why I do what I do.
I have chosen the path of a changemaker, healer, and advocate—not because it is easy, but because it is my birthright and calling.
Throughout my 25 year career as a social work and social entrepreneur, I have created lasting impacts, touched lives I may never fully know, and been transformed by the encounters and collaborations along the way. I am deeply grateful for the successes, hardships, and people that have shaped my hope, strength, resilience, and determination. By sharing my story and the stories of others, I seek to inspire others to embrace their roles as changemakers and recognize the incredible power they possess to create a better world.
I want everyone—regardless of age or background—to understand that we need not accept the injustices surrounding us. We can move from being passive passengers in our lives to proactive drivers of change and builders of a future for all.
Where there is shared hope and a strong will to overcome, many paths forward can emerge.
Together, we can cultivate hope, bridge divides, transform communities, and build a just and sustainable world we can all be proud of—a future where we can look back and feel confident that we spent our time wisely on this majestic Earth. We are the ancestors of tomorrow; may our descendants take pride in our efforts to correct current injustices. As the Afrofuturist Octavia Butler famously said, “So be it! See to it!”
Speaking Experience
With years of experience as a keynote speaker, panelist, and presenter, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my insights at conferences around the globe. My passion lies in engaging audiences and fostering meaningful conversations on a range of topics related to changemaking. If you’re interested in bringing my voice and thought leadership to your next event, please click the “Book Me” button.
past speaking engagements:
3rd Annual Statewide Conference on Truancy (Kings County, CA)
Ashoka Globalizer Summit on Youth Empowerment (Singapore)
Ashoka U Exchange (Boston, MA)
Ashoka & The Emerging Teacher Institute, One Million Changemakers (Dallas, TX)
ASU+GSV Summit (San Diego, CA)
California Statewide Mental Health Policy Forum (San Francisco)
California Statewide Cultural Competency Summit (San Francisco)
Cities United Convening (Philadelphia, PA)
Changing the Odds Conference, Momentous Institute (Dallas, TX)
Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (Cleveland, OH)
Coalition For Community Schools National Forum (Oakland, CA)
Columbia University Graduate School of Social Work (New York)
Dignity, Recovery & Stigma Elimination Conference (San Francisco)
Harvard Graduate School of Education (Cambridge, MA)
Hip Hop Kulture Symposium, MacEwan University (Edmonton, Canada)
Hive Venture (Louisville, KY)
Latino Hive Annual Gathering (Napa, CA)
Los Angeles County Transitional Age Youth Conference (Los Angeles, CA)
New America Alliance 14th Annual Wall Street Summit (New York)
Remixing the Art of Social Change National Teach-in (Washington D.C.)
Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
Smith College Graduate School for Social Work (Northampton, MA)
Southwest Airlines, Communication & Outreach Annual Meeting (Dallas, TX)
SXSW Education Conference (Austin, TX)
Trinity College International Hip Hop Festival (Hartford, CT)
University of Connecticut Graduate School of Social Work (Hartford, CT)
Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania (San Francisco)