Vanessa Siddle Walker is the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Educational Studies at Emory University. For 33 years, she has explored the segregated schooling of African American children, considering sequentially the climate that permeated the schools, the network of professional collaborations that explains the schools’ similarities, and the hidden systems of advocacy that sought equality and justice.

Walker’s book publications include Their Highest Potential: An African American School Community in the Segregated South (University of North Carolina Press), Facing Racism in Education (Harvard Educational Review Reprint Series), Racing Moral Formation (Teachers College Press), Hello Professor: A Black Principal and Professional Leadership in the Segregated South (University of North Carolina Press), Living the Legacy: Universities and Schools in Collaborative for African American Children (Rowan and Little), and The Lost Education of Horace Tate: Uncovering the Hidden Heroes who Fought for Justice in Schools (The New Press). Among the journals publishing her research are Review of Education Research, American Educational Research Journal, Journal of Educational Research, Harvard Educational Review, Journal of Negro Education, and Teachers College Record.

For her body of work, Walker has received the Grawmeyer Award for Education, the Lillian Smith Book Award, and five awards from the American Educational Research Association (AERA): the AERA Early Career Award, the Best New Female Scholar Award (Research Focus on Black Education), the Best New Book (History Division of AERA), the 2019 Presidential Citation Award for Groundbreaking Research on Black Education, and the Outstanding Book Award (Moral Development Special Interest Group). She is also a recipient of awards from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools and the American Education Studies Association.

Walker is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Education, a Fellow of AERA, and in 2019-20 was the 104th president of AERA. She has lectured widely nationally and internationally, including delivering the 2012 Annual AERA Brown v. Board of Education lecture in Washington, DC. Her work has appeared in the PBS Special, SCHOOL, and on a variety of educational podcasts. She has also consulted with journalists, community groups, and advocacy organizations for the last ten years on issues concerning Brown v. Board and its implementation.

Walker completed her undergraduate training in education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; taught for four years at the desegregated Cummings High School in Burlington, North Carolina; and finished her masters and doctorate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her work on segregated schools begin when she was completing a postdoctoral/visiting professor appointment at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dudley E. Flood was born and reared in Winton, North Carolina. Since 1970, Dr. Flood has lived in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He began his career as a teacher of math, science and English at the eighth grade level. He later taught high school social studies and coached high school basketball and football. He served for three years as principal of a school covering grades 1 - 12 before joining the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as a specialist in school desegregation and race relations.

During his 21 years of service with the Department of Public Instruction, he earned promotions first to Assistant and then Associate State Superintendent. After retiring from Public Instruction on December 31, 1990, he served for 5 years and 3 months as Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators. Since April 1996, he has been a lecturer and consultant to groups throughout the country and abroad.

He has been a Visiting Professor at Meredith College and at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and has taught in the Principals Executive Program at the University of North Carolina.

He earned the bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Central University, the master’s degree in educational administration from East Carolina University and the doctorate degree in the same field from Duke University. He has studied further at Elizabeth City State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Hampton University.

Dr. Flood has spoken in all 100 of North Carolina's counties. Also, he has spoken or conducted workshops in 48 of the 50 United States, in Bermuda, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Germany. His writings have been published in more than 25 journals and he has authored three books.

He has received more than 350 awards for civic service. He has been presented the Order of the Longleaf Pine Award (North Carolina's highest civic award), by three different Governors; Governor James G. Martin, Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., and Governor Mike Easley. He has received the Outstanding Alumni Award from both North Carolina Central University and East Carolina University, and has received the Doctorate of Humane Letters from both North Carolina Central University and the University of North Carolina in Asheville.

He served for twelve years on the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina. He currently serves on the N. C. Minority Cancer Awareness Action Team; the Public School Forum of North Carolina Board; the Wake Education Partnership Leadership Council; the UNC Press Advancement Council and on several other boards and committees. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He is also a member of Martin Street Baptist Church in Raleigh where he serves as Sunday School Teacher. For fifty-five years, he was married to the late Barbara Thomas Flood whose inspiration he credits with any success that he has experienced.

