YOU & FIVE-O PODCAST

Episode 28: One Year Anniversary

Episode 28: One Year Anniversary

We made it to one year with our podcast! We can’t thank you all enough for joining us on this journey and listening to the show. In this week’s episode, our hosts talk about the last year - how they felt it went, what inspired them to join BJ on the podcast, and the guests that they’ve enjoyed. They discuss the growth they’ve seen in YFO over the course of this year and how it has allowed BJ to speak her own truth more, both as a Black female and a retired police officer. They round out the show by talking about what the future looks like for YFO - including community events, new conversations with past guests, and the Alternative to Violence Project - as well as get new ideas from Harmony and Drew. We want to hear from you as well! What do YOU need to feel engaged? What topics do you want to hear more about? What kind of guests do you want to see on the show? Let us know! Feel free to email any feedback or thoughts to youandfiveo@gmail.com.

 

BJ’s Medium Articles:

George Floyd: Law Enforcement’s MasterClass | by BJ Council (last year)

George Floyd Act II. On April 19, 2021 in Alameda… | by BJ Council (this year)

 

Alternative to Violence Project: AVP North Carolina | Alternatives to Violence Project in North Carolina

Episode 15 Re-Release: Defund Durham Police: The Exercise with Guests Jesse Burwell, Terrence Sembly, & Winslow Forbes

Defund Durham Police: The Exercise with Guests Jesse Burwell, Terrence Sembly, & Winslow Forbes

Due to current local discussion about reallocation of funds from Durham PD, we've decided to re-release Episode 15 of our podcast - Defund Durham Police: The Exercise. In this episode, our hosts and guests discuss what defunding the police would look like at a local level, by looking at the 2020-2021 approved budget for the Durham Police Department. This discussion will give listeners some insight as to what defunding could look like for DPD, and offer insight on how budget reductions could have an impact on the services the police provide.

 

In the episode, Jesse takes time to break down the budget to explain what each section means and what can or can’t be cut if you had to reduce the budget by ten percent. Terrence, Winslow and BJ then discuss what they would consider cutting from the budget if they were still executives in the police department. They explain how defunding a police department would actually cut the programs and services that communities ask for and need to improve policing. The final decision will, of course, be made by the leaders of the community. But, instead of defunding the police, we suggest increasing funding for other programs that address social issues like homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse.

 

More info about defunding the police & the Durham Police Department:

DPD 2020-2021 Approved Budget: The approved budget for Durham PD that our hosts & guests look at and discuss.

Defund DPD: The Exercise for You & Five-O: Jesse Burwell’s explanation of the budget and the cuts they discussed making.

Durham Beyond Policing: Proposed Task Force for Durham PD to address community safety and wellness concerns that go beyond policing.

Boston Police Reform Task Force: The Task Force is composed of community leaders, advocates, members from the legal profession, and members of law enforcement.

 

More info about Jesse Burwell:

Jesse Burwell, originally from Morrisville, NC, has lived in Durham for the past 47 years. He graduated from N.C. Central University in 1975 before joining the American Tobacco Company as an accountant and internal auditor. Burwell also worked for the City of Durham’s City/County Planning Department as an accountant in charge of general fund and grants, before joining the Durham Police Department as Accountant III in 1990. He spent 27 years with the DPD before retiring in 2017 as a Non-Sworn Assistant Chief. While with Durham PD, Burwell was responsible for overseeing budget development and budget administration, as well as overseeing the Community Services Division, Training, recruiting, Personnel Services, Planning & Research, Technology, Crime Analysis, Police Records Division, and the Supply Room.

 

More info about Terrence Sembly:

Terrence Sembly was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief of the Durham Police Department on January 14 and was assigned to the Investigative Services Bureau. Deputy Chief Sembly, who joined the Police Department in 1997 after working for the Duke University and Carrboro police departments, was serving as the Assistant Chief of Patrol Services when he was promoted. Deputy Chief Sembly has served as commander of the Organized Crime Division and District 4. He also served in the Patrol Bureau, GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) Unit, the Recruiting Unit and the Professional Standards Division. Deputy Chief Sembly earned his B.A degree from N.C. Central University and earned a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Organizational Change from Pfeiffer University. Deputy Chief Sembly is a graduate of Session 66 of the Senior Management Institute for Police in Boston and the Administrative Officers Management Program from North Carolina State University.

