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8th Annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards
    Muhammad Ali Center | Be Great :: Do Great Things > 8th Annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards

WATCH THE 8th ANNUAL MUHAMMAD ALI
HUMANITARIAN AWARDS LIVESTREAM!

Friday, November 12, 2021, 8:00pm EST

Live Stream Sponsored by AARP-Kentucky

SILVER SPONSORS

ABOUT THE EVENT

The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards honor and celebrate individuals who, like Muhammad Ali, strive to make a difference in their communities and the world. This event pays tribute to Muhammad’s lifelong humanitarianism by celebrating individuals who exemplify his courageous fight for social justice, peace, or positive change, or who dedicate a portion of their lives to humanitarian or philanthropic causes. In addition to awards presented to “seasoned” humanitarians, six young people, age 30 and under, are honored with an award corresponding to each of Muhammad’s Six Core Principles:  Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality.  Regardless of their age, culture, ethnicity, religion, or gender, our awardees are role models and are empowering examples of how one person can affect social change. The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards are the Ali Center’s annual fundraiser which help us create mission-based programs, events, partnerships, and museum exhibitions, as well as to build awareness of Muhammad’s legacy.

2021 Theme:: UNITY

OUR AWARDEES

SEASONED

6 CORE PRINCIPLES

  1. Nialah Edari and Chelsea Miller (CONFIDENCE)
  2. Sonita Alizada (CONVICTION)
  3. Christian Stephen (DEDICATION)
  4. Yvette Ishimwe (GIVING)
  5. Clementine Jacoby (RESPECT)
  6. Darius Baxter (SPIRITUALITY)

PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

EVENT HOST

Kathy Sledge, Event Host

AWARD PRESENTERS

Anwar Khan
Darnell Ferguson
Lonnie Ali
Michael Waters
Roger Floyd
Thomas Neal McLaurin
Rasheda Ali

AWARD DOCENTS

Aubri Stevenson
Royal Todd

DONATE NOW
2020 Muhammad Ali Center :: All Rights Reserved
Ina Bond

For the last thirty-five years, Ina has served the Louisville community as a board member and director for such organizations as the Community Foundation of Louisville, Bellarmine College, The Kentucky Humanities Council, The Family Place, The Nature Conservancy, and the Waterfront Development Commission.  She was also named Chairman of the Regional Red Cross Board of Directors, was elected President of the Junior League of Louisville, and was a founding member of the Louisville Community Foundation.  Ina also served on the James Graham Brown Foundation Board and was the second woman to be named Chair of the United Way Campaign. In 2006, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Bellarmine University.

Ina has been a fan of Muhammad’s since high school. Ina’s father, W. L. Lyons Brown, was one of the eleven sponsors who funded and helped Muhammad become a professional boxer after he won the Olympic gold medal. In 1999, Ina learned of Lonnie and Muhammad’s dream of creating a place that could promote respect, hope, and understanding to inspire adults and children everywhere to be as great as they can be. As a result, she began volunteering for the establishment of the Ali Center.  She went on to serve the Center for the following twenty-two years in countless ways. In April 1999, she was named as the first Board Chair and was also chosen as Chair of the Capital Building Campaign. The Ali Center Board began to look for funding sources for the $82 million needed to build the Center as well as handling the tasks needed to make the Alis’ dream become a reality. Ina served as the Chair of the Operating Board of the Center from 1999-2005. She served on numerous committees throughout the years and has been essential to the success of the Muhammad Ali Center.

Ina is currently the Chair Emeritus of the Board of the Muhammad Ali Center.

 

Lindsey Ofcacek and Edward Lee

Lindsey Ofcacek

Lindsey Ofcacek is Co-Founder and Managing Director for The LEE Initiative, whose mission is to address issues of diversity and equality in the restaurant industry. Ofcacek has created several programs under The LEE Initiative umbrella, including the Women Culinary and Spirits Program; Restaurant Workers Relief Program; Restaurant Reboot Relief Program; and the McAtee Community and Training Kitchen.