Letha Muhammad is the Executive Director of Education Justice Alliance (EJA), based in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Letha is working to advance the organizations mission to dismantle the School to Prison and School to Deportation Pipeline in her local school district, Wake County Public Schools and to advance equity in public education across the North Carolina. She believes that working with parents, students and families that are directly impacted by these issues is one of the most effective ways for her to contribute. As such, her work includes engagement and leadership training with parents, students, and community members to ensure they know their rights and how to advocate for themselves and students. Working with other community stakeholders and organizations to bring awareness to the issue of school pushout and the criminalization of Black and Brown students is another one of her key roles as executive director. She serves as co-chair on the coordinating committee for Every Child NC, a statewide coalition working to ensure equitable funding for North Carolina public schools. Letha is a member of Muslim’s for Social Justice (MSJ) and on the steering committee for the Movement to End Racism and Islamophobia (MERI). She is a wife and the mother of one school age child and two young adults.

Felicia Robinson is a Philadelphia native and a proud member of Elon University’s class of 2021. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in African and African American Studies. She is currently in her 2nd year of teaching 1st grade. When she is not with her 1st grade babies, she spends her summers in Philadelphia, preparing high school students for the college process.

Portia Wade, a current resident of Burlington, North Carolina is a native of Washington, D.C., where she completed her public-school and undergraduate education. Portia is a professional educator who received her undergraduate training at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she majored in Elementary Education and minored in Sociology. She completed her graduate studies in Elementary Education at Elon College, now known as Elon University, where she currently serves as a full-time faculty member in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education. Post graduate studies include the completion of an Educational Specialist degree with a concentration in Adult Education from Regent University in the summer of 2020. And Portia is currently a doctoral student at Regent University working towards the completion of her Ph. D. degree in Advanced Educational Leadership with certification in Higher Education.

Portia’s professional endeavors have included classroom teaching on the early childhood, elementary, and college level, administrative services, educational consulting, and clinical supervision of teacher-practitioner candidates. Portia has also been a member of Elon’s Early Childhood Advisory Board since the program’s inception and serves in this capacity at Alamance Community College as well. She has recently been named as director of the Alamance Scholars Program; a local partnership initiative developed to combat the increasing teacher shortage in the Alamance – Burlington School System. While serving on a variety of university and department committees, Portia also holds Board of Directors’ memberships with other educational institutions in the North Carolina area.

From a family/ community/ministry outreach standpoint, Portia is passionately committed to women’s services and community outreach efforts for young children and their families. She and her husband, Gene, are the proud parents of (4) adult children: Kimberlie, Gene II, Kara, and Jordan who presently reside in various locations across the country. Therefore, family time and travel are ongoing pursuits for the Wade family. With a commitment to spiritual growth and development, Portia and her husband Gene are members of World Victory International Christian Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, where they serve on the Elder Board Council and ministry Leadership Team.

Yvella Singletary Bradshaw is a professional educator with thirty years of experience in the telephone industry, twenty years of experience in childcare management, and thirty years of experience in Biblical teaching.  She specializes in child care management and youth instruction.  She organized and currently heads a program entitled Bridging The Gap designed to teach young people about the total plan of God for mankind. Yvella Bradshaw is an ordained Elder in the Pentecostal church, holding an Associate, Bachelor, and Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies.  She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother with  a passion and love for Christian Education.  

Judith Rodriguez is a Senior at Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina. To some, she is known as Judith and to other people she is known as Judy. In addition to being a student at Orange High School, Judith is enrolled at Durham Tech, where she is taking an English and Art Appreciation course. She is a member of the National Spanish Honors Society, and she started a True Crime club with her friends last year. In her free time, Judith is a part of a book club. Her plan for the future is to get her Associates Degree in Arts-Teacher preparation degree at Durham tech and then transfer to a four-year university.