 

More info about Winslow Forbes:

Minister Winslow Forbes resides in Durham NC, with his wife and family. He is a man that stands strong in his faith and truly loves God. Winslow is a 1987 graduate of N. C. Central University, with a BA Degree in Public Administration. He graduated from PERF (Police Executive Research Forum), an Executive Management Leadership Course, in 2010. He retired in 2016 from the Durham Police Department, as an Assistant Chief of Police with thirty years of service. Winslow received his Bachelor of Ministry and Master of Divinity from International Bible College; and is currently attending International Bible College to receive his Doctorate of Ministry. He currently serves as the Director of Youth & Young Adults of New Home & Durham Missionary Baptist Association. Winslow founded the D.L. Forbes Youth Foundation in 2002 and currently serves as the Chairman. D.L. Forbes Youth Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on mentoring youth in leadership skills and academic enrichment.        Winslow has a passion for helping young people and is a positive advocate for young people who face economic and academic challenges. He continues to speak throughout the communities teaching youth how to be productive citizens. Winslow firmly believes we (the community) can turn youth crime around by working together.

 

Episode 27: Holistic Education with Guest LaManda Chestnut-Pryor

Episode 27: Holistic Education with Guest LaManda Chestnut-Pryor

This week we welcome LaManda Chestnut-Pryor to the show to talk about her work as a principal and transformational educator, especially in schools with predominantly Black and Brown students. She tells us about her 22 years in education, which includes a holistic approach to teaching that involves tending to the mind, body, and soul of not just her students, but the entire family. She describes the importance of addressing violence and trauma in our communities, how that affects kids in school, and creates the need to include social and emotional learning in everyday instruction. BJ and LaManda discuss the Makiah Bryant situation and how that again emphasizes how crucial it is for schools to focus on mental health and teach kids how to cope with their feelings and how to react - it starts at a young age and should be taught in schools since some kids don’t learn it at home. LaManda also explains how some schools are so focused on testing that they lose the essence of the kids - her school measures their success in other ways. It is also one of a handful, and the only minority school, participating in Peaceful Schools in North Carolina - a program that works to create a healthy school climate.

 

More about LaManda Chestnut-Pryor:

LaManda Chestnut-Pryor thrives as a transformational educator, leader, and children’s advocate serving the North Carolina and New York communities for over 20 years. Her current role as the principal at a charter school in Durham, NC has expanded her expertise as a passionate and innovative leader. Combining her educational background, years of being an administrator and teacher inside of inner city schools with her practical community, family and parental experiences, LaManda has created real life steps to address the disparity in school discipline. She is relentless in her pursuit of establishing a safe, caring and nurturing learning environment that promotes acceptance of the individual and puts the kid’s needs first. By focusing on continuous improvements to the processes of conflict resolutions and developing the child’s self-esteem, LaManda feels that as far as our children’s learning potential is concerned; the best is yet to come.

 

More about Peaceful Schools NC:

Peaceful Schools works to support a healthy school climate in which all students can thrive socially and academically; the effects of which will positively impact families, local communities, society, and the world.

Peaceful Schools NC

 

Episode 26: “It's a legal system not a justice system” with Guest Dr. Craig Waleed

Episode 26: “It's a legal system not a justice system” with Guest Dr. Craig Waleed

We are excited to have Dr. Craig Waleed join us on the show this week to discuss his experiences in and out of the justice system, and the impact it had on his life, as well as the book he wrote about it. Before diving in, Dr. Waleed tells us about his background, the community he grew up in and the circumstances that led to him being incarcerated, as well as the path he followed through higher education after getting out. He goes on to discuss ideas for how to address violent behavior in young people - how the community needs to adjust by looking at what trauma has caused that behavior and how to address that. Additionally, Dr. Waleed and BJ discuss what changes need to be made in policing, including adjusting what all police are responsible for as they are asked to do too much, often outside of their training and expertise. To round out the show, Dr. Waleed explains what he thinks a compassionate judicial system could look like, including utilizing education and encouraging incarcerated people to find their path so they can go back to their communities to build them back up.