During the pandemic, The LEE Initiative distributed over 2 million meals at relief centers around the country, invested over $1.5 million in small farms, and has given over $1 million in grants to Black-owned food businesses through a partnership with Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice.

The work of The LEE Initiative has been recognized in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Forbes, Bon Appetit, Robb Report, and many more. Prior to starting The LEE Initiative, Ofcacek worked with Chef Edward Lee at 610 Magnolia as the general manager and wine director, and still runs the award-winning wine program at the restaurant.

Chef Edward Lee

Chef Edward Lee is the Chef/Owner of 610 Magnolia in Louisville and the Culinary Director for Succotash Prime in DC and Succotash in National Harbor. He is also the Co-Founder and Creative Director for The LEE Initiative, a non-profit launched in 2017 that is dedicated to diversity and equality in the restaurant industry.

The LEE Initiative operates several programs under its umbrella, including the Women Culinary and Spirits Program, Restaurant Workers Relief Program, Restaurant Reboot Relief Program, and McAtee Community and Training Kitchen.  During the pandemic, The LEE Initiative distributed over 2 million meals, invested $1.5 million in small farms, and gave over $1 million in grants to Black-owned food businesses across the country. Chef Lee’s philanthropic work also includes the Lee Diversity Scholarship to support the Southern Foodways Alliance Oral History Workshop.

Chef Lee is an award-winning chef, author, and television personality. He was the recipient of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award for his book, Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting Pot Cuisine. His first book, Smoke & Pickles was a national bestseller.

 

Ann Curry

Photo by: Antoine Sanfuentes

Ann Curry is an award-winning journalist known for her persistent humanitarian reporting.  She has covered conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Darfur, Congo, the Central African Republic, Serbia, Lebanon, and Israel; nuclear tensions from North Korea and Iran and numerous humanitarian disasters, including the massive 2010 earthquake in Haiti, where her appeal via Twitter (@AnnCurry) is credited for helping to speed the arrival of humanitarian planes.

Her world-wide reporting about Climate Change, including from the Arctic, the South Pole and Mount Kilimanjaro broke ground when Americans were still debating it.

Ann’s list of news breaking interviews include Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, President Ahmadinejad, President Khatami and Foreign Minister Zarif; Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and First Lady Asma al-Assad; Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto, President Ali Zadari and President Musharraf; Turkey’s President Erdogan; Saddam Hussein’s close advisor and Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, Sudan’s President Omar Bashir and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir; Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Chad’s President Idriss Deby; as well as U.S. Presidents George Prescott Bush, Bill Clinton, George Walker Bush and Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretaries of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton as well as First Lady Laura Bush, Jill Biden, the Dalai Lama, Sir Edmund Hillary, George Clooney, Maya Angelou, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, among others.

She has produced a PBS documentary series and a program helping underserved Americans get access to medical care.  She has written for National Geographic Magazine and taught journalism seminars at American University.  She also serves on the Ali Center Commission on Civility and Compassion.

Awarded 7 Emmys and numerous other journalism awards, she has also received many humanitarian awards, including a Medal of Valor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center for her dedication to reporting about genocide.

 

Dr. Richard Lapchick

Dr. Richard Lapchick, Humanitarian of the Year

Human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, internationally recognized expert on sports and social issues, scholar and author Richard E. Lapchick is often described as “the racial conscience of sport.”

He brought his commitment to equality and his belief that sport can be an effective instrument of positive social change to University of Central Florida in August 2001 where he launched the DeVos Sports Business Management Program. 

In 2015 it was named the number 2 program in the world by SportsBusiness International.

Lapchick is a prolific writer. His 17th book was published in 2018. Lapchick is a regular columnist for ESPN.com and The Sports Business Journal.

He has spoken in the United States Congress, at the United Nations, in the European Parliament and at the Vatican.  He has given more than 3,000 speeches and written more than 600 articles.

He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth Nations in the category of Humanitarian along with Arthur Ashe and Nelson Mandela.

Lapchick was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was named as one of Beyond Sports Inspirational 50 people (living and passed) who used sport to change the world along with Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela.

Lapchick was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports.

He has received 10 honorary degrees.

