Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (U - Diversity & Inclusion)

<p>Named one of the 150 most powerful African Americans by <i>Ebony</i> magazine, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, an American Book Award recipient and two-time NAACP Image Award winner, “is reshaping what it means to be a public intellectual by becoming the most visible black academic of his time.” </p><p>Dr.

<p>Dr. Frank Leon Roberts is an activist, professor, and political organizer based in Harlem, New York. The proud son of two formerly incarcerated parents, he is currently an Assistant Professor at Amherst College.</p><p>Roberts is the founder of Black Lives Matter Syllabus—the nationally acclaimed, open access curriculum that provides resources for teaching BLM in classroom and community settings.

<p>Through the transformative power of storytelling, Soledad O’Brien brings a fresh perspective on diverse and contemporary issues to foster change in your own community or organization.</p><p>Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, and philanthropist, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues.

<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.

<p>A Native American activist, Harvard-educated economist and author, Winona LaDuke has devoted her life to advocating for indigenous people’s rights and environmental justice.</p><p>In 1985, LaDuke co-founded and co-chaired the Indigenous Women’s Network (IWN), a coalition dedicated to empowering women to take active roles in tribal politics and culture. In 1989, she founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP), a tribal land re-acquisition and environmental advocacy effort and one of the largest reservation-based nonprofits in the country.

<p>One of hip-hop’s most respected artists, Che "Rhymefest" Kweku delivers powerful insight on healing divides, finding your purpose, and empowering communities through the arts.</p><p>Rhymefest is a writer, artist, activist and teacher known for shattering negative stereotypes about hip-hop and establishing himself as a positive role model for underprivileged youth.

<p>Michael Sam encourages you to boldly and courageously pursue your dreams and define your success with his impassioned personal story of resilience over life&#39;s challenges.</p><p>A University of Missouri football star primed for an early round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Michael’s talents on the field were nearly sidelined when he came out as gay during an ESPN interview. While his revelation sent shockwaves through the sports world and resulted in a last round pick by the St.

<p>Jamelle Bouie, a columnist for the <em>New York Times</em> and former political analyst for CBS News, covers U.S. politics, public policy, race, and elections—including the unprecedented upcoming 2024 U.S. elections. </p><p>Jamelle’s political instincts provide audiences with unique insight on the past, present, and future of our national politics, policy, and the state of race relations.

An award-winning journalist and one of the most recognized voices in radio, Michele Norris engages audiences in candid discussion about race, culture and communication in America.

<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.