Meet Our 2026 Speakers

Joan Williams

Certified Holistic Health & Wellness Coach

Honoring The Past , Elevating The Future .

We Must Protect Our Peace (Intentional Boundaries): Our ancestors fought for physical boundaries. Today, we must fight for our emotional and mental boundaries. In our book, Self-Care is Intentional, we teach that saying "no" to what drains you is how you say "yes" to your destiny. You have to stop waiting on validation from places, people, or situations that do not recognize your worth. Like our ancestors, you must close the door on what oppresses your spirit so you can step onto your own stage.

Karen Pascal

Holistic Health And Wellness Coach

Honoring The Past, Elevating The Future

"Our ancestors ran, fought, and built so that we could do more than just labor. In a world that constantly tells us to grind ourselves to the bone, choosing rest, choosing intuition, and prioritizing your holistic health is a revolutionary act. You cannot build a thriving legacy on a depleted soul. We honor them when we choose to flourish, not just function.

It means taking intentional, daily action toward your highest self, knowing that the blood of creators, authors, healers, and visionaries flows directly through your veins."

Magdiel Habila

Associate Principal Scientist

Freedom Starts with Your Health: Colorectal Cancer, Early Detection, and You

"Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States” and Black Americans are diagnosed more often and at younger ages than any other group. But here's what the data also shows: when caught early, colorectal cancer is highly treatable.

In this 30-minute session, cancer epidemiologist Dr. Magdiel Habila breaks down what you need to know about colorectal cancer” how common it is, what raises your risk, and the lifestyle steps you can take to lower it. You'll leave knowing exactly what screening options are available, when to start, and how to talk to your doctor about getting checked.

Your health is your freedom. Join us for a conversation about one of the most preventable cancer deaths in our community — and what you can do about it today."

Dr. Janet Johnson-Hutton

Founder/Principal Director/Business Trainer

Designing the Future: Black Innovation, Business Growth, and Community Centered Leadership

This session explores how Black innovation, strategic business design, and community centered leadership shape a future rooted in excellence and economic strength. Dr. Janet Johnson Hutton highlights how operational structure, business process audits, and collaborative commerce empower Black enterprises to grow sustainably while uplifting local communities. Participants gain practical insights on building systems, strengthening leadership, and intentionally designing a future where Black businesses thrive.

Omowale Adewale

Farmer

How Do Black Vegan Festivals Address Black Food Insecurity?

Born and raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, Omowale Adewale adopted his Yoruba name which means the son has come back home, the crown has returned, while visiting Lagos, Nigeria in 2005, through his work in Hip-Hop and affordable healthcare advocacy at the Grassroots Artists Movement. Today, Adewale grows regenerative food at Liberation Farm located in the Hudson Valley region of New York State. Adewale is the author and editor of "An Introduction to Veganism and Agricultural Globalism" (2015/2022) and "Brotha Vegan" (2021). Before the Black VegFest founder began attracting thousands to the free vegan festival in Brooklyn, he toured several cities around the world in search of building a just and sustainable system. Omowale centers topics such as Reparations, food and land sovereignty, practicing self-defense, cultivating healthy spaces and veganism.

Andrew Frazier

Masterpreneur and Founder

From Hustle to Ownership

Andrew Frazier, MBA, CFA, Masterpreneur and founder of Small Business Pro University, serial entrepreneur, 4x author, Livestream/podcast host, POWER BREAKFAST producer, adjunct professor, expert coach/consultant/trainer, Navy Officer, and MIT Graduate. He is passionate about helping business owners sell more, maximize profit, and finance growth faster and easier. Over the past 17 years, Andrew has worked 1-on-1 with 1,000+ business owners and taught tens of thousands of people about business.

Kashonna Marrow

President

Moving from Idea to Execution

"Kashonna Marrow is an engaging speaker, an inspiring coach, a motivational author, and an insightful corporate trainer. Kashonna is the President & CEO of Simply Kashonna, a business built to promote BOLD, FEARLESS and COURAGEOUS living. She goes beyond surface issues to address the challenges that inhibit personal, professional and spiritual growth, leading her clients to embrace their evolution.

Understanding that leadership training and development is essential to any corporation or organization’s growth, Kashonna launched SK Leading Forward, which is dedicated to enhancing employee engagement, performance, productivity and morale.

Kashonna has activated the purpose and call of many, helping them to discover, define and develop their authentic self. Both, in the corporate arena and in the non-profit world, strategic growth and development of people have always been the focal point of her service."

Jason Antwine

President

The Vital Role of Black Men in the Home & Community;

Jason Antwine is the founder of Ancient Aura Jewelry, a brand rooted in the rich cultural legacy of Harlem, NY, where he spent over a decade as a postal worker before answering the call of entrepreneurship.

Born and raised in Queens, he was immersed daily in one of America's most iconic communities. Jason attended lectures, community gatherings, and cultural exchanges that shaped his understanding of identity, purpose, and responsibility. The lessons he absorbed didn't just inspire a business — they shaped him as a man, a father, and a community member.

When his father passed just one year into retirement after 37 years of city work, Jason was forced to confront what legacy truly means. That pivotal moment fueled his leap from a guaranteed government salary to full-time entrepreneurship — a leap that has since paid off fivefold.

Today, Jason brings that lived experience to the conversation on the importance of Black men showing up — in their homes, in their communities, and in the lives of those who are watching and learning from them.

Angus Fleary Fischer

Speaker

Voting in East Brooklyn/The Vital Role of Black Men in the Home & Community;

Kali Williams

Speaker

Strategic Storytelling: Building a Brand People Remember Beyond Social Media

Kali Williams is the Founder and CEO of The Eclectic Group, a community-centered marketing and engagement consultancy focused on storytelling, cultural engagement, and visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, and public initiatives. With more than 20 years of experience in media and marketing, Kali’s work sits at the intersection of branding, community engagement, and cultural storytelling. She is also the founder of More Than Three Fifth and currently serves as the Influencer Lead for Juneteenth NYC, helping amplify community voices and cultural experiences through strategic storytelling and engagement.

Rev. Kim Council

Brooklyn, Deputy Borough President

Welcome & Remarks

Deputy Borough President, Reverend, and fierce community advocate are all words you can use to describe Kim Council. All her life, Rev. Kim Council has dedicated her career to the communities and people of Brooklyn, focused on finding ways to better lives and strengthen opportunities for all. As Deputy Borough President, she carries this work out on a borough-wide scale, working with faith-based and community leaders to find solutions for some of the biggest challenges facing our borough from housing to food insecurity and violence.

Brooklyn-born and -raised, Kim grew up in HUD-subsidized housing as the oldest of five children. Her family grew up working hard to provide – fighting evictions and food insecurity despite both her parents working full-time jobs. While there wasn’t much spare cash in the home, there was boundless love and support. And in Bed-Stuy, neighbors always had each other’s backs.