Adam Hollowell is an author, facilitator, and ethicist whose work addresses social inequality and promotes collective efforts for a more just world. He is the co-author, with Jamie McGhee, of You Mean It or You Don’t: James Baldwin’s Radical Challenge (Broadleaf Books, 2022). An award-winning educator, he teaches ethics and inequality studies across multiple departments at Duke University, including the Kenan Institute for Ethics, the Program in Education, and the Sanford School of Public Policy. He serves as director of the Global Inequality Research Initiative at the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity and faculty director of the Benjamin N. Duke Scholarship at Duke University. He lives in Durham, North Carolina. 

Xavier Adams is the NCCAT 2022 Prudential NC Beginning Teacher of the Year. Known to his students as Mr. Xavier, Xavier teaches at Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina, where he teaches World History, Honors African American Studies, and Honors Latin American Studies. Xavier holds two master's degrees from Duke University: a Master's in Theological Studies and a Master of Arts in Teaching. Before becoming a teacher, Xavier worked with young people in both religious and non-profit settings in Texas and North Carolina. He ultimately decided to become a teacher because of the impact that he saw that teachers could have on a student’s life by daily showing up with care and high expectations. At the center of Xavier’s pedagogical approach to history is the question: how did the victories and failures of the past create the world that we live in today.

*Photo Credit - Terri Clark Photography

Tia Hilber is a junior at Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina. She has a variety of interests including visual arts, social studies, and music. Tia participates in marching, concert, and jazz band, where she plays the bass guitar and flute. She also holds the position of Public Relations Officer and Flute Section Leader within the marching band. Tia frequently draws and paints in her free time, and she has had her works featured in multiple art shows. Tia is an active member of Girl Scouts, and she recently received her 10-year service pin. She plans to attend college to pursue a career in the social sciences, with her main goal of helping others and making the world a better place.

Rodney is a 22-year education veteran working with marginalized black and brown communities in Richmond, Virginia. He has received numerous awards for his accomplishments in and out of the classroom, most notably the 2019 National Teacher of the Year.  He has worked with Pulitzer winning author James Foreman to develop curriculum units on race, class, and punishment as a part of the Yale Teachers Institute. His current role is as a senior policy advisor with Richmond Public Schools in charge of Teacher Pathways with a specific focus on the RVA Men Teach Program to recruit and retain minority male teachers in Richmond Public Schools. 

Youtube Videos

●      CBS This Morning NTOY Announcement

●      Message to the Nation

●      Ted Talk - What is equity and Why do our children Deserve it?

●      Ted Talk - Youth Powerfully Unfiltered

Dr. Simona Goldinis a Research Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina. She had a Ph.D. in Educational Studies and a master’s degree in management and urban policy analysis. Her research and scholarship consider efforts to transform the preparation of beginning teachers to teach in more racially just and equitable ways. Her most recent work has looked carefully at the ways that innovations are weaponized against the very communities they are meant to support. Goldin serves as co-chair of the Equity in Schools Project Team on the UNC Commission on History, Race, and a Way Forward.

Kimberly C. Ransom, Ph.D. is an interdisciplinary historian who studies the History of African American Education and the History of Childhood. Her research examines the oral histories and material objects of Black children who once attended segregated schools in the Deep South during the Jim Crow Era (1940-1969). As a public scholar and artist, Kimberly also uses her historical research to create public exhibits related to African American childhood in and around schools. In her most recent project, she has worked in partnership with her dissertation respondents to create a local museum in the sole remaining Rosenwald Schoolhouse in Pickens County, Alabama.

 Kimberly has received a number of fellowships and awards for her research and leadership including the 2019 NAEd Spencer Fellowship, the 2018 Rackham Public Scholarship Fellowship, the 2017 Rackham Public Scholarship Grant, the 2015 Jackson Scholar Award, the 2011 Chicago Community Trust Fellowship, the 2013 University of Chicago President’s Diversity Leadership Award, and the 2010 New York University Women of Color Policy Fellowship. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Studies from the University of Michigan, M.A. from DePaul University, and a B.S. from Bradley University.

