UMOJA is excited to announce Rhonda Roorda has one of our keynote speakers. Born in New York, Rhonda Roorda is one of the premiere thought leaders on Transracial Adoption. She is an adoptee, an award-winning author of a series of landmark books on Transracial Adoption published by Columbia University Press, and a tireless advocate for children and families. Her highly acclaimed work and VOICE continue to be the “go to” for Adoption Agencies, Parent Groups, The Academy, Foundations, Hollywood, National TV and Print Media, Legislators, and Interested Parties that seek her out for private consultations and public speaking in the U.S. and abroad.
The Jesse White Tumblers were created in 1959 to provide a positive alternative for inner-city kids. Team members must stay away from gangs, drug, alcohol, stay in school and maintain a minimum “C” average. The team consists of male and female participants as young as age 6.
The team, with 7 units, gives more than 1,500 performances each year at major sporting events and community, business, and charity functions. The Jesse White Tumblers attract national and international attention and have performed throughout the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Bermuda, Belize, China, Israel, Tokyo, Japan, and Zagreb, Croatia. The team has also been featured in commercials, national television shows, and motion pictures.
Known Nationally and Globally as, “Mr. I’M POSSIBLE,” Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Keith L. Brown, overcame the systematic labels of, “Special-Ed,” and, “At-Risk,” to become one of the most sought after speakers of our time. Named a, “World Class Speaker,” by International Speakers Network, and, “Social Impact Hero,” by Thrive Global, Keith Empowers Hundreds of Thousands Annually in Schools, Colleges and Universities, Family Advocacy Agencies, Government Agencies, Corporate America Faith Based Institutions and the Entertainment Industry. A frequent guest on I-Heart, Sirius, Radio One and other Media Outlets, as well as frequent contributor to, “Ladders.com,” Keith takes the masses from, “impossible to it’s possible and finally the life enhancing, “I’M POSSIBLE.”
Carla Manns is a dynamic entrepreneur, community leader, and First Lady of Appleton Sanctuary where she serves as Treasurer and Worship Leader. She is the founder of Shear Images by Carla salon, bringing over a decade of expertise in beauty and hair care. Motivated by the lack of hair care resources in her community, Carla developed a plant-based product line that is now sold across the United States, which caters to all hair types. In addition to her business ventures, she serves as a Village Council member for The Ọmọladé Academy, a new charter school in Appleton, WI. Carla is also the founder of Lil Sistas Future Leaders Group, empowering young girls between 5-18 years to grow into confident leaders. Committed to her faith and service, she actively mentors others in business and leads initiatives that foster personal and spiritual growth throughout her community.
Angel Kelly
Known as The “Voice Of Power,” and “Mz. Level Up,” Angel Kelly is a Professional Speaker, Trainer, Soloist, Talk Show host, and Educational Consultant, who has a passion for inspiring and empowering children, youth and families, especially the underrepresented.
Early in Life, Angel J. Kelly, known as the “Voice Of Power,” and “Mz. Level Up,” didn’t have a voice, nor could she Level Up, due to years of childhood trauma.
It took her loving mother, select teachers, counselors and others to help her discover her voice, which is why she’s so passionate about helping others find theirs.
Her signature program, TAG(Transforming Adolescent Girls), is sought after in School Districts, Family Advocacy Agencies and Faith Based Organizations nationwide.
Keith L. Brown is named a “World Class Speaker” and one of the top speakers and consultants in Education by “insight Publishing”. Keith empowers hundreds of thousands of people annually. He is turning the impossibilities into “I’M POSSIBILITIES.”
Dr. Abby Hasberry is a transracial adoptee, marriage and family therapist, educational leadership coach, author and life coach.
Tony Hynes is a former foster youth and adoptee, and currently is a speaker and thought leader on adoption.
Traditional African drumming and dance group offering performances and workshops.
Advocate, speaker, diversity consultant, CEO and Founder of Culturally Fluent Families
LaTosha Greenleaf is an entrepreneur and owner of Urban Cultural Art.
