Friday Keynote Speaker
Jasiri X
Emcee and community activist Jasiri X is the creative force and artist behind the ground breaking internet news series, This Week with Jasiri X, which has garnered critical acclaim, thousands of subscribers, and millions of internet views. His videos have been featured on websites as diverse as Allhiphop.com and The Huffington Post and Jasiri has been a guest on BET Rap City, The Michael Baisden Show, Free Speech TV, Left of Black, and Russia Today.
A six time Pittsburgh Hip-Hop Award winner, Jasiri recently became the first Hip-Hop artist to receive the coveted August Wilson Center for African American Culture Fellowship. A founding member of the anti-violence group One Hood, Jasiri started the New Media Academy to teach young African-American boys how to analyze and create media for themselves.
Jasiri X signed a record deal with Wandering Worx Entertainment and is currently working on his album, Ascension with acclaimed producer Rel!g!on.
Saturday Keynote Speaker
Steve Hightower
Since 1957 the Hightower Family has continued to operate as a privately held corporation in various business endeavors. In 1984 Steve Hightower started Hightowers Petroleum Co. (HPC) as a licensed Motor Fuel Dealer. With foresight and continuing innovation, HPC developed a “Virtual Market Place” throughout the United States with the ability to provide gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, lubricants, oils and greases nationally.
HPC’s customer base includes Ford Motor Company, Duke Energy, Progress Energy, General Motors Corporation, General Mills, Waste Management, The Kroger Company, UPS, AK Steel Corporation, Halluburton, FedEx, Border States, University of Miami, Mashuda Corporation, Midwest Cars, The State of Ohio, Columbus Airport Car Rental Companies, Honda/TRC and many others.
Steve has remained active in the international community since 1984, primarily in Nigeria. HPC maintains relationships with most of the major oil companies in the U.S. continuing to be a leader in the industry while providing value to their customers.
HPC, through the leadership of Steve Hightower, continues to provide its customers with unique processes and has built a supply chain that “Exceeds Expectations” while “Fueling America’s Petroleum Needs” one customer at a time!
Past Conference Speakers
Minister Ishmael R. Muhammad
Minister Ishmael R. Muhammad was born on June 21, 1964 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to the Leader of the Nation of Islam, The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and to writer, lecturer, designer and composer, Tynnetta Muhammad. Minister Ishmael enjoys the distinct honor and privilege of serving as The Assistant Minister to The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam’s Headquarters in Chicago.
As one of Minster Farrakhan’s trusted and able helpers, he is influential in the Nation of Islam’s leadership structure and ministry. Minister Ishmael’s extensive background in Quranic and Biblical Scriptures has afforded his audiences the opportunity to examine man’s connection, duty and future as it relates to God. His love for the human family has given him the ability to transcend the ethnic, racial and spiritual barriers that have historically divided the people of the world. Minister Ishmael’s spirited, thought-provoking lectures have inspired thousands.
Minister Ishmael is a skilled organizer and served as one of the principal coordinators of the Historic Million Man March that drew over a million Black men to Washington, D.C... He has been instrumental in the planning and organizing of events and conferences throughout the United States and has been featured in local, national and international print and broadcast media.
Minister Ishmael has taken great pride in his ability to successfully counsel conflict resolution, domestic issues, child abuse, interpersonal relations and other areas. An extremely gifted and capable speaker, Minister Ishmael has lectured in churches, prisons, and on a number of college campuses. His diverse background, coupled with his compelling and passionate deliveries are sure to positively touch anyone who hears him speak.
Minster Ishmael is a world traveler whose travels have taken him to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jerusalem, Pakistan, West Africa, Europe, New Zealand and South America. Minister Ishmael resided and studied in Cuernavaca, Mexico for 17 years. He is bilingual, speaking both fluent Spanish and English.
Loving husband and father of seven; Devoted family man; Dedicated Minister and Student of life; Servant of the people… Minister Ishmael R. Muhammad stands as a fine example and role model for black men and women everywhere and as an outstanding spokesman for the upliftment of Black people throughout the world in the new millennium.
Mark Baker
Mark Baker is a native of Dayton, Ohio, and is widely known for his skills on the basketball court. He led his high school team, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, to a state championship and received numerous accolades such as: All City and All Area Player of the Year, The McDonald’s All American Team, and several other awards. After high school, Mark led the Ohio State University Buckeyes to two back-to-back Big Ten Championships in 1991 and 1992 and he went on to play in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors. He spent 3 years as Head Varsity Basketball Coach at Trotwood Madison High School in Trotwood Ohio where he led his teams to 3 GWOC North Titles and an overall record of 57-13. He also was named League-Coach of The Year 3 consecutive years.
