Community building and belonging speakers
Our speakers are writers, thinkers, and changemakers who use their creativity and expertise to inspire audiences and help them discover new ways to foster community building and belonging. Many are also bestselling or award-winning authors who draw from the intersection of lived experience and identity to bring nuance, urgency, and authenticity to the conversations about belonging and our future.
Gloria Muñoz
Multilingual Literacy Advocate | Award-winning Latina Poet and Author | Founder of Creative Bilingual Media Company
Through Moonlit Música, a bilingual media company Gloria co-founded, she writes narrative scripts and songs for children, adolescent, and adult programming. Notable clients include The New York Times, Comedy Central, hulu, Rebel Girls, Apple TV, Google, FX, and Hatch, for which she has developed beloved sleep story characters, including Mari Mariposa, a bilingual butterfly with a passion for community building.
Jezz Chung
Inclusive Wellness Advisor | Multidisciplinary Artist | Disability Advocate | Author | Creative Career Coach
A former dancer, trained actor, and award-winning writer, Jezz Chung is a creative force and community facilitator working to imagine a more vibrant future. They specialize in inspiring audiences to explore collective change through personal transformation.
Davarian L. Baldwin
Internationally Recognized Black Scholar | Urbanist, Cultural Critic, and Public Advocate | Higher Ed Reform and Healthy Community Development Expert
“I help audiences rebuild healthy communities. In higher education, it’s clear that the “ivory tower” model is failing. The future belongs to institutions that reclaim the public good through community partnerships and rebuilding public trust.”
Wendy Pearlman
Refugee and Migration Storyteller | Renowned Oral Historian | Acclaimed Author
As the author of two critically acclaimed oral histories chronicling the Syrian uprising, war, and global refugee crisis, Wendy uses true stories to help audiences ponder key questions like: What can refugees' stories teach us about what home means? And how can we build community in new environments?
Omkari L. Williams
Award-winning and Bestselling Author | Microactivism Advocate | Sustainable Changemaker
Stop asking “What can I do?” and start leveraging your skills to make an impact. Omkari L. Williams, creator of the activism archetype, uses micro-activism strategies to help you build community and cultivate sustainable change.
Trevor Baldwin
Nephew of James Baldwin and Baldwin Legacy Keeper | Cultural Curator and Community Leader | Literary Advocate
Trevor Baldwin is James Baldwin’s nephew and Dr. Maya Angelou’s godson. With close ties to two literary icons, his experiences have molded him into a natural purveyor of legacy. Trevor inspires audiences by distilling what he learned from his family about leadership, partnership, advocacy, and love into strategies for organizational development and community care.
Rich Benjamin
Predictive Anthropologist | Cultural Visionary | Social Leader | Acclaimed Author
“I equip people, leaders and institutions to navigate the defining tensions of our time. I help institutions move from fear and fragmentation toward purpose and resilience. No abstract theory–I deliver tools audiences can use.”
Tony Keith Jr.
Black and Gay Award-winning Poet and Author | Spoken Word Artist | Educational Leader on belonging and justice| Entrepreneur
“Poetry was, and still is, my way of figuring out what’s going on in my world. I believe writing metaphors about feeling anxious, confused, sad, and angry was an organic and healthy practice of resisting racism, classism, and heterosexism that silences voices like mine. That process not only made me more aware of my voice, but helped me develop my identity as a poet.”
Tiffany jewell
#1 NYT Bestselling Author | Anti-racist Anti-bias (ABAR) Advocate | Acclaimed Educator | Biracial Storyteller | Community Builder
“I help others wake up, take action, and do the work of building healthy communities. I support families and educators as they develop strong, authentic communities in which everyone is seen and valued.”
Myisha Cherry
Human Emotions Expert | Director of Emotion and Society Lab | Philosopher and Acclaimed Author
Personal and organizational transformation doesn't rely on individual effort alone but on communal support and intervention. According to Myisha Cherry, flawed interpretations of resilience are a key example of the setbacks that can result from over-emphasizing individual effort. Today, resilience is often reduced to bouncing back from setbacks, managing stress, and pushing forward. But ‘authentic resilience’ is more than endurance—it is a deeply rooted strength that allows individuals and organizations to navigate challenges with integrity, wisdom, and purpose. We’re meant to cultivate community values like authentic resilience together.