U)

<p>Filmmaker and Human rights activist, Barbara Martinez Jitner, is the inspiration for the Jennifer Lopez film <i>Bordertown</i>. Martinez Jitner posed as a worker in a factory on the Mexican border in order to uncover a dark world of grueling poverty and sexual abuse that has led to over 400 women being murdered in the border town of Juarez, Mexico.

Keith Boykin is a national political commentator, TV and film producer, New York Times best-selling author, and a former White House aide to President Bill Clinton. His latest books are Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America (2021), Quitting: Why I Left My Job to Live a Life of Freedom (2022) and Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race? (2024).

<p>Celebrated for her compelling storytelling and in-depth reporting, Soledad O’Brien shares with audiences thought-provoking insights drawn from a career covering major news events, conducting high-profile interviews, and producing acclaimed documentaries. </p><p>One of our nation’s most respected voices in journalism, Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, author, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories.</p><p>Soledad’s most recent projects include the She was als

<p>Jeff is a teller of stories, developer of messages, and architect of social solutions who’s as comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind the scenes developing strategy and messages for his clients. </p>

<p>Iconic activist Angela Davis has made it her mission to share her life story and challenge her audiences to join the struggle for racial, economic, and gender justice. </p><p>Angela has been deeply involved in some of the major social movements over the last 50 years. She was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., by parents who were active community organizers. As a teenager, she marched and picketed against racial segregation. Angela went on earn a doctorate in philosophy.

<p>Bob Zellner brings to life the victories, struggles and heartbreaks of the Civil Rights era in a way that empowers and instructs audiences and the modern-day movement. </p><p>Bob is one of the most influential leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, from the 1960s to today. The son and grandson of Ku Klux Klan members, he risked his life – and nearly lost it – many times in the fight to achieve The Second Emancipation.

Michelle Alexander’s acclaimed best-seller, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness released a special 10th anniversary edition in January 2020.

<p>Chosen by Oprah's O Magazine as one of 20 women on the first "O Power List," Mayda del Valle has been described by the Chicago Sun-Times as having, "a way with words." Indeed, the powerhouse performance poet does.</p>

<p>Edward James Olmos is more than an award-winning actor—he is a cultural icon whose voice carries the weight of history, artistry, and activism.</p><p> From his Academy Award–nominated role in Stand and Deliver to unforgettable performances in <em>Selena, Blade Runner, </em>and <em>Battlestar Galactica</em>, Olmos has built one of the most enduring legacies in Hollywood. But his story extends far beyond the screen.

<p>Author of the best-selling memoir<i> Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics</i>, her witty style and innovative political strategies have earned her the respect of colleagues as well as adversaries. </p><p>Inspired by participation in a successful political campaign at age 9, Donna Brazile holds a lifelong, fiery passion for political progress. She was honored to become the first African American to manage a presidential bid, leading Al Gore’s campaign in 2000.