 

Twitter: @craigwaleed

Book: Prison to Promise: A Chronicle of Healing and Transformation: Waleed, Dr. Craig: 9798671941111: Amazon.com: Books

 

In the News: Prison to Promise: How Higher Education Transformed a Life: SUNY Brockport

Prison to Promise: A Conversation with Dr. Craig Waleed (Part 1) - Education Reimagined - Education Reimagined (education-reimagined.org)

 

More about Dr. Waleed:

At the age of nineteen, Dr. Waleed was incarcerated for eight years in New York State prisons. During his term of incarceration, Dr. Waleed earned an Associate of Arts degree from Canisius College (Buffalo, New York). Following his release from prison in 1997, Dr. Waleed continued pursuing Higher Education. He eventually earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Health Science with a concentration in Substance Abuse Counseling and a Master’s of Science Degree in Mental Health Counseling from the State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport College. In 2017, Dr. Waleed completed a Doctorate of Education degree From St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. His Dissertation focused on What Aspects of Emotional Intelligence Help Former Prisoners Make Decisions to Desist Crime? 

 

Dr. Waleed previously served as a Substance Abuse Counselor and as a Reentry Case Manager for post-incarcerated citizens. He has also engaged with various student bodies on several college campuses in New York State and sat on several community panels exploring carceral matters. Dr. Waleed was also a guest speaker at TEDx SingSing 2020. He also created and facilitated Emotional Intelligence training, has taught Counseling and Communication courses in Higher Education and is the author of his recently released [August 2020] autobiography entitled “Prison to Promise: A Chronicle of Healing and Transformation.”

 

Dr. Waleed is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Re-Envisioning Health and Justice Lab at the UNC-CH School of Social Medicine. He is dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship, disrupting the community to prison pipeline, and reducing post-incarceration recidivism. He aims to educate and motivate others impacted by the criminal legal system to challenge and overcome life’s impediments and live a more rewarding life.

 

Episode 25: Unapologetic with Guest DeWarren K. Langley

Episode 25: Unapologetic with Guest DeWarren K. Langley

We are grateful to be joined this week by DeWarren K. Langley - Chair of the Civilian Police Review Board for the City of Durham. Before diving in to discuss the board, DeWarren gives us a little background about the work he does with young Black males through his organization, The Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, where he serves as Executive Director. This organization supports young men of color and helps them secure socioeconomic success, while also looking at the systems that affect them and how they can create change on both sides of the issue. DeWarren then explains what the Civilian Police Review Board is, what it looks like for the Durham community, and why it’s important for communities to have one in place. He and BJ go through the complaint process, explaining how it works with the Review Board, and discuss ideas for how to make filing complaints easier for the community. They also talk about how the work that needs to be done regarding policing is a national conversation, but needs to be dealt with and discussed at a local level.

 

Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, Inc.

Civilian Police Review Board | Durham, NC

 

More about DeWarren K. Langley:
DeWarren K. Langley, JD, MPA, MHFA, is the Chair of the Civilian Police Review Board for the City of Durham. He is responsible for providing the overall leadership & management of the nine-member CPRB in evaluating requests for hearing appeals of complaints submitted by citizens claiming to be aggrieved by the results of an investigation of one or more officers and/or employees of the Police Department conducted by the Professional Standards Division of the Police Department. The Professional Standards Division of the Police Department initially investigates these complaints. If a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, he or she may file a request for a hearing with the Board. The CPRB’s mandate is to determine whether or not the investigation was conducted in an appropriate manner, specifically, whether the Police Department abused its discretion in how the investigation was conducted.

DeWarren recognizes and respects the bravery and great sacrifice police officers make to ensure the safety of our community  He is committed to making sure all complaints regarding police services are thoroughly and impartially investigated and when necessary, make corrective recommendations on police policy and procedure to the City Manager in each case based on well-reasoned evaluations of allegations.  DeWarren works to build a sense of trust and confidence in the community that police services in the City of Durham are professional, honest, transparent, and free of bias.  He believes citizen confidence in and respect for the Police Department is vital in the Department carrying out it’s mission to minimize crime, promote safety, and enhance the quality of life in partnership with our community.

