Bakari Levy
Developer
Bakari is a full stack developer who left the Big Apple for a new adventure in Ohio. Bakari is an Infrastructure Engineer at Nationwide who specializes in IT systems, and has a passion for addressing access to technology on local and global scales.
Poets
Black women poetry collective based in Columbus, Ohio.
Dance ELITE
Youth dance group
The art of dance has proven to help students gain self-confidence, work as a team, and acquire many other skills that help build their character as a person. Dance ELITE Performance Academy has been inspiring and training dancers since 2010 with classes to suit every age, experience level and interest
Dionne Custer Edwards
Writer and Museum professional
Dionne Custer Edwards is a writer, educator, and Head of Learning and Public Practice at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Her work encompasses creating and supporting groundbreaking art and education programs, and a commitment to access and inclusion in arts and education spaces.
Dr. Terron Banner
Art and community manager
Dr. Terron Banner is the Manager of Community Learning and Engagement at The OSU Urban Arts Space, and co-curator of Irrepressible Soul, collaborative project centered around the Black experience and an intersectional understanding of “Blackness” through art and creative dialogue.
Dionne Custer Edwards is a writer, educator, and Head of Learning and Public Practice at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Her work encompasses creating and supporting groundbreaking art and education programs, and a commitment to access and inclusion in arts and education spaces.
Janeen Holmes
Janeen Holmes is a singer based in Columbus, Ohio.
Kaleem Musa
Entrepreneur
Kaleem is a multi-talented creative technologist, entrepreneur and artist. He is currently CEO and co-founder of the Columbus Rising Project, Inc, a technology startup whose mission is to bring digital wellness to communities impacted by the digital divide.
Laurel Beatty Blunt
Judge
Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt has dedicated herself to increasing access to justice and educating citizens about their rights. After a decade as a trial court judge, she was elected to the Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals, the first Black Wolman to serve in that role. In addition to numerous civic activities in and around the justice system, she also teaches as the Towsley Policymaker in Residence at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy. She is a founding member of the Ohio Black Judges Association, a current board member of Alvis, Inc. and a past board member of YWCA Columbus.
Sean Walton, Jr.
Lawyer
Sean Walton, Jr. is a talented litigator who focuses his practice on complex serious personal injury, wrongful death and civil rights matters. Sean is also the Chief Culture Officer for Sky Nile Consulting and the co-owner of Ground x Grind, a co-working space and social club.
Stefan T.Wong
Entrepreneur
Stefan is always hoping to be on his journey of evolution to becoming. Embracing his experiences from homelessness to advising C-Suite executives, Stefan has been described as a “true consensus builder [who] possesses rare gifts based on his personal and professional journeys.” He has had the fortune to experience life as an entrepreneur, attorney, strategist, professor, and artist. As an entrepreneur he heads several businesses, he is a co-owner of Thomas Ingram Law Group and Chief Listening Officer of his strategy firm, Six K. Stefan is and has been a university adjunct professor at Otterbein University and Capital University Law School. And, under the moniker, T.Wong, he has created, produced, and been recognized for music.