Moderator

• Katie Whiteside

Participants

• 
  Ron White

  Host

  Ron attended his first civil rights demonstration at a young age in Columbus, GA in 1963; and grew into activism in the anti-war, Peace, and women’s movement as a young adult. His decades long career in social change philanthropy has supported multi-racial and community-based strategies for social justice in urban and rural areas across the country. He’s held positions at every level within foundations from program officer, to executive director and trustee all with a progressive focus on community based economic and social development. He currently sits on the local boards of True North Organizing Network and Cooperation Humboldt; and is part of the leadership core team of Building Black (BBlack). He is on the National boards of Faith in Action Organizing Network, one of the largest multi-racial community organizing efforts in the U.S., which supports relational organizing and economic democracy in Haiti, El Salvador and Rwanda. He is Senior Advisor at the Humboldt Area/Wild Rivers Community Foundation.

• 
  Marcus McDougald

  Panelist

  Marcus McDougald is an award-winning creative director and documentarian with a background largely in sports, music, and fashion. Marcus is currently the Vice President of Creative and Branded Content for Los Angeles Football Club, having helped launch the team in 2015, now Major Leagues Soccer’s fastest growing and most valuable franchise. As a documentarian Marcus is primarily interested in telling stories that reflect, specifically, communities of color and that celebrate our many nuanced cultural achievements. “My intention, at a base level, is that the films that I direct are immersive translations concerning aspects of the human condition and, at their most transcendent, that they are conduits, telescopes, microscopes, and mirrors that aid the process of others self-discovery.”

• 
  Aundrea Stuckey

  Panelist

  Aundrea Stuckey is the founder and director of Youth Art Will Succeed, a local organization dedicated to healing racism through art and healing arts. She is also the cofounder of Aya Wellness Village, a dream maker project of the Ink People, which will serve as an Afrocentric Eco village. Aundrea is dedicated to utilizing her unique skills as a fellow artist, healer, and advocate to do her part in creating a more loving and socially just environment for the Black community. Aundrea has a unique perspective on racial equity, she looks at racial equity through a lense of healing, "If we are to thrive here in dangerous lands where racism still runs rampantly, we must first be well. If we are well we can share our gifts, by sharing our gifts we see ourselves reflected in our environment, if we can see ourselves reflected in our environment, then can we thrive. But first, we must heal."

• 
  James Braggs

  Panelist

  James received his M.A. in Social Science and B.A. in Social Science Education from Humboldt State University. A student of social movements James has a background in community organizing and over the years has developed a deep appreciation for community based collective research methods, popular education pedagogies and collective leadership practices. He has deep commitments to racial and economic justice, youth leadership development, and human rights struggles for the developmentally different and (dis)abled. In addition to his community work, James spends his days as a Behavior Consultant supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families to learn and grow in Humboldt. James and his partner of 20 years are doing their best to raise two energetic and highly opinionated sons.