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Be a part of a legacy cultivating future leaders and entrepreneurs to create a pipeline of diverse talent that will shift the culture of the tech sector.

Join Dream Corps TECH for 3 days of customized panels, forums and lifestyle events that celebrates culture, community and innovation. 

Main event activations at the Miami Beach Convention Center

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About The Event

Black Future Weekend is Dream Corps TECH’s annual conference to convene thought leaders, influencers, subject matter experts and the community for an interactive experience to prepare the Black Diaspora for the technologically heightened future.

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Meet the Speakers & Guests

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Van Jones
Co-Founder, Dream Corps TECH
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Hill Harper
Actor, Author, & Founder of The Black Walls Street App
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Felecia Hatcher
CEO, Black Ambition
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Ruben Harris
CEO, Career Karma
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Tanya Sam
Founder of The Ambition Fund, Host of the Money Moves podcast powered by Greenwood
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Dr. Jacquie
TV & Media Expert, Youth Advocate, CEO of ReCapturing the Vision
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Jay Morrison
Investor, Realtor, TV Personality, Author, Founder of The Tulsa Real Estate Fund
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Ernestine Johnson Morrison
Actress, Poet, Entrepreneur
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Najah Roberts
Cryptocurrency Educator, Radio Talk Show Host, Chief Visionary Officer of Crypto Blockchain Plug
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Armando Pantoja
Crypto Expert, FinTech Entrepreneur, IBM Blockchain Award Winner
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Bilal Little
Financial Literacy Philanthropist, Founder, THE MONEY STANDARD ™
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Kai Frazier
Founder & CEO, KaiXR
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Jeanine Suah
X in Residence, Brex
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Evette Ellis
Co-Founder & Chief Workforce Officer, ChargerHelp!
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Army Armstead
Executive Director And Founding Member Of Emergent Works
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Dr. Shelley Francis
Managing Partner & Co-Founder of EVHybridNoire
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Sharlea Brookes
Chief Operating Officer, Modern BLK Girl
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Lisa Francoeur
CEO of Fancyfied & Co-Founder of Crypto Tutors
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Captain Barrington Irving
Guinness World Record Holding Aircraft Pilot, TEDx Speaker, National Geographic Explorer, STEM+ Educator & Innovator
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Dexter Turner
CEO, OpConnect
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Brandon Timmone
Director of Fraud Strategy, Stash
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HipHopGamer
Gaming Media Personality, Host, Journalist. OFFICIAL PARTNER WITH HOT97 #1 Radio Station In The Country, Logitech G
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Brian Santos
Chief Operating Officer, Fly Air, Inc.
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Andre Washington
Software Engineer in Product Engineering, Target Tech and Dream Corps TECH Alum
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Rhema Dapaah
Entrepreneur, Software Engineer, and Dream Corps TECH Alum
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DJ Irie
A&R, DJ, Official DJ of the Orange Blossom Classic
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DJ Tight
A&R, DJ, Official DJ of the Orange Blossom Classic
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DJ Luna
DJ, Artist for Wale’s EveryBlueMoon collective
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DJ SNDMN
DJ, Artist, Producer
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Paperwater
Artists, Band
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Kasheef Wyzard
National Programming Initiatives Director
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Edilah Jordan
Deputy Program Director, Dream Corps TECH
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CeCe Grant
Campaign Director, Dream Corps Green For All
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Tem Blessed
Hip Hop Artist, Activist, Author of Planeta Blu - Rise of Agoo, Arts and Culture Organizer at Dream Corps
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Thank you to our network of Corporate and Community Partners who value the earnest work of increasing tech equity in order to create an inclusive future with unlimited opportunity for all.

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Van Jones

Co-Founder, Dream Corps TECH

Van Jones is a CNN host, political commentator, Emmy Award-winning producer, and New York Times best-selling author. Van has also found success as a social entrepreneur, having founded and led many thriving enterprises including the REFORM Alliance, Color of Change, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and the Dream Corps, which works to close prison doors and open doors of opportunity in the green and tech economies. 

