Elissa Lee Yancey, MS Ed, was born and raised in Norwood, Ohio, the daughter of an Appalachian migrant who was a masterful storyteller. She is a journalist and educator who has spent more than three decades listening to and sharing people’s stories. She co-founded two story-driven nonprofits—Word Play Cincy and A Picture’s Worth, the latter of which connects individuals and communities via audio stories and in-person installations. She blends her expertise as an educator with her passion for equity and the power of complicated narratives in projects for The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Poynter, the global leader in journalism.
Tracey DuEst is the Associate Director at Xavier University’s Office of Institutional Diversity &Inclusion where she leads and facilitates professional development workshops, oversees the Supplier Diversity program, and coordinates ADA initiatives. With over 15 years of experience teaching and facilitating workshops, time as a diversity and inclusion consultant for Tri-Health and several Greater Cincinnati K-12 schools, and a Masters in Humane Education, Tracey believes that self-love is her ministry, and that transforming from the inside-out will continue to lead to a more compassionate world. Her children, Trey and Tera, are her most significant teachers and one of the reasons why she has dedicated her life to being on the cultural proficiency journey.
|
Cammie Combs-Montgomery grew up in Lincoln Heights, Ohio. She always dreamed she would become a teacher and have her own school. That dream became a reality after earning her bachelor’s degree from Central State University and her master’s from Xavier University. She taught in Cincinnati for 20 years and has been an administrator for 12, currently serving as the principal of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. Cammie loves the feeling of teaching someone something new and the joy that comes from knowing you made a difference. She is a Diamond Life member and Past President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter, and she currently serves on the board of the Cincinnati Squash Academy and The Delta Gateway Foundation
|
Delores Hargrove-Young is Vice Chairwoman for D.E. Foxx & Associates, Inc., where she drives the structure that facilitates the success of the organization's strategic initiatives. Prior to stepping into this role, she was President & COO of XLC Services, LLC, a single-source provider of manufacturing services, warehouse management solutions, distribution services, and R&D services. Delores was one of XLC’s key founders in 1986, and was responsible for business operations in fourteen states. The company boasts strategic alliances with Fortune500 corporations nationwide and an impressive portfolio of successful case studies and has received numerous awards.
|
Anne Cushing-Reid advocates for and supports arts education and community engagement wherever she is. A trained violist, Cushing-Reid holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Education from Mount St. Joseph University. She became the first Director of Engagement at University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music in 2014. For more than 25 years, she worked for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra innumerous positions, culminating in her appointment as Senior Director of Community Engagement & Learning. Cushing-Reid is a member of numerous community arts and education associations and boards, including the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, and is a founding member of the Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education.
|
Geneva Watkins Miller has worked in ministry for over 40 years. She is Pastor of The Way Community Church serving with her husband Stefan Miller where they work to bridge the church and the community. Miller received her Certificate in Religious Studies in May 2015 from the University of Cincinnati, and in April 2017 she became the first recipient of UC’s Certificate in Biblical Studies and Judaic Studies. In September 2018 Geneva launched GW Miller Ministries as another platform to teach and share the Word of God. She was the 2019 recipient of the Phi Delta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.’s Hidden Figures Award and has served as a member of the UC Black Women on the Move Executive Team.
|
Andrea Taylor is currently a homicide detective for the city of Cincinnati. In her 23 years of experience, she has also served as a resource officer for Cincinnati Public Schools, from which she is an alumna. After graduating from the Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education in 1989, she went on to play college basketball for Northeastern Oklahoma and the University of Cincinnati and later received her BA from Xavier University. Her involvement in the community
is extensive, from aiding in inner city youth camps, coaching basketball at Bloom Junior High School, to her passion for bringing awareness to the families impacted by homicide. |
Quiera—also known as Q--is the founder of the Black Dance Is Beautiful festival. She currently serves on the Duncanson Executive Committee at the Taft Museum of Art and is the co-chair of Multicultural Awareness Council at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Quiera has focused on strengthening community engagements through the arts by leading fundraising and outreach efforts for organizations like the Bi-Okoto Drum and Dance Theatre, Carmel Presbyterian church, Taft Museum of Art, and more. For 20 years, Quiera has been a member of Carmel Presbyterian, where she has organized cultural excursions for church members, including trips to the Bill Pickett Black Rodeo, “Ebony on Ice," and Ailey II.
