ALSO INVITED: DANNY GLOVER | DR. CORNEL WEST | HON. CAROLYN CHEEKS KILPATRICK
Moderator Bio:
As an accomplished film, television and stage actor, Hill Harper captivates audiences with his charismatic and authentic style, which he dedicates to each eclectic character he portrays. A Magna Cum Laude graduate from Brown University and recipient of graduate degrees in both law and public administration from Harvard, Harper continues to excel by receiving nominations and countless awards for his acting in independent film, international film and television projects including starring in the hit CBS drama series, CSI:NY, where he portrays Dr. Sheldon Hawkes.
Panelists Bios:
1. Ernest Green is one of the first black students to integrate at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, following the Supreme Court ruling to desegregate in 1954. Green is the oldest of the "Little Rock Nine," a group of high school students who entered Central High School on the morning of September 25, 1957, with an escort of paratroopers. Governor Orval Faubus had summoned National Guardsmen to turn away the black pupils in direct defiance of the federal government, which had already approved a desegregation plan for the school.
2.
Rosa Alicia Clemente is a community organizer, journalist and Hip-Hop activist. Born and raised in the South Bronx she is a graduate of the University of Albany and Cornell University. A much sought after commentator, political activist, community organize and independent reporter, Rosa has been delivering workshops, presentations and commentary for over ten years. Clemente is the Vice Presidential Candidate for the Green Party running with Cynthia McKinney.
3. Brian E. Taylor is the founder and CEO of The Penny Institute and PennyPAC. The Penny Institute, a 501 C (3) organization, mission is to educate people on their fundamental right to participate in the political process, which in turn makes our countries political process more responsive and our elected officials more responsible. PennyPAC is a non-partisan political action committee that supports candidates with fresh, innovative, and forward thinking approaches to education. Penny PAC also is focused on cultivating and engaging the next generation of political minds by providing political access and awareness.
4. KELLY ZEN-YIE TSAI is a Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based, Chinese Taiwanese American spoken word artist who has featured at over 275 performances worldwide including three seasons of HBO's award-winning "Russell Simmons' Def Poetry." Current projects include her recently released CD "Infinity Breaks" and her solo show "The Grieving Room." For more info, www.yellowgurl.com, www.myspace.com/yellowgurl_poetry.
6.Whitney Traylor is a professor, attorney, author and single father of a wonderful ten year old daughter, Kameelah. He is a Professor in the Management Department at Metropolitan State College teaching employment and business law. He is also the Senior Attorney at his law firm, the Traylor Law Group, LLC. Whitney has enjoyed a great deal of success as a litigator having never lost a trial in Federal or District Court. Whitney has also written a book entitled DAD Under Construction, and is currently working on his second book, In Search of Spirit. Whitney is a graduate of Morehouse College, Cum Laude, and Emory University School of Law.To learn more about Whitney or to order a copy of his book, please visit his website at www.whitneyspeaks.com.
7. Dr. Robert H. Bullard directs the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University. He is a leading authority on environmental justice, and has written or edited more than a dozen books on the issue, including The Quest for Environmental Justice: Human Rights and the Politics of Pollution, Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities, Environmental Justice and Regional Equity, and The Black Metropolis in the Twenty-First Century: Race, Power, and the Politics of Place. More significantly, he has played a major role in organizing and mobilizing the environmental justice movement over the past two decades. For more information, www.ejrc.cau.edu.
8. First elected to the Oregon House in 1984, Margaret Carter is the first African American woman elected to the Legislative Assembly. In 2000, Ms. Carter was elected to her first term in the Oregon Senate, and in January 2005 as Senate President Pro Tempore. She is an advocate for children & youth education, and has worked in the legistature on addressing human rights violations and genocide and has received numerous awards including "Legislator of the Year" award from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. Senator Carter is mother to 9 children, 26 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
9. Dawn Bookhardt is a founding partner in the law firm of Bookhardt & O'Toole, which specializes in complex municipal bond financing and transactions. Two of Bookhardt's noteworthy achievements include representation of Forest City in the development of the former Stapleton Airport site and representation of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray and UBS PaineWeber as underwriters for the Denver Convention Center Hotel.
10. Osiris James is an out of the box entrepreneur and thinker with the ambition and will-power of a small army. Mr. James holds a B.A. in Political Science from New Jersey City University and has over 10 years of experience in business to business sales and marketing and 5 years of experience in consulting and coaching. Osiris is the CEO of Customer Addvocate LLC, Founder of UrbanMentor Media, The Collective Prosperity Social Network, co-publisher of the Harlem Parent Magazine, Producer of the Mentoring the Next Generation Campaign and the Lead or Die College Tour and Executive Board Member of the Harlem Renaissance Road race.
11. Marianne Camille Spraggins is President of BHP Institutional Strategies, a consulting company advising new and emerging companies, including private equity funds, on business development, marketing strategy and capital raising in the institutional investor marketplace.
12. Davey D is a Hip Hop historian, journalist, deejay and community activist, originally from the Bronx and now a native of California. He graduated from UC Berkeley. Davey D also pens a Hip Hop/Political column for the San Jose Mercury News. Davey D also hosts a weekly Hip Hop/Political TV talk show on Oakland's Soul Beat television... Davey D sits on the advisory board for civic organizations like Black Youth Vote as well as Rock the Vote.