In 2009, as the Green Jobs Advisor to the Obama White House, Jones oversaw an $80 billion dollar investment in clean energy jobs. 

Jones was the main advocate for the Green Jobs Act. Signed into law by George W. Bush in 2007, the Green Jobs Act was the first piece of federal legislation to codify the term “green jobs.” During the Obama Administration, the legislation has resulted in $500 million in national funding for green jobs training.

Jones has stewarded several bipartisan legislative and advocacy efforts, racking up wins under the last four US Presidents: Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. Jones’ most recent victory was advocating successfully for the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, which the New York Times calls the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation.

A Yale educated attorney, Jones has won numerous awards, including the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leader” designation, Rolling Stone’s 2012 “12 Leaders Who Get Things Done”, TIME’s 2009 “100 Most Influential People in The World”, the 2010 NAACP Image Award, a 2017 WEBBY Special Achievement Award, a 2019 Lumiere Award and a 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.

In 2009, as the Green Jobs Advisor to the Obama White House, Jones oversaw an $80 billion dollar investment in clean energy jobs. 

Jones was the main advocate for the Green Jobs Act. Signed into law by George W. Bush in 2007, the Green Jobs Act was the first piece of federal legislation to codify the term “green jobs.” During the Obama Administration, the legislation has resulted in $500 million in national funding for green jobs training.

Jones has stewarded several bipartisan legislative and advocacy efforts, racking up wins under the last four US Presidents: Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. Jones’ most recent victory was advocating successfully for the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, which the New York Times calls the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation.

A Yale educated attorney, Jones has won numerous awards, including the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leader” designation, Rolling Stone’s 2012 “12 Leaders Who Get Things Done”, TIME’s 2009 “100 Most Influential People in The World”, the 2010 NAACP Image Award, a 2017 WEBBY Special Achievement Award, a 2019 Lumiere Award and a 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program. 

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Hill Harper

Actor, Author, Founder of The Black Walls Street App

Hill Harper is a humanitarian, an award-winning actor, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. Currently, Harper stars in ABC’s #1 television drama, The Good Doctor, and has starred in numerous television and film projects including CSI:NY, He Got Game and Lackawanna Blues.

Harper is the Founder and Chairman of The Black Wall Street Digital App and Wallet, is on the Board of Directors, National Black Bank Fund, named Honorary National Co-Chair of the Redevelopment of Black Wall Street, Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, and served on the President’s Cancer Panel having been appointed by President Obama in 2011.

Additionally, Harper has authored four New York Times bestsellers: Letters to a Young Brother, Letters to a Young Sister, Letters to an Incarcerated Brother, The Conversation and his award-winning book, The Wealth Cure. that addresses ways to solve the racial wealth gap. Letters to a Young Brother also won several awards and was named “Best Book for Young Adults” by the American Library Association in 2007. Harper has been recognized with seven NAACP Image Awards, four of them for his writing. He is the founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship and grant programs; and has established The Pierce and Hill Harper Arts Foundation.

Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and was named Valedictorian of his department. Harper then graduated with a J.D. (cum laude) from Harvard Law School, as well as with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, with honors, from the Kennedy School of Government. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from Howard University, Winston-Salem State University, Cheyney University, Le-Moyne Owen College, Westfield State College, Dillard University and Tougaloo College.

As an investor and business owner, Harper is co-owner of the award-winning New Orleans hotel, International House, a successful coffee franchise in downtown Detroit called The Roasting Plant, and will be opening The Harper (Arts Museum) in Detroit in 2022. Harper owns several commercial and residential rental properties in Los Angeles and Newark, NJ. His passion for business, financial literacy, and social & economic justice keeps him on the forefront and in-demand as a speaker worldwide. In 2004 and 2014, People Magazine named him one of their Sexiest Men Alive…he anticipates being named again in 2024!

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Ruben Harris

CEO, Career Karma

Ruben Harris is a Bay Area transplant from Atlanta, Georgia where he served as an Advisor for Forge and organized Atlanta’s first Healthcare Hackathon.

