As an Olympic figure skater, Debi Thomas won a bronze medal in 1988, was crowned skating’s World Champion in 1986 and won the U.S. National Championship title in 1986 and 1988. She went on to capture three World Professional skating titles and become a frequent headliner in shows and tours, skating for four years with the Discover Card “Stars on Ice” cast. Thomas was the first and only African American… Read More

Throughout her entire career, Tyra Banks has broken barriers and smashed glass ceilings. Despite hearing the words “You can’t” time and time again, she became an iconic model, television star, and accomplished entrepreneur who now urges young women to seize control of their destinies and work fearlessly towards their dreams. When Tyra began to pursue modeling, numerous agencies and designers turned her done for the color of her skin. Nevertheless,… Read More

Gifted and eloquent, actress Angela Bassett has captivated audiences with her strong performances for decades, building a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses for her portrayals of assertive female characters often based on real-life figures. Her talent and high criteria for choosing roles has garnered her more than 50 award nominations from various entertainment organizations. Bassett began to contemplate acting as a career choice after seeing James Earl… Read More

In the past 30 years, LeVar Burton has done it all - from acting to directing and even producing. He has appeared in numerous television movies, films and television shows. Burton is probably best known for his roles as Kunta Kinte in the award-winning miniseries Roots, Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in the Star Trek franchise, as well as being the host and executive producer of the long-running PBS children's… Read More

It's all about the “Breakthrough Mentality": using it, Vernice “Fly Girl" Armour flew from beat cop to Marine Corps pilot in just three years and on the way became the USMC's first African American female pilot, then their first African American Female Combat Pilot. This might seem, and indeed is, a unique achievement, but after you've listened to Vernice and her inspirational “Zero to Breakthrough" flight-plan strategy you'll realize that… Read More

Winner of the Hayek Lifetime Achievement award and named by TIME magazine as one of its “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Dr. Dambisa Moyo is an economist with an unrivalled knowledge of international business and global affairs. She is CEO and founder of the Mildstorm Group, a boutique firm providing investment strategies for its clients. She is also a board member at Barclays bank, SAB Miller and Barrick… Read More

Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Dr. Sampson Davis was surrounded by poverty, broken families and drug-related crime. He managed to walk the tightrope between being smart and socially acceptable in a rough neighborhood, and he and two childhood friends made a pact that they would all become medical doctors. They all achieved their dream, and Dr. Davis is now a board certified Emergency Medicine Physician. As well as following… Read More

One of the most quoted and prolific actors of our time, Samuel L. Jackson has rewritten African Americans’ place in Hollywood through his unforgettable portrayals of strong intelligent characters. From Jules in Pulp Fiction to Marvel’s Nick Fury, Jackson has made permanent marks in pop culture with multiple roles. As a boy, he was afflicted with a debilitating stutter, and initially took up acting only at the urging of his… Read More

America’s Number One Crisis Management Expert Judy A. Smith is the founder and President of Smith and Company, a leading strategic and crisis communications firm with offices in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Over the last 25 years, Ms. Smith has brought her unique combination of communication skills, media savvy, legal and political acumen to clients facing a wide array of issues and challenges throughout the United States and abroad.… Read More

A passionate believer in equality, as befits a biracial, bicultural and bilingual citizen of the world, Dr. Samuel Betances challenges his audiences to embrace diversity and to work as a team for a better future. His specialty, whether working on women's issues, African-American history month, Hispanic events or the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, is to challenge negative mindsets and offer the solutions for transforming them. Dr. Betances… Read More