Lapchick was one of 200 guests personally invited by Nelson Mandela to his inauguration after leading the American sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of Apartheid.

He often shares that one of his greatest honors was being asked to make a toast at Muhammad’s 70th Birthday party.

Dr. Lapchick is the Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport and is President of the Institute for Sport and Social Justice at the University of Central Florida

He has been married to Ann Pasnak since 1989.  They have a son, Joe, and two daughters, Chamy and Emily.  Rich and Ann have four granddaughters: Taylor, Emma, Molly and Lauren.

 

Nialah Edari and Chelsea Miller

Nialah Edari 

Nialah Edari is the Co-Founder of Freedom March NYC, a youth protest and policy group on the frontlines pushing for reform in New York City and nationally. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Nialah moved to New York to study at Barnard College of Columbia University. She has been involved in activism from an early age, having served in the role of Midwest Youth Director for renowned national civil rights organization, The National Action Network, and involved in Gun Violence Prevention work in New York City. Most recently Nialah worked in the office of the highest-ranking African-American in Congress Majority Whip of the House of Representatives, Jim Clyburn and in the Office of the New York City Comptroller, Scott Stringer. Coupled with this Nialah has worked for Priorities USA and the House Majority PAC and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She also worked for the Biden Campaign as a special assistant to the Senior Advisor, all while being a leader of one of the largest freedom movement during the summer of 2020.

 

 

Chelsea Miller 

Chelsea Miller is one of the Co-Founders of Freedom March NYC, a Columbia University graduate, and one of the leading voices in youth activism. She’s addressed thousands of people in speaking engagements that include Madison Square Garden, Yale University, and most recently the March on Washington. In 2016, she worked in the Obama White House as one of the youngest interns on criminal justice reform and urban economic opportunity.

Chelsea is also the Co-Founder & CEO of Women Everywhere Believe, Inc., a national organization training women and girls of color to be civic and corporate leaders. Her work has been recognized by elected officials and national organizations in the space of activism and social entrepreneurship. Chelsea was named by the City & State of New York as one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Brooklyn and recognized by Vogue Magazine as one of the 50 trailblazing activist from across the globe. Most recently, Chelsea was honored as one of 5 Vital Voices NowThis NEXT honorees for 2021.

Sonita Alizada

Sonita was born in Herat, Afghanistan under the reign of the Taliban regime. Her family walked hundreds of miles to Iran to escape. She grew up an impoverished, undocumented, refugee street child in Tehran. At the age of ten, she was sold into forced marriage. The contract fell through. Her family again tried to sell her when she was sixteen. She escaped.

Witnessing the injustices of the world, and her friends swiftly disappearing as they were forced to marry, she wrote the song Daughters for Sale. With the aid of an Iranian filmmaker, a music video was recorded. Her story is featured in the award-winning documentary, Sonita by Rohksareh Ghaemmaghemi, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016.

The movie, music and video provided the opportunity to attend school in the United States and offered a platform to advocate against the practice of forced child marriage. More than 12 million girls are forced to marry as children every year, Sonita hopes to aid in finding a solution to the problem—to help save the lives of the next generation.

 

Christian Stephen

Christian Stephen is a British journalist, filmmaker, and writer from London, England. Over the past decade he has specialized in documentary and frontline coverage of conflict and human rights issues, primarily in hostile environments. Christian has covered stories in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Gaza, Central African Republic, DRC, Nepal, Turkey and Indonesia – among others.

Christian created the first ever VR film from a war zone in Aleppo, Syria at the height of the civil war. Despite being held in captivity in Syria, Christian was rescued and returned with the footage that would result in the film Welcome to Aleppo.

Following Welcome to Aleppo, his award-winning film The Sun Ladies premiered at Sundance and was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. Captured on-the-ground in Iraq, The Sun Ladies tells the story of escaped ISIS sex slaves who created their own military unit to hunt their former ISIS captors and free their sisters still held in slavery.

Christian is now Executive Producer at The Signal, a new digital publication exploring vital questions in American life and the human world.