Over the past couple of years, Ruben has worked with academics, organizers, politicians, and union leaders at Hustle, Honor and AltSchool focused on improving their personalized outreach, healthcare and education. Ruben began his technology career working in Partnerships and Sales after writing a viral blog post called Breaking Into Startups about how he moved to San Francisco without a job and landed a position 3 weeks later.

After receiving thousands of e-mails asking how to break into tech, Ruben Co-Founded the Breaking Into Startups Podcast to demystify the process, resulting in a social media reach of ~3 million people, 200,000+ downloads, 10,000+ website visits per month, over 100+ reviews on iTunes, a Facebook Community of 10,000+ people, and invitations to be a Contributor for TechCrunch and Black Enterprise.

Prior to working in tech, Ruben worked as an Investment Banker focused on Food, Consumer, and Retail companies in Chicago and Atlanta. As a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, he recruited others to focus on issues related to food security, climate change, and agriculture. In 2010, Ruben worked on operational improvements for Senior Living Communities after completing a double major in Business Administration and Music. During college, Ruben organized 50+ events for non-profits, athletes, and celebrities including Tyrese, Kim Kardashian, and Jay-Z.

Ruben has been playing the cello for ~25 years, taught music, performed in venues all over the world – including Carnegie Hall, and landed placements from Def Jam.

He is also an active member of the NAACP.

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Tanya Sam

Founder of The Ambition Fund, Host of the Money Moves podcast powered by Greenwood

Tanya Sam is a tech-savvy investor that has made it her mission to empower the next generation of women and minority entrepreneurs through education and access to capital.

She is the founder of The Ambition Fund, is an investment company focused on funding businesses founded by women and minority entrepreneurs. The Ambition Fund aims to democratize access to investment capital, business funding, and mentorship.

She is utilizing her unique breadth of experience and engaging personality to educate and onboard individuals and corporations, into the Web3 and NFT space, through creating in-person on-boarding events and by speaking on digital and physical stages around the world.

Currently, Tanya is the host of the Money Moves podcast powered by Greenwood. Money Moves is a financial literacy podcast dedicated to empowering black and brown communities to end the wealth gap by providing financial planning tips with guests sharing their successes and how they balance the ‘money move’s behind their names and businesses. She is also the host of a tv docu-reality series Making of a Mogul. Launching in Fall 2022, this series is dedicated to highlighting successful entrepreneurs in the Black, Brown and Latin communities.

She also appeared on the hit Bravo TV show The Real Housewives of Atlanta and serves on the Board of Directors for Kate’s Club, a non-profit organization that empowers children that have experienced the death of a parent or sibling.

As the Director of Partnerships at TechSquare Labs, Tanya has mentored over 60 companies with women and minority founders and helped invest in over 50 companies that have generated a total of over $100 million in revenue. She also Co-leads the Ascend 2020 Atlanta program that supports minority and female founders and Co-founded BuiltxWomen, a business accelerator for female entrepreneurs.

Prior to joining the technology industry, Tanya served as an Oncology nurse practitioner at Northside Hospital, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and more. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Cell Biology from McGill University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Toronto.

She serves on the Board of Directors for Kate’s Club, a non-profit organization that empowers children that have experienced the death of a parent or sibling.

Tanya is a native of Toronto, Canada, and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She also appeared on the hit Bravo TV show The Real Housewives of Atlanta for three seasons.

She loves reading, running, spinning and all things Web3, crypto & NFTs.

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Jay Morrison

Investor, Realtor, TV Personality, Author, Founder of The Tulsa Real Estate Fund

Mr. Jay Morrison is a well-known entrepreneur, best-selling author, speaker, educator, and economic activist. One of his most notable achievements; being the founder of the largest Black-Owned real estate crowdfund in American History, the Tulsa Real Estate Fund (TREF). With over 15,000 investors representing 22 different countries, the Tulsa Real Estate Fund has been making history since 2018 by actively investing millions of dollars in Black and Female owned developers and creating hundreds of jobs within just its first two years of operation. 