Danita Mason-Hogans is a native of Chapel Hill NC for seven generations of “movement people” on both sides of her family. She is a Public Memory Specialist, local historian and curriculum specialist who has been an education activist for over thirty years.  She collaborates with today's activists and SNCC veterans at Duke for the Critical Oral Histories Component which she helped to adapt. Danita is a 2022/23 NEH fellow with the Oral History Association. She works with school systems, universities, activists and historians to document local and national history from the “inside out” and from the “bottom up”. Her current advocation is for a no cost education program and cost-free college tuition for the descendants of the enslaved laborers at UNC. 

Local stories connect us to national struggle. Chapel Hill History from the inside out and bottom up. 

Valerie Foushee was born and raised in Orange County, North Carolina. Valerie was the oldest of six children, born to two teenage parents. She watched her parents work multiple jobs to make ends meet, and was in segregated schooling until sixth grade. Still, Valerie’s parents taught her about the importance of hard work, community, service to your neighbors and education, and those values still shape her today.

For Valerie, a commitment to service is where it all started. As a parent to young children in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, she would leave work at the Chapel Hill Police Department at 7:00 a.m. and work in her children’s classroom until 9:00 a.m. It was through that volunteer service that she knew kids, especially black and brown kids, needed a champion on the School Board, who was always looking out for them and their success. So she ran, and she won.

Over the next twenty-four years, Valerie went from serving on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, to being the first African American female elected to the Orange County Board of Commissioners, to serving in the North Carolina state House and then state Senate. In each of those elected positions, Valerie was focused on the issues that matter most; a good education, creating good-paying jobs, and being a champion for underrepresented communities.

In the General Assembly, Valerie has worked across the aisle to increase access to health care and end the practice of child marriage. And she has stood up to radical Republicans when they have attacked a woman’s right to choose, targeted our immigrant communities, and attempted to strip North Carolinians of their voting rights.

In Congress, Valerie will be a champion for working families, a leader to reform our criminal justice system and tackle systemic racism, and a fighter to protect our environment and address climate change.

Valerie is married to her high school sweetheart, Stan. Stan is a retired Fire Marshall for the City of Carrboro. They have two sons, Stanley II and Terrence, and one grandson, Stanley III.

Chris began his professional career as a Secondary Social Studies Teacher at Chapel Hill High School. He then went on to become an Assistant Principal at Riverside High School in Durham, North Carolina. Next, Mr. Faison served as an Assistant Director for Federal Loans in the Scholarships and Student Aid Office at UNC Chapel Hill. While at Student Aid, he was chosen for two statewide leadership fellowships. Additionally, Chris participated in two national education fellowships in Washington, D.C. He then built a suite of Men of Color Initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill.

Most recently, Mr. Faison completed a national fellowship with the American Express Leadership Academy at the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. His cohort received training at the Beloved Community Center and the Center for Creative Leadership, both headquartered in Greensboro, NC. Chris was just selected as a Global Summit delegate among the American Express Leadership Academies Alumni Network. He was also invited to pilot an exclusive non-profit leaders’ tool through the Center for Creative Leadership.

Chris seeks to broaden the horizons of young and more seasoned Black male career aspirations by illuminating other avenues beyond the School to Prison Pipeline and paths towards professional sports. His current projects include facilitating reparative processes and racial healing using local racial history, with an emphasis on support for Black men and boys.

Dr. Dionne V. McLaughlin is the Executive Director of Critical Reflections on Race and Equity Initiative (CRREI) and an Associate Professor at North Carolina Central University. She is a British-born Black Jamaican American educator who is an experienced bilingual high school and elementary school principal. Recent publications include: Emerald Book: Personalized Principal Leadership Practices: Eight Strategies for Leading Equitable, High Achieving Schools, Corwin Book Insights: How Expert Principals Make Difficult Decisions, Book Chapter: New South Realities: Demographics, Diversity and Cultural Capital in The Sage Guide to Educational Leadership and Management (Fenwick English), and a Book Chapter: Exemplary Leadership in Diverse Cultural Contexts in The Springer Handbook on Promoting Social Justice in Education (Rosemary Papa).   