Yvette Ishimwe

Yvette Ishimwe

Yvette is the founder and CEO of IRIBA WATER Group Ltd, a social enterprise that offers innovative drinking water solutions for vulnerable communities in Rwanda and in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yvette holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a YALI Mandela Washington Fellow 2019, and has been awarded by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England in 2017 in recognition of the impact her work with IRIBA has brought to the community. Her ongoing mission is to transform Africa through innovations and social entrepreneurship.

Clementine Jacoby

Clementine Jacoby is the Executive Director at Recidiviz — a nonprofit building an open-source platform to turn fragmented criminal justice data into actionable insights for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and the public. Previously, Clementine spent four years as a Product Manager at Google, where she worked on Google Maps and Android. She was recently named in Forbes 30 Under 30, Fast Company’s Most Creative People, and TIME’s Next 100 Most Influential People. Clementine holds a B.S. in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University.

Darius Baxter

DARIUS BAXTER

After being raised by a single mother through the murder of his father and subsequent homelessness, Darius Baxter committed his life to creating pathways for families like his own to make it out of poverty.

Since graduating from Georgetown University with his degree in Globalization and Poverty, Darius has facilitated millions of dollars into low-income communities in the US and abroad, most notably as the CEO of GOODProjects. In 2018, Baxter began developing the GOODZone to provide options and opportunity to 500 families living in public housing in his hometown of Washington, D.C. In 2019, he launched the Baxter Family Kid’s Center to address the need for quality education for the poor in one of Kenya’s largest Slums.

Darius Baxter was named to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 List and his work has been highlighted by publications like the NY Times, 60 minutes, and NPR. His proudest accomplishment was in 2020 when he received the Bricky Award as voted by the residents in the public housing community in which he serves.

Kathy Sledge, Event Host

Kathy Sledge is a Renaissance woman — a singer, songwriter, author, producer, manager, and Grammy nominated music icon whose boundless creativity and passion has garnered praise from critics and a legion of fans from all over the world.

Through her multi-faceted solo career and her legacy as the signature voice in Sister Sledge who originated worldwide anthems like “We Are Family,” which was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2017, “Thinking Of You” and “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” her timeless music has inspired millions of listeners across every generation.

In 2021 Kathy has recently gained worldwide success producing international festivals and concert productions.

Sledge established an active philanthropic platform through the timeless musical statement of “We Are Family and presently an Honorary Trustee and esteemed Emeritus Board Member with Nile Rodgers and the We Are Family Foundation. She is also the Goodwill Ambassador for Antigua and Barbuda, as well as the prestigious Halo Foundation.

Kathy’s journey began in Philadelphia, the youngest of five daughters born to Edwin and Florez Sledge. Her grandmother, an opera singer, taught Kathy and her sisters harmonies and an appreciation for music while her father, of dance duo Fred and Sledge, broke racial barriers on Broadway.  At the tender age of 13, Kathy’s lead vocals on “Mama Never Told Me” (1973) furnished the group’s first international hit record in the U.K.

At 14 years-old, Kathy and her sisters were invited to perform at Zaire 74, a three-day music festival that promoted the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

The #1 We Are Family (1979) album produced by world renowned producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards went platinum.

Kathy is presently enjoying the success of her popular IG Variety Show “FamilyRoom” cohosted with daughter Kristen Gabrielle and currently is under consideration for Grammy nomination of her new re- release of dance remix “Thinking Of You”. Kathy remains a vibrant presence and is one of the most sought-after voices in dance and pop music today.

Anwar Khan

ANWAR KHAN
PRESIDENT
ISLAMIC RELIEF USA

Mr. Anwar Khan is the President of Islamic Relief USA with 25 years of experience working in the field of humanitarian and development assistance.  As a President of IRUSA, Mr Khan is currently serving on the board of Joint Learning Initiative (JLI) and the Muslim Advisory Council at Lili school of Philanthropy. He is also a Community advisor to the Chief of Police of City of Alexandria, Virginia.

Anwar has previously served at the board of Interaction, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA) where he and other leaders in the international development field, provide advice, analysis, and recommendations to USAID on pressing development issues in the world today. He also served on the U.S. State Department’s Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group, where he advised on humanitarian issues and the intersection of faith and development.