Mr. Morrison is considered by many to be the pioneer of financial education in the urban community. His passion for teaching financial literacy and homeownership has been consistent since his time at Sotheby’s International Realty as a celebrity realtor. From teaching inner-city students the fundamentals of financial literacy to becoming a real estate expert featured on NBC’s Today show, Mr. Morrison has taken great pride in his vision to promote the power of credit, homeownership, and family legacy by teaching strategies deemed only achievable by the “1%” rich. 

His commitment to educating the community has allowed him to teach his approach to financial empowerment on the street corners of 34 cities with his Corner Class initiatives, hosting over 65 classes nationwide. These efforts have come under the umbrella of the Jay Morrison Academy (JMA), which has educated nearly 500,000 students in 8 years. JMA has also been the Inc. 5,000 top 13 and top 10 educational company for two years. 

Mr. Morrison has recently partnered with his brother and protege Art Morrison III to carry on the legacy of JMA through a new strategic partnership and merger rebranded as Legacy Center University (LCU), which will partner with the Legacy Center to bring more financial literacy and real estate education to the masses more affordably, accessibly, and relatable. LCU will continue the legacy work and service Jay Morrison has given the real estate community for nearly 22 years and the African American community over the last decade. His vision will continue synergizing the comprehensive community repair ecosystem of the Tulsa real estate fund, legacy center, and the Morrison Group of Companies.

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Ernestine Johnson Morrison

Actress, Poet, Entrepreneur

Ernestine Johnson Morrison is an electrifying, energetically bold artist and compelling actress. Starting her acting career in Hollywood, California Ernestine began as a featured extra on major WB network shows. She hit the Big Screen for the first time in Think Like a Man Too starring Kevin Hart. Her recent T.V. credits include Queen Sugar and Ambitions on OWN, Shots Fired and 24 Legacy on the FOX network, and Broad City on Comedy Central. 

Ernestine is also infamous in the spoken word world for being uncensored and untamed on the microphone speaking on social issues and being a voice for women. She is one of this generation’s most viral poets. Her original spoken word piece “Average Black Girl” performed live on The Arsenio Hall Show broke the internet with over 40 million views. She followed up with “Red Bottoms” and a rendition of Beyoncé’s “Formation” that also took the internet by storm. Aside from her flourishing entertainment career, Ernestine is also an advocate for entrepreneurship, serving as the co-founder of The Legacy Center and CEO of Green Lit ATL. Continuing her journey, Ernestine resides in Atlanta Georgia relentlessly cultivating her career and changing the world one word at a time.

Najah Roberts

Cryptocurrency Educator, Radio Talk Show Host, Chief Visionary Officer of Crypto Blockchain Plug

Najah is the CEO and Chief Visionary Officer of the first African American owned brick and mortar cryptocurrency exchanges in the country -Crypto Blockchain Plug located in Inglewood, CA. She has spent 10+ years counseling thousands of inner-city youth, business professionals, athletes, and families in the cryptocurrency and financial education space. Najah strives to live a life of relevancy and purpose through service to others, and has quickly become a revered figure in online communities like Clubhouse. She has now expanded her reach by Creating Crypto Kids Camp, Co-Founding The Black Wall Street Wallet alongside Hill Harper, as well as Founding The Bitcoin Banq. She also does the Annual Digital Financial Revolution Tour, where she travels from city to city bringing Crypto Education to underserved communities across the country. A highly gifted motivational speaker, educator, philanthropist, and leader in her community, Najah has made it her personal goal through her social influence to change narratives, raise bars, and set standards.

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Kai Frazier

Founder & CEO, KaiXR

Kai Frazier is an educator turned EdTech entrepreneur passionate about using tech to provide opportunities for underestimated communities.

She is the founder & CEO of KaiXR, which uses Metaverse technologies to develop critical 21st century skills in students preparing them for a rapidly evolving future. Kai also serves as Global Child Safety & Education Adviser for the XR Safety Initiative, XRSI.

