Speakers
Kombii Nanjalah
Ms. Nanjalah is the founder of the Mashujaa Black History Month Celebration. She is also the founder and executive member of Great Lakes Networking Society of BC.
Councillor
Jean Swanson
Councillor Swanson is a councillor for the city of Vancouver and an inductee into the Order of Canada. She is an anti-poverty advocate, writer and activist.
Dacious Richardson
Mr. Richardson is a native Liberian who grew up during the second Liberian civil war. Escaping to Canada as a refugee, he found success as a wrestler in high school and later became a coach, community organizer in Surrey, BC, and the Vice President of Communities of Great Vancouver.
Councillor
Trish Mandewo
Councillor Mandewo is a councillor for the city of Coquitlam. She is also an award winning entrepreneur, speaker and author of her new book - Elephant Soup for the Hungry Entrepreneur. She is the Co-Founder of Women's Collaborative Hub Society and principle in her own consulting company which focuses on culture, diversity and organizational effectiveness. She has won numerous awards including the 2017 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant and she is a recipient of 150 Sesquicentennial pin for leadership. Councillor Mandewo believes that "true empowerment is when one seeks to empower and inspire others so that they in turn, can touch the lives of others." She believes that community building is the epitome of social change.
Catherine Akoto
Ms. Akoto runs an orphanage and in Kenya and she is an advocate for young girls faced with FGM. She is also an entrepreneur who runs her own clothing business.
Dr. Samuel Nashon
Dr. Nashon is the Head for UBC's Department of Science Education. He is a science educator, researcher and writer.