Mark Baker a passionate and gifted man who shares his time and God-given talents in a variety of ways. As the President of Mark Baker & Associates, his focus is centered on youth development. He also serves as the Resource Development Manager with the Montgomery County Mentoring Collaborative where he applies his knowledge of what it means to both need a mentor and be a mentor. He has a B.S. in Business Management.
Having founded The Mark Baker Foundation for Youth, Mark is determined to help meet the need for mentors. The foundation has sponsored an annual “Our Father Who Art In Heaven” basketball camp for the past 11 years that has served over 5,000 youth from ages 8 to 14 years. The camp includes a scholarship fund Mark developed that provides financial assistance to students for school supplies, tuition, or uniforms. He was recognized by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity with a Community Service Award for his work with youth in the Dayton community. He also received a “Top Ten African American Male Award” in 2007 from Parity Inc. He is a highly sought after guest speaker for youth and social service organizations throughout the country. Mark has served on several Boards throughout the Greater Dayton community. Mark is married to National Gospel Recording Artist-Tonya Baker and has three beautiful children Tavion, Shayla and Naomi.
Tyrone White
Tyrone gives over 200 keynote, retreat, and training presentations every year. He has spoken to groups of 30 to over 3000. Coach Ty has been consistently recognized as a well-respected, highly sought after expert on elevating young people and adults to live a winning lifestyle. He motivates the listener and provides tools to move from “stuck in a rut” to success. He works with professional athletes, Olympic world record holders, organizations, businesses, colleges, parents groups, and youths. He has coached football for Cleveland Saint Ignatius High School for 15 years and has worked in various capacities as an educator. People that attend his sessions say he delivers with a punch and he delivers every time in his public appearances.
Tyrone’s passion for helping people win in life stems from the agony he experienced when his single-parent mother suffered from a workplace injury that left her paralyzed and depressed. Feeling aimless and alone in this experience, he quit the football team where he was a division I scholarship athlete at West Virginia University. During his short separation from the team, he gained a moment of clarity through his faith in God. Refusing to settle for less, he embraced his family’s struggle, helped his mother and sister, and then went on to become the first in his family to graduate from college. He was recognized by WVU President Gordon Gee, WVU student leaders, city government leaders, Morgantown West Virginia civic leaders, and the West Virginia Secretary of State in his college town by having a day named in his honor for making the difference in the community through service and not giving up.
His experience in helping communities and teaching adults and young people, makes him uniquely qualified to help people move from adversity to achievement.
Tyrone will speak on Saturday, April 9, at 1:00 p.m. on creating opportunities in the global marketplace at the click of a button.
David Lawrence
David Lawrence has spent the last 15 years as an educator. He received an undergraduate degree in 1991 from the University of Cincinnati majoring in business administration with a concentration in finance and accounting, his Ohio teacher's license in 1996, and a master's degree in educational leadership from Wright State University in 2006. Currently, he is the principal of Thurgood Marshall High School in Dayton, Ohio. He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Alpha Alpha Chapter.
All of his educational and professional accomplishments aside, the most important piece of information he’d like to convey is his unyielding philosophical attack on the existing social order. "It is clear, given the current tumult and protest in the Middle East, North Africa, and Wisconsin, that some existing social issues will need to be resolved through political education, organization, and action", he says. Join us to see what this controversial leader has to say.
He will speak on Friday, April 8 at 11:00 a.m. on black males: collateral damage in the educational system.
Tommie Lewis
Tommie Lewis is the President and CEO of Make It Plain Consulting, LLC. Tommie is an accomplished motivational speaker, facilitator and personal development coach. He has facilitated workshops in Conflict Resolutions, Diversity & Leadership Management, Personal Branding and Emotional Intelligence and Diversity across the world.
Lewis has offered leadership and diversity consultancy to corporate clients such as Toyota Motor Sales, GE Consumer Finance, American Modern Insurance, City of Cincinnati Leadership Institute, Alabama Cooperative Extensive System and Leadership Nashville. He is a highly sought-after facilitator and speaker for academic clients such as Vanderbilt University, Morehouse College, University of Dayton, University of Cincinnati, Wilberforce College and Thomas More College and numerous Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee secondary school districts and leadership conferences across the U.S.
Tommie holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Africana Studies from Tennessee State University. He also earned certification in Egyptology and African Deep Thought from the University of Chicago, International & Cross-Cultural Management from the University of Houston and Emotional Intelligence and Diversity from the Emotional Intelligence and Diversity Institute (UCLA). He has also completed the Coaching Across Cultures executive coaching seminar in Rome, Italy with Master Coach, Philippe Rosinski.