Her company is backed by Techstars & T-Mobile and has been featured in Forbes, NBC, the Steve Harvey Show & more.

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Jeanine Suah

X in Residence, Brex

Jeanine is a go-giving entrepreneur, and sociolinguist turned techie. Born to Jamaican parents, she prides herself on being a global citizen who speaks three languages, dances salsa and samba, and has shared meals with strangers in nearly 20 countries. Known as a super-connector, Jeanine lives by the credo, “Always give more in value than you receive in payment,” and trusts that genuine relationship-building and resilience are the keys to success.

On a personal mission to increase access to capital for underestimated founders by demystifying VC, Jeanine has impacted over 4,000 entrepreneurs in the last two years, and has been featured in Nasdaq, Business Insider, Cheddar TV, NBC, the Miami Herald, and on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine.

Jeanine is an avid ecosystem-builder and Miami tech advocate (aka “The Plug”) and has assumed that role through her work as an X in Residence at Brex, one of the world’s top fintech start-ups, a VC Scout at Florida Funders, and a Venture Partner at Wefunder.

Evette Ellis

Chief Workforce Officer and Co-Founder of ChargerHelp!

Evette Ellis is the Chief Workforce Officer and Co-Founder of ChargerHelp! ChargerHelp!’s app-based dispatch and deployment system solves the industry-wide problem of down electric vehicle charging stations by providing on-demand repairs and maintenance support from trained local workforces. With over fifteen years of stellar experience as an impactful and thought provoking workforce developer. Evette has championed businesses and empowering decision makers to develop opportunities that create equitable and prolonged change through the lens of workforce development. Prior to co-founding ChargerHelp! Evette devoted her skills and talents to working tirelessly for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps. She has perfected an effective methodology and mastered all aspects of workforce development through work based learning job development placement outreach and retention with a particular focus in minority workforce communities.Evette’s visionary perspective candor and passion have earned her a number of accolades as well as invitations to speak as a thought leader to cleantech sustainability and electric vehicle industry decision makers about better ways to do business how to close equity and training gaps finally how to increase access to good jobs. Evette envisions workforce development as part of the same fabric that makes a company lucrative and successful.

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Army Armstead

Executive Director and Founding Member of Emergent Works

Khalil “Army” Armstead is the Executive Director and a Founding Member of Emergent Works (EW) and has an impressive background in music and ministry. EW is a nonprofit software company that trains returning citizens and those impacted by the criminal legal system to build community programs and products to reduce the harm caused by and one-day end mass incarceration. Army is setting a new standard for how reentry work is done and is committed to extending access and opportunities that were provided to him as a mentee in EW’s inaugural mentorship program.

Army looks forward to carrying out the vision of EW, while also making sure to continue creating opportunities for communities impacted by mass incarceration including providing holistic support and trauma-informed care.

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Dr. Shelley Francis

Managing Partner & Co-Founder of EVHybridNoire

Dr. Shelley Francis, a former medical school faculty member, is a public health executive, tech entrepreneur, and transportation disruptor. Her vision led to the co-founding of the nation’s largest network of diverse EV drivers and enthusiasts, EVHybridNoire, a 501(c)3 Nonprofit with thousands of members and chapters across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. EVHybridNoire, is the first global, multicultural organization focused on increasing EV adoption and awareness in under-represented communities, particularly those most impacted by transportation emissions. 

 

Dr. Francis is also a co-founder and Managing Partner at EVNoire is a tech company focused on electric, connected, shared, and autonomous e-mobility solutions. EVNoire’s work focuses on two pillars: E-Mobility Best Practices and E-Mobility Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The EVNoire team specializes in providing business solutions to enhance electrification and decarbonization strategies for utilities, nonprofits, auto manufacturers, charging infrastructure manufacturers, municipalities, government agencies, public health organizations, and regional and national organizations, rideshare and delivery network companies to expand this market share. EVNoire also engages communities on workforce development opportunities in the alternative fuel/electric vehicle economy. 