|
Sheila Holmes Howard has been a resident of Avondale since 2003. In her time with the community, Howard has used her expertise and experience as a realtor to help others achieve their "American Dream." She has received the honor of Avondale Community Leader &Resident of the Year, the 2016 Nefertiti Award, an At Home with Diversity National Certification, and many more recognitions. She spent 12 years, as a Board member, with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati, and currently serves as the Board Secretary of Avondale Community Council and as President of Avondale's Avenue District Block Club. In 2019 the Block Club hosted a Thanksgiving Food Drive that provided 1,000 food bags and turkeys for the Avondale Community
|
Bernadette Watson has been in administration for over 40 years. Her experience ranges from serving as President of Cincinnati Avondale Community Council, to working as Chief of Staff for Mayor Charlie Luken. She was the first African American to serve as Chief of Staff to a directly elected mayor. Prior to her experience in public service, Watson spent 15 years in the mental health field and assisted in the development of the Taft Psychiatric Associates, a private practice of Dr. Emmett Cooper. In 2010, she served as Partnership Specialist Team Leader for the U.S. Census Bureau, and in 2012 she experienced one of her proudest moments in her long public service career: acting as Southwest Ohio Regional Political Director for the 2012Presidential Campaign, Organizing for America, which aided in the re-election of President Barrack Obama.
|
Robert Harris contracted meningitis at 8 months old, which left him permanently paralyzed in both legs and his left hand. He began championing inclusion at a young age, fighting to continue his education, and ultimately making his way to an art academy. He has become an accomplished artist and his painting "Skyline" is part of the Cincinnati Bell art collection. Harris has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Victory Award from former First Lady Barbara Bush, the Ohio Humanitarian Award in Employment Equality, and the Maurice McCraken Award for Peace and Justice. He is very active in the community and has been involved in countless boards and committees, currently serving as a member of the Community Advisory Committee of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and President of the Board of Directors for the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission
|
Reverend Regina Johnson Phillips is an ordained minister who has spent many years serving as Regional Coordinator for Prison Fellowship Ministry in the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana penal systems for maximum security facilities. A sought-out Bible teacher, she has taught across the USA, Israel, and Africa. Phillips is the founder and Executive Director of the Oasis Center for Families and Children, an outreach ministry whose school of protocol for elementary aged children is to promote efforts of “stopping the pipeline to prison”. She is the recipient of many awards, including Butler County YWCA Outstanding Woman of Achievement and Wyoming, Ohio Citizen of the Year Award.
|
|
|
Listen to Dada Rafiki Conversations: Episode 1
DADA RAFIKI: CONVERSATIONS PODCAST-
Hosted by Annie Ruth and produced at Timeless Recording Studios -
As the Dada Rafiki events continue to transform Cincinnati, Annie Ruth is taking her inspiration and voice to national and global airwaves with the Dada Rafiki: Conversations Podcast. If you've ever been inspired by this sister's words in poetry, song and spoken word then you don't want to miss an episode. Search for “Dada Rafiki Conversations” wherever you listen to podcasts including our home base at BuzzSprout. You can also find the Dada Rafiki Conversations podcast at Apple podcast, Spotify, Google podcast, Stitcher, I-heart radio, Tunein, Overcast, Pocket cast, Castro, Castbox and Podchaser.
DADA RAFIKI: CONVERSATIONS PODCAST-
Hosted by Annie Ruth and produced at Timeless Recording Studios -
As the Dada Rafiki events continue to transform Cincinnati, Annie Ruth is taking her inspiration and voice to national and global airwaves with the Dada Rafiki: Conversations Podcast. If you've ever been inspired by this sister's words in poetry, song and spoken word then you don't want to miss an episode. Search for “Dada Rafiki Conversations” wherever you listen to podcasts including our home base at BuzzSprout. You can also find the Dada Rafiki Conversations podcast at Apple podcast, Spotify, Google podcast, Stitcher, I-heart radio, Tunein, Overcast, Pocket cast, Castro, Castbox and Podchaser.
Special thanks to our Season One sponsor. If you are interested in recording your podcast or next music project, call them at (513)655-5665 or visit their website at https://www.timelessrecordingstudio.com/ Tell them Annie Ruth sent you!