Mr. Khan represented and spoke on behalf of Islamic Relief on several of the UN Interagency Task Force’s stewarded initiatives over many years, including the “Special Session on Faith Engagement” at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey;  the UN Commission on the Status of Women; and the Annual Symposia on the Role of Religion and Faith Based Organizations in International Affairs.

Mr. Khan holds a B.S. in Bio Chemistry from Birmingham University, U.K.   He was born in Sialkot, Pakistan.

 

Darnell Ferguson

Presenter Darnell Ferguson

Darnell SuperChef Ferguson is a celebrity chef, philanthropist, restaurateur, and entrepreneur who calls Louisville home.  SuperChef attended culinary school in Louisville, where he was able to travel to Beijing as one of only 22 young chefs to cook in the 2008 Olympics.  He has also gone on to open close to a dozen restaurants that he either owns, licensed, or conceptualized; two of which are right here in Louisville (flagship SuperChef’s restaurant and the newly-opened Tha Drippin’ Crab in the West End).

Darnell serves on the Board of two Louisville-based nonprofits that focus on helping children in food insecurity and impoverished neighborhoods:   Blessings in a Backpack and Children Shouldn’t Hunger.  In 2021, SuperChef partnered with Wave 3 News in Louisville to produce Cook That Ish, a television show created to provide exposure for the Louisville food scene and its aspiring chefs.  Darnell is best known nationwide for his appearances on Food Network’s Tournament of Champions and Guy’s Grocery Game, Tiny Food on Discovery Plus, and the Today Show.  He is also a proud husband and father.

LONNIE ALI

LONNIE ALI
Presenter

Lonnie Ali, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, completed her BA degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1978. After graduation, Lonnie began her business career with Kraft Foods, Inc. She continued her studies at UCLA’s Graduate School of Management and received an MBA in 1986.

After her marriage to Muhammad Ali in November 1986, she assumed responsibility and management of his business affairs. In 1992, she formally incorporated Greatest of All Time, Inc. (GOAT Inc.) to centralize and license her husband’s intellectual properties for commercial purposes. She served as Vice President and Treasurer of GOAT, Inc. until the sale of the company in 2006. During her tenure, Lonnie managed the company’s daily operations and accompanied Muhammad on business trips and humanitarian initiatives, domestically and around the world.  After the sale of GOAT, Lonnie was asked to serve on the management board of the newly formed Muhammad Ali Enterprises.

In 1997, Lonnie and Muhammad helped launch the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center (MAPC) in Phoenix. Lonnie and her husband unveiled the Muhammad and Lonnie Ali Pavilion in 2009 which houses the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center at Barrow Neurological Institute.

She and her husband opened the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville in November of 2005, where she serves as a Lifetime Director and as Vice Chair of the Center’s Board.

Lonnie has been active in various charitable causes including advocating for children’s rights and Parkinson ’s disease research. From 2010 to 2013, Lonnie served on the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

Lonnie was the 2010 recipient of AARP’s Inspire Award, was named in 2012 as one of Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women, and inducted into The National Consortium for Academics and Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.  She has also been honored by The Foundation of Wesley Woods with the Key to a Cure Award, Child Help and the HollyRod Foundation. Lonnie recently received the Keep Memory Alive Caregiver Hero Award from the Cleveland Clinic’s Keep Memory Alive Power of Love® gala.

 

 

Michael Waters

Michael Waters, Presenter 

Michael W. Waters is the founder and Lead Pastor of the Abundant Life African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas, as well as a professor, author, activist, and social commentator. His work and ministry has reached national and international audiences alike. He has addressed esteemed bodies like the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture and the United States House of Representatives, and his work has appeared on or been featured in major media outlets like ABC Nightline, BBC Newsnight, CBS This Morning, The NBC Nightly News, Ebony Magazine, Essence Magazine, GQ Magazine, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, National Public Radio, and The New York Times.

