Social, Community & Cultural Issues
Child Abuse/Welfare
Child Abuse/Welfare:
Domestic Violence Activist, Actor & Author
Born in Cuba, Rivers came to the US at the age of two, endured horrific child abuse and witnessed domestic violence at the hands of his father, which he chronicles in his bestseller, A Private Family Matter.
Human-Centered Thought Leader, Bestselling Author & Founder & CEO, The Lighthouse Academy
Steve Pemberton is a visionary human-centered thought leader and the Founder and CEO of The Lighthouse Academy.
Abuse & Homelessness Survivor, Author of CinderGirl
Empowering others with her inspiring life story, Christina Meredith survived sexual, mental and emotional abuse, incest, trauma, aging out of foster care, poverty and homelessness to forge a life committed to helping others.
Motivator & Singer-Songwriter
Made famous by The Glee Project, Mario Arnauz Bonds overcame a childhood marked by blindness, abuse, and abandonment to become a sought-after motivational speaker and singer-songwriter.
Best-Selling Author & Screenwriter
Antwone Fisher is the screenwriter and real-life subject of the Hollywood hit Antwone Fisher, directed by Denzel Washington. The film tells the story of his childhood at the hands of the foster care system.
Activist & Expert on Violence
Speaker William Kellibrew IV is an international advocate for civil, human, women, children, and victims' rights who speaks about violence, trauma, trauma-informed care, and children exposed to violence.
Author & Therapist
Co-author of Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence, Robin Karr-Morse helps provide parents with developmental knowledge for raising emotionally competent children from conception to adolescence.
Social Worker, Activist & Author
The eldest child of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, Maryum is a social worker dedicated to delinquency and gang prevention. She is also a spokesperson for The Parkinson’s Unity Walk.