Dr. McLaughlin has led workshops on culturally responsive teaching, leading equitable schools and making effective leadership decisions for teachers, principals and assistant principals.

Recent Presentations: Indiana Assistant Principals Conference (Keynote), Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) Fall Professionals Conference, ASCD Empower19, NASSP, ASCD Conference on Educational Leadership, ASCD Conference on Teaching Excellence, the International Conference on Urban Education, Illinois Principals Association Conference, Charter School Leadership Institute (Keynote), and NAESP.  

Dr. McLaughlin has also taught Anti-racism and Effective School Practices for All Students for K-12 administrators and teachers, Critical Reflections on Racial Issues in America – A Contemporary and Historical Study for high school students, and at NCCU she developed an Equity Certificate and new Graduate course- Leading High Achieving, Equitable Schools for African American and Latino Students.

Julia Clark is a grassroots activist advocating for racial equity and justice. Currently, Julia is a prominent advocate at UNC Chapel Hill as the 55^th President of the Black Student Movement and Black Lives Matter organizer. Fighting for a better future for the Black community in all public spheres and the eradication of institutional racism. Previously featured in publications and news outlets including but not limited to, The Washington Post, USA Today, Run Washington, and NPR.

Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Julia is a proud Afro-Latina who is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese and holds dual citizenship. The intersection of Julia's race, ethnicity, and nationalities provide a unique and groundbreaking perspective on countless issues surrounding inequity.

Dr. Anthony Graham is the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Winston-Salem State University. Prior to his current position, Provost Graham was a tenured Full Professor and dean of the College of Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. A graduate of Kinston High School, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned the bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in mathematics in 1997.  He obtained the master’s degree in Secondary English Education in 1999 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Teaching with a cognate in Multicultural Education in 2003 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Prior to his work in higher education, Dr. Graham was a high school English teacher.

A much sought-after motivational speaker, Provost Graham shares his message of optimism, collective efficacy, critical consciousness, servant leadership and social activism. He has delivered keynote addresses at international and national conferences; university Founder’s Day Convocations; and university, community college, and high school commencements.

Eugenia Floyd is the 2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Prior to this position, she was a fourth grade Teacher at Mary Scroggs Elementary School. Eugenia is a product of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, the district in which she teaches. After Eugenia received a degree in History from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2009, she became a teacher assistant. She then received her teaching credentials from North Carolina Central University in 2013. Eugenia also holds a Master in Gifted Education from Elon University, which she obtained in 2020. Eugenia is excited to advocate and support both the students and teachers of North Carolina. 

Dr. Keisha L. Bentley-Edwards is a developmental psychologist who uses a cultural lens to understand education and health outcomes. She is an Associate Professor at Duke University’s School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and the Associate Director of Research for the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity. An underlying thread in her interdisciplinary research is the use of cultural strengths to promote resiliency in students and families in the face of racial stressors and challenging social contexts. Dr. Bentley-Edwards has published and lectured extensively on the use of racial socialization and racial cohesion strategies to facilitate positive outcomes in high school and college students. She has been sought out by school districts, universities, nonprofits, and a wide range of practitioners to nurture complex conversations around race and racism in ways that not only identify disparities, but prompt meaningful strategies for remedying these disparities. She earned her undergraduate degree from Howard University, a masters in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University and her doctorate in Applied Psychology and Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Overall, her work is meant to provide practical evidence that can guide parents, policymakers, and practitioners to support the academic success and healthy functioning of African American students and their families.

Jairo (Hi-rrow) we/he/him/his is the Associate Director of Equity Initiatives at Achieving the Dream. He has spent the last 16+ years working in higher education split between academic and student services at a PWI, HBCU, an urban, as well as a rural community college. Mr. McMican previously served in a split role serving as a Dean of College Access Services and The Director of Equity and Pathways for the North Carolina Student Success Center.