Darron Smith is an African American scholar, author and blogger. His research and scholarly writing focuses on social injustices impacting African Americans and trans-racial adoptive families in the US.Here
Baba Tony and Kucha Brownlee are a dynamic storytelling duo that combine their experiences to weave a rich tapestry of African American folktales, proverbs, and dialect.
Susan Harris O’Connor is a pioneer and national leading voice on transracial adoption. Her groundbreaking autobiographical narratives are compiled in The Harris Narratives: An Introspective Study of a Transracial Adoptee.
Rhonda Rhoorda is the coauthor of multiple books on transracial adoption including the In Their Own Voices series. She is also an advisor to the TV show This Is Us.
John Raible is one of the adult adoptees featured in the documentary film Struggle for Identity: Issues in Transracial Adoption. He was a returning cast member for the award-winning 2007 Struggle for Identity: 10 Years Later.
Chad Goller Sojourner’s personal and professional insights on transracial families have been featured by various media, where his story “Growing Up ‘White,’ Transracial Adoptee Learned To Be Black.”
Lisa Marie Rollins is the founder and Executive Director of AFAAD (Adopted and Fostered Adults of the African Diaspora). Lisa has been featured on CNN, NPR and has been featured in many articles on race and adoption
Ms. Angela Tucker is a transracial adoptee and the subject of the documentary, Closure. She uses her personal story to educate others and encourage stimulating and transformative conversation
Keith L. Brown is named a “World Class Speaker” and one of the top speakers and consultants in Education by “Insight Publishing.” Keith empowers hundreds of thousands of people annually. He is turning the impossibilities into “I’M POSSIBILITIES.”
Shannon Gibney is a writer, educator, activist, and the author of See No Color (Carolrhoda Lab, 2015), a young adult novel featuring themes of transracial adoption that won the 2016 MN Book Award in Young Peoples’ Literature.
Stacey Letrice Smith is a performer, choreographer, instructor, and dance/movement therapist with over 20 years of experience in the field of dance.
Judith Craig has worked in child welfare, fostering, private adoption, developed/facilitated workshops for adoptive parents and professionals and has been a keynote speaker at numerous events focused on adoption.
Edna Bland is a puppeteer, certified educator, teaching artist, and arts integration specialist has dedicated her life to helping people discover their gifts and talents in the area of theatre arts. Edna is known to be one of the only African-American female puppeteers in America.
Mr. Bresean Jenkins is an arts administrator, educator and teaching artist known for his admirable skills in directing, program development, costume/fashion design and teaching. He helps children explore what it means to be black through art.
Michelle M. Hughes is a lawyer skilled in adoption, negotiation, diversity training and cultural competency. In addition to the practice of law, a regular speaker and facilitator of cultural competency and diversity training at conferences, camps, and company programs.
Ty & Leslie Lewis are co-founders of Educationally Speaking Center for Learning, Inc., in Atlanta, GA. Together they are educators who empower youth to work towards their greatest potential.
Beth Hall is a nationally acclaimed author, speaker, and adoption educator and, co-founder Pact. She is also the author of numerous articles and a book, Inside Transracial Adoption.
Mariama Lockington is an author, nonprofit educator, and transracial adoptee who calls many places home. Her debut middle grade novel FOR BLACK GIRLS LIKE ME is out now
Lawrence Binkey Tolefree sings, writes and recites poetry, freestyles, writes plays and skits, acts and hosts open mic sets all over the world.
Dr. Veronica Warren has over 23 years of experience working with children in foster care children, many of whom who were adopted or placed in relative placements.
James Gavin is the Creative Director of the First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Scholarship Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Marguerite Parks work centers on issues of power, privilege, and oppression with a particular emphasis on the incorporation of quality literature in K-12 classrooms.
Ina Onillu caters to the teaching and showcasing of west African drum and dance.
Umoja, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
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Umoja is a weekend experience for families that have black/bi-racial children
being raised by parents or guardians of another ethnicity.
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