 

Dr. Francis is frequently sought out for her expertise in E-Mobility and the public health impacts of transportation emissions; and has spoken at Roadmap, VERGE21, ETS, the Department of Energy, the American Bar Association, the American Lung Association, the Transportation Research Board, advised leadership at the Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, EPA and the White House to name a few. She is often featured in national news and journals and publications such as the Baltimore Sun, Columbus Times-Dispatch, Energy News, Forbes, and more. Dr. Francis has been recognized as one of the top Women in EVs ; she was also featured in the Progressive Change Institute’s report of the top 400 candidates recommended for the Biden-Harris Administration; and she was identified by movmi and Sandra Phillips as one of their top Mobility Leaders. Dr. Francis currently serves as a National Board Director for the Electric Vehicle Association.

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Captain Barrington Irving

Guinness World Record Holding Aircraft Pilot, TEDx Speaker, National Geographic Explorer, STEM+ Educator & Innovator

Driven by passion and purpose, Captain Barrington Irving is determined to help students everywhere soar by taking them on mind blowing science expeditions around the world! His Flying Classroom brings STEM+ learning to schools nationwide.  Students learn the science behind skydiving, ecosystems, digestive systems and so much more in over 55 STEM+ Expeditions.

 Captain Irving knows the value in opening the minds and possibilities of a young person. Born in Jamaica and growing up in Inner City Miami, the talented young athlete dreamt of becoming an NFL player till a chance encounter with a pilot introduced aviation to him. However, it was his high school social studies teacher, who he was far from his favorite teacher, reinforced the idea that aviation could be the beginning of his future in STEM+ that the idea really took root. That’s the power of purpose.  Even though it was an option that he had never considered, a fire was ignited in him that changed his course and he never looked back. By age 23, he became the youngest person ever and first black pilot to fly solo around the world in his plane “Inspiration,” which he built himself out of donated airplane parts.

Out of that experience, which is now in the Guinness book of World Records, Captain Irving grew his nonprofit Experience Aviation. Experience Aviation inspires inner city youth to consider careers in STEM+.

Captain IRVING believes any human being can reach their highest purpose through STEM+.

Always on the forefront of aviation, Captain Irving is currently preparing to fly the first transatlantic electric UBER AIR flight with a BETA technologies aircraft and is directing training programs for Bombardier, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of business jets.

The husband and father of 3, is working to create the kind of world his son and two daughters’ dreams can take flight in. He recently assisted relief efforts in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian and has visited over 55 countries around the world while spread his message of STEM innovation for all. 

The magna cum laude graduate of Florida Memorial University, Capt. Irving has been recognized by Congress acknowledging his pioneering work in Aviation Education and was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2010.

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Dexter Turner

CEO, OpConnect

Dexter is the Co-Founder and CEO of OpConnect, a payment processing and energy management platform for Electric Vehicle charging. The overall vision is to make the EV driving experience better by providing a mobile app that reserves a charging station, takes payment, and predicts how long it’ll take to charge while you grab a coffee. In 2008, Dexter Turner capitalized on his 17 years of Engineering and Software expertise by launching his own EV charging company, OpConnect. Dexter has a strong history of leading the electric transportation and software industry. He explores his strengths in Smart Grid, Systems Engineering, Software Design, and growing Early-stage Startups. He has been awarded 4 patents around EV charging and access control technology with 3 additional patent applications outstanding.
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Brandon Timmone

Director of Fraud Strategy, Stash

Brandon Timmone is the Director of Fraud Strategy at Stash, the industry-leading investing, banking, and education platform empowering everyday Americans to invest and build long-term wealth. In his role, Brandon oversees the Fraud strategy and roadmap to protect the business from financial loss, enhance user experience and accessibility, and enable the safe and rapid growth of the business. He also serves as the co-lead of the Stash Black Employee Resource Group (ERG) and is heavily involved in overall DEI efforts at the company.

Brandon has experience leading strategy and operations in both high-growth startups and the top Fortune 500 company. He has built mature Fraud and Payments programs, overseen cross-departmental M&A workstreams for multi-million dollar acquisitions and divestitures, and served as a strategic advisor to growing FinTech companies. His goal is always to “serve the underserved” – whether that is through mentoring and DEI initiatives or delivering on his current company’s mission.