Jairo is currently working on his Ed.D. in Adult and Community College Education at North Carolina State University. He earned a Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Mr. McMican currently serves on the editorial board for AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management. In addition, Jairo facilitates Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning modules for ACUE as well as Agile Administrator modules for the American Council of Education (ACE). Jairo has facilitated numerous regional and national presentations on higher education, equity, and leadership.

Dr. MariaRosa Rangel has over twenty-five years of educational experience. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Bilingual/ Bicultural and Elementary Education from the Northeastern University of Chicago, Illinois and her Master’s Degree in School Administration and Doctoral Degree in Education from North Carolina State University.  She has served as a third-grade Bilingual teacher, a GED instructor, Spanish / ESL Teacher, an Assistant Principal, a district wide LEP/ Dual Language Coordinator, and a Senior Administrator for Latino Outreach. 

Currently, Dr. Rangel serves as the Director for Family and Community Engagement in the Office of Equity Affairs for the Wake County Public School District (WCPSS). She is responsible for the planning, developing and coordinating family and community activities/events and programs to improve student's academic achievement; oversees the District Family Academy which offers FREE workshops and educational events for WCPSS families in various schools and community sites throughout Wake County. Dr. Rangel also provides Cultural Proficiency staff development to WCPSS faculty and staff.

Dr. Rangel is active and well respected within the Latino community. She serves as the Board Chair of Director for the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professional, Chair for the NC. Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, Chair for the Wake PTA Council DIE Subcommittee, Board of Directors Member and Secretary for the NC Education Corp, Board of Directors Member for the Marble Museum, Board of Directors Member of the Kramden Institute, Member for the N.C. Adelante Education Coalition, Member for the Consulate General of Mexico Local IME Scholarship Committee, Member of ALPES (Alianza Latina Proeducación en Salud), and Member of the Capítulo Raleigh Red Global MX (Raleigh Mexican Global Chapter).

Nolan Dahm is the Adult Education Specialist at the Charlotte Museum of History. He is a trained educator and historian with graduate degrees from Wake Forest University (M.Ed.) and Colorado State University (M.A., History). His work focuses on the history of slavery, environmental history, and educational policy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He has previous experience working as a park ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park and as a press intern at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. Nolan is originally from Des Moines, Iowa, and he recently moved to North Carolina to work with Museum staff to re-establish the Charlotte Museum of History as a landmark local history institution.

As a  violinist and composer, Tamara has captivated audiences all over the country with her musicality and poise. She has appeared at the esteemed Carnegie Hall in New York City, traveled and studied abroad in Paris, France, participated in legendary music celebrations such as nationally recognized Harlem Week and The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. ​

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While watching Tamara minister live, audience members commented, “It’s thrilling not only to hear Tamara, but to see her,” as her dynamic and energy-filled presentations enthrall her audience.

​Tamara is not only a gifted musician, but she has earned a Doctor of Ministry degree, a Master of Arts degree in Music Therapy Allied Health from New York University, and a Master of Science degree with distinction in Education Administration and Supervision. Dr. Thomas remains committed to K-12 education as a district education administrator and concurrently serves as a doctoral-level Seminary Professor of Leadership.  Realizing that the vehicle of music transforms lives, she has made a commitment to use her gift to bring hope to the darkest of places and to the people who so desperately need change.

Whilst Tamara was born and trained classically in the United States and abroad, her strong Caribbean roots, and their influence frames her music. This influence, coupled with her classical training, is found throughout her music, and provides a diverse sound that is beautiful and exceptional.

Dr. Thomas is a wife, a mother of three adult children, a licensed minister/ordained elder, and an education administrator in North Carolina.

Raymond Godfrey is a 7th grader at Southwest Guilford Middle School in High Point NC. He started singing at the age of 2. Raymond is part of the Vocal Ensemble at his school and he recently auditioned at Showtime Apollo in New York scheduled to take place in June 2023. Raymond’s desire is to become a gospel recording artist, attend college, and pursue a degree in Music. In Raymond’s free time he likes to learn how to cook and spend time with family.