Rachelle Zola is a storyteller and advocate for racial equity, known for her 40-day hunger strike in 2021, urging Congress to pass H.R. 40 to create a commission to study reparations for African Americans. Recently, she completed an 825-mile pilgrimage from Chicago to Montgomery, performing her one-woman show, LATE: A Love Story, which explores personal and collective stories about racism in America.
After walking 825 miles from Chicago to Montgomery, hear Rachelle’s stories:
- What surprised you?
- What did you learn?
- What’s next for you?
Takeaways:
Rachelle invites you to reimagine our shared world as one that celebrates our diversity and freedom to be our authentic selves. Begin by asking just one person today: “What do you want me to know about you?” – if it’s someone you know well, you may want to add “today” – “What do you want me to know about you today?”
See Rachelle’s website: www.late.love
Delaney Norvor is a pioneering technology expert and advocate for underrepresented professionals, currently serving as the Director of Product Management at the National Apartment Association. Despite facing selective mutism due to dystonia, she excels in managing over $30 million in product assets and leading diverse teams. Passionate about mentorship, Delaney empowers marginalized and disabled individuals to navigate their careers, championing inclusivity and systemic change within the tech industry.
George Eshleman is a veteran who inspired the upcoming film THE KEEPER which is based on his real-life experience hiking the Appalachian Trail while carrying 363 military name tapes from military members who committed suicide to raise awareness.
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Marty Martinez leads the Reach Out and Read network, which includes more than 6,000 program sites in all 50 states and nearly 30 regional, state, and local affiliates. Marty brings 25 years of experience working on behalf of young people, families and underserved communities across the Greater Boston area. He has a strong skill set and expertise in public health, nonprofit management and positive youth development.
1. How does Reach Out and Read’s new children’s book, Talk Baby Talk, inspire a conversation about diversity in families?
Devora Yellin Fish is a social justice experiential educator with the goal to increase inclusion in the world. She mentors under-represented purpose-driven Emerging Professionals and Entrepreneurs toward goals. Her mission is to Uplift each and every person for their unique contribution to humanity. No one and nothing left out. (FormerDirector of Education for the TN Holocaust Commission)
Hear Devora discuss:
Mike Bernhardt is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in many print and online publications including DIVE Magazine, Journey Beyond Travel, GeoEx Travel, and Hidden Compass. He’s also the editor of “Voices of the Grieving Heart,” an anthology of grief poetry. His new short story for Hidden Compass, “The Tides of War,” explores his search for what happened to his wife’s grandparents during World War II.
3. How can we learn from past mistakes and look at individuals, rather than their racial or ethnic affiliation, when determining who is a risk to public safety?
Robert Chelsea was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA where he lived and was educated as average black person, but became a Burn survivor, Amputee and Face Transplant Recipient. Hear his passion for advocacy in Transplant Technology and what caused him to advocate for the disabled diaspora.
Patrick Donaldson is a church Elder, husband and father. He has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years, focusing on retirement benefits and financial literacy. In addition to his Bachelor of Science degree, he has a Masters of Human Resources, holds a Tennessee insurance license and is a FINRA Securities Registered Representative with Primerica Financial Services. He has volunteered his expertise to the Chattanooga community with hands-on education workshops at numerous local churches and recreation centers, as well as actively working with the Citizen Safety Coalition.
Kimberly Rollins is the wife of Pastor Donald Rollins Sr. of Chattanooga’s Born Again Christian Church. She worked for 23 years for the City of Chattanooga, acquiring the leadership skills that she taught co-workers and the women of her church. Then 7 years ago, she expanded her calling to help others by working in finance, helping as many people possible to accomplish their goals and dreams with the knowledge that she’s acquired over the years.
Christopher Johnson is President of Global Financial Services at Pitney Bowes, where he manages the financing and lending businesses, as well as the consumer and merchant payments and risk management functions across the company. Christopher also holds leadership responsibility for Pitney Bowes Bank, a state chartered industrial loan company.
Daphne Jones serves on the Boards of three public companies—AMN Healthcare, the Barnes Group, and Masonite International—where she offers critical business savvy, cyber security expertise, and digital insights. Previously, she enjoyed a 30+-year corporate career at some of the world’s most recognizable companies, such as GE, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, and Hospira (now Pfizer).