Brandon has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Yale University, with a secondary concentration in Education.

HipHopGamer

Gaming Media Personality, Host, Journalist. OFFICIAL PARTNER WITH HOT97 #1 Radio Station In The Country, Logitech G

…

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Brian Santos

Chief Operating Officer, Fly Air, Inc.

Brian is the Chief Operating Officer at Fly Air Inc.; an AI-powered private aviation SaaS & IaaS solution, offering premium services for high-end travelers. Fly Air is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Throughout his career, Brian has donned many hats, working on web development, mobile app development, UI/UX wire-framing, illustrating concepts (static & video), branding exercises, crafting presentations, social media campaigns, and marketing new products. 

Brian began his career in tech in 2010 as a consultant for SupportSpace. There Brian worked with top brands in the industry as a tier-3 support agent assisting people with their computer problems. In 2011 Brian went on to found UpTweet, Twitters first and only social news engine. Brian achieved early success with UpTweet appearing in Entrepreneur, L’Atelier, Bitcoin Magazine, and several other notable media outlets.

Brian, later on, founded the Bitcoin Business Alliance, the crypto industry’s largest grassroots organization of thought leaders and c-level professionals. Brian has been a guest speaker & organizer at several industry events including Coin Agenda, NMTA VC3 Conference, Washington D.C. BTC Education Day (Digital Chamber), PnP Winter Expo, BTC Chicago, Ripple Challenge (Amsterdam), and more. Brian’s passion for emerging technologies and his entrepreneurial and executive background make him an indispensable leader in the space.

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Andre Washington

Software Engineer in Product Engineering, Target Tech and Dream Corps TECH Alum

Andre Washington is a Software Engineer in Product Engineering for Target Tech and a Dream Corps Tech Alum. After his time studying chemistry at Saint John’s University (Collegeville, MN), Andre tried working in a variety of industries including Restaurant, 3rd Party Logistics, and Automotive Sales. After recognizing the limitations in those industries, he decided to re-engage in his interest of computers and gaming. Dream Corps Tech provided an inroad for Andre to leverage his collaborative work style and natural ability to lead others thru complex programming and coding systems. After being in the tech field and with Target Tech for a year and a half, Andre is engaging in opportunities to spread the word about alternate paths to tech careers. Andre is also a chapter member for the Twin Cities chapter of the BUiLT organization.  When Andre is not providing solutions for Target, he is  a doting husband to Elizabeth and a loving father to Evangeline.

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DJ Tight

A&R, DJ, Official DJ of the Orange Blossom Classic

Strong Arm DJ, artist and vibe conductor, Tight is the man that encompasses all these titles and more. Born Antwan Grimes in the magic city of Miami, he first fell in love with hip hop as a teenager. Given the opportunity to earn some money, he worked as a young roadie for Too Fresh Entertainment, carrying crates, setting up equipment and running errands, allowing him the ability to work with and learn from legendary local DJs. Never intending to become a DJ himself, the draw of entertaining and building excitement for a record was far too enticing not to indulge and take more seriously.

Cutting his teeth DJing high school parties, proms and pep rallies, Tight transitioned to college house parties and weddings once he enrolled at Florida Memorial University. He has spent more than a decade perfecting his craft and becoming one of the most popular go-to DJs in South Florida. His musical vibrations and distinct voice can be heard rocking the hottest celebrity filled events in Miami to swaying international crowds. Tight has become a preferred DJ for the Mayor of Miami Gardens, Oliver Gilbert, having been personally chosen to play the famed Jazz in the Gardens festival, and events during Super Bowl Weekend. Additionally, his popularity and charm has contributed with him securing engagements such as the Mother’s Day and Memorial Weekend Comedy shows at the James L. Knight Center. 

Tight isn’t just an acclaimed DJ, but an artist with a successful, electrifying club anthem, (Dade County Dip, which features fellow party starter Cupid) who is continuing to expand his brand and become a household name!!!