Waters is the author of several award-winning books including For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World with illustrator Keisha Morris. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees with honors at Southern Methodist University and in 2019 was awarded the Peacemaker of the Year Award by the Dallas Peace and Justice Center. He is married to Attorney Yulise Reaves Waters and they are the proud parents of four children. For more information, visit www.michaelwwaters.com.

 

Roger Floyd

Roger Floyd

Roger Floyd, Co-Founder of the George Floyd Memorial Center, serves as Chief Impact Officer for the Center.  Mr. Floyd is the brother of the late George Perry Floyd, Sr. whose son George became the catalyst for global social change on May 25, 2020.

Roger Floyd is originally from Clinton, NC, located in Sampson County.  After graduating from Fayetteville State University, he settled in Raleigh and began a long and illustrious career in the insurance industry.  He recently retired from insurance and has taken up the mantle of social change.  Leading the mission of bringing our nation together and moving the social justice needle forward, Roger has taken on the challenge of co-creating an organization that would not only honor the sacrifice of his nephew, George Floyd, but help bridge the economic, education, and justice gap in our society.

Roger is married to Joyce Harris Floyd.  They have two children, Stephanie Floyd Hart and Rashad Floyd and 5 wonderful grandchildren.

 

Thomas Neal McLaurin

Thomas Neal McLaurin

Thomas Neal McLaurin, Co-Founder of The George Floyd Memorial Center, serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Center.  Originally from Roseboro, NC, Thomas is the first cousin of the late George Floyd.  Along with his uncle, Roger Floyd, Thomas helped create an organization geared towards continuing the global momentum of social change.

Thomas received his under-graduate degree from East Carolina University and did his graduate work at North Carolina Central University.  He currently lives in Douglasville, GA a suburb of Atlanta.  He is a recently retired teacher who spent over 30 years in Georgia’s public school system.

Thomas is married to Dr. Lisa Allen-McLaurin.  They have a blended family of 5 children and two grandchildren.

 

Rasheda Ali

RASHEDA ALI 

Rasheda Ali is an internationally known author, speaker, actress, and Parkinson’s disease advocate. Her book, I’ll Hold Your Hand So You Won’t Fall-A Child’s Guide to Parkinson’s disease, was inspired by her children and her father, Muhammad Ali, who suffered more than 30 years from the disease.

As an advocate of stem cell research, Rasheda travels the globe motivating others to make a difference in their communities, raising awareness and funds for neurocognitive disorders as well as promoting love and inclusion through the Muhammad Ali Center.

Rasheda has participated in countless documentaries and projects such as the Double Helix Medal Awards, Ken Burns Ali series, Dateline with Katie Couric, and BBC Studios. She has also been interviewed by numerous national and global media outlets as HBO with Bob Costas, CNN, The Today Show, MSNBC, Good Morning America, PBS, the New York Times, Ebony, The Atlantic and many others.

As a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Rasheda served as writer, casting director and host for her own celebrity talk show in Las Vegas.

 

Most recently, Rasheda was cast in a film which appears nationwide in theaters

in March 2022.

Aubri Stevenson

Aubri Stevenson

Aubri Stevenson is a sophomore attending the University of Louisville. She is majoring in Public Health and aspires to attend medical school after graduation. Born and raised in Louisville, she graduated from the Dupont Manual High School in 2020. She was involved in various clubs and organizations that expanded her view of social activism and the continued fight for justice for African Americans. These organizations included her school’s Black Student Union and the Muhammad Ali Center Council of Students (MACCS), where she expanded upon her activism and carrying on Muhammad Ali’s legacy and six core principles. Today, she is a STEM student, a community organizer for Louisville and is at the forefront of the youth movement for the fight for black lives.

 

Royal Todd

Royal Todd 

Rev. Royal S. Todd is a native of Louisville, Kentucky who accepted his call to ministry in 2011 at the early age of 13. Royal was subsequently licensed in 2013 at the Cable Missionary Baptist Church, under the pastorate of the Rev. Dr. Anthony Middleton. Royal earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, with minors in Sociology and African American Studies from the University of Kentucky in 2020. While there, Royal earned a number of academic honors, awards in leadership and oratory, and became a proud brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Royal is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.