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DJ SNDMN

DJ, Artist, Producer

Chicago Born, Miami Made

 

IN THE ERA OF FUNK, JAZZ, AND EVER SO POPULAR CHICAGO HOUSE, SNDMN ESTABLISHED A QUICK REPUTATION FOR HIS IRREPLACEABLE EAR FOR HARMONIC VOCALS AND BASS FILLED BEATS. SNDMN BEGAN HIS JOURNEY PLAYING WITH TURNTABLES FILLED WITH  MUSICAL PASSIONS OF RNB, HIP HOP, & DISCO TO FUNK, CLASSICAL ROCK & MOWTOWN. WITH GROWTH AND MATURITY, SNDMN ELEVATED HIS SPECTRUM OF MUSIC TO HOUSE EDM AND DRUM & BASS ALIKE. SNDMN’S LIMITLESS DRIVE CREATED PASSAGES IN  PRODUCTION IN MANY FACETS OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. PLAYING WITH THE LIKES OF JAMIE FOXX, SUGAR HILL GANG, JENNIFER LOPEZ, & LEBRON JAMES. SNDMN GAINED RESPECT IN AND OUT OF THE CORPORATE, AND NIGHTLIFE OF THE MIAMI SCENE, AS WELL AS CARIBBEAN AND EUROPE ALIKE. SNDMN’S HUMBLE YET PROFESSIONAL DEMEANOR HAS ALLOWED HIM TO BRANCH INTO PRODUCTION SUCH AS  EDM, HIP HOP, AND RNB. WITH CONSISTENT HARD WORK IN THE CLUB, AND IN THE STUDIO, MUSIC HAS NO LIMIT FOR THIS YOUNG STUDENT.

 

Affiliations:

Heavily work with Big Brothers Big Sister; ST.Jude, Irie Foundation

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Paperwater

Artists, Band

Paperwater is an avant garde pop duo composed of Daygee Kwia and Eddy Samy. The group is based out of Miami, FL and operates out of their multimedia compound Half/Full Creative.


The duo met while in high school on their football team. Daygee was
already producing and joined the Hip-hop band After The Smoke in
College at FAMU. Eddy learned production after through Daygee after
college and began to develop his songwriting and vocal skills.


Paperwater released their first single in 2017 and began playing shows shortly after with acts such as Snakehips and Sango. Their most
notable performances include openings for Flying Lotus, Mura Masa, Sohn, Lido, Virgil Abloh, and festival slots at Middlelands, III Points, and EDC.

The duo’s production gradually developed a sound with the introduction of the Moog and vocal samples. The sound can best be described as a mix of electronic and Hip Hop, with hints of indie. Think of old Kanye mixed with Blood Orange.


Papewaters influences include Kanye West, Kid Cudi, The Beatles, etc etc. Past releases include official remixes for Gavin Turek and Tokimonsta, as well as collaborations with London’s Tim Ajayi. The duo’s debut EP scheduled for late February titled “So Down You Are Going Too Fast” with the lead single titled “Lipstick”.

Paperwater places a high emphasis on media, and produces all content in house under their company Half/Full Creative. The multimedia wing also services small to medium brands as well as artist.


The duo is currently developing their full live band which includes a drummer, bass guitar and electronic guitar. On the production side,
Paperwater is finalizing up their debut album along with a 2nd EP. Both projects will be released under their label Wet Paper Records.

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Kasheef Wyzard

National Programming Initiatives Director, Dream Corps TECH

As a first-generation American born to parents of Caribbean descent, Kasheef attributes the alignment of his career and purpose to interventions and exposure to educational resources far outside of the community that raised him. With such a dichotomy between the two worlds he grew to know, an unshakeable commitment to be on the frontline of change was born. As National Programming Initiatives Director, Kasheef leverages his experience in developing programs that deliver value to organizational members and partners. He is responsible for the integrity of programs, trainings, and materials, ensuring that all offerings align with the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

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