Under DeWarren’s leadership, the Complaint Form can be completed and submitted online, the most recent general orders, policies and procedures of the Police Department are accessible online, the complainant has 30 days from receipt of the determination letter  from the Professional Standards Division of the Police Department to file an appeal with the Board; the Board receives quarterly Performance Review Reports from the Professional Standards Division of the Police Department; the Annual Report of the Board is posted on the City Manager’s website. In addition, the CPRB Procedure Manual was amended to require the Board to host one community forum per year to receive feedback from the public on the Durham Police Department complaint process and community-police relations. He also led the effort to eliminate all criteria that prohibited citizens with felony convictions and convictions of class A1, 1 or 2 misdemeanors for serving on the Board which was approved by the City Council.

DeWarren is also the Visionary & Executive Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, Inc. which is an academic, leadership and professional development 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization which provides a continuum of programs, service, and coaching to educate, engage, empower and equip boys and young men of color with the strategies they need to secure socioeconomic success by transforming academic policies and connecting them with professional opportunities to become high-results leaders in corporations, government, nonprofits and entrepreneurial ventures.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management & Economics with a minor in Leadership Studies from Hampton University, Juris Doctor with a concentration in Civil Rights & Constitutional Law from North Carolina Central University School of Law, Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Government Administration and Public Policy from North Carolina Central University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. He earned a Certificate in Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Behavioral Health.

DeWarren was first appointed to the CPRB by then-City Manager Thomas Bonfield on October 27, 2009 and reappointed August 29, 2011, June 24, 2015 and September 3, 2019. Prior to being elected Chair, Langley served two one-year terms as Vice Chair.

Episode 24: We R Allies LIVE with Guests Winslow Forbes, Jesse Burwell, & Terrence Sembly

Episode 24: We R Allies LIVE with Guests Winslow Forbes, Jesse Burwell, & Terrence Sembly

Thanks to those of you that joined us for our first live podcast recording! We truly enjoyed your questions, comments, and thoughts throughout the conversation. We were grateful to be joined by retired Durham PD executives Winslow Forbes, Jesse Burwell and Terrence Sembly for our newest series: We R Allies. During the show, our hosts and guests touch on the history of policing and the way Black officers have been treated over the years. Each retired police executive explains what got them into law enforcement and their experience as a Black officer, before discussing the circumstances around the death of George Floyd, and how the system should hold officers more accountable. They also discuss how complaints are handled or investigated within the police department, and the shifts that can be made in addressing those as well as the way officers are trained.

 

Winslow Forbes' youth organization: D.L. Forbes Youth Foundation

North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice

For more resources about community policing, officer involved fatalities, and reimagining the current system, visit the Resources Page of our website.

Episode 23 "They Called Me A Radical"- with Guest Glenda Beard

Episode 23: “They Called Me a Radical”with Guest Glenda Beard

We are excited and humbled to welcome Retired Major Glenda Beard to the show this week! She was the first female investigator, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and major for the Durham City Police Department, as well as BJ’s mentor when she joined the force. We hear about Glenda’s background in the police department as well as her work with juveniles as a middle school teacher, and what she’s doing to work with youth now. She talks about law enforcement, comparing how it was when she was on the force versus now, especially in Black communities, and how officers aren’t connecting with their community anymore. Our hosts join in to discuss how to make the law enforcement and jail systems more compassionate, before Glenda finishes the show by dropping some wisdom about what she learned by living through 2020.

Episode 22: The Team’s Back Together!

Episode 22: The Team’s Back Together!

We’re thrilled to have our third host, Drew, back on the show this week! Listen in as we catch up with him and hear about his new internship before diving into a variety of topics regarding the Black community interacting with law enforcement. Our hosts discuss a recent interaction the Fuquay-Varina police had with Malcolm Ziglar, a young Black male that was detained for purchasing a stolen dirt bike, while letting his young white male companion leave the scene. They look at the difference in how the two young men were treated, while also pointing out the positive - the officer’s supervisor corrected him at the scene and the family filed a complaint after the interaction. Two important steps in changing these kinds of interactions. Our hosts continue on to talk about the history of why Black police officers are seen as the enemy by the Black community; including Jim Crow laws and the way the police were in charge of enforcing those kinds of societal norms. Our hosts end the show by discussing personal interactions with police, and how they appreciate the hard (and sometimes traumatizing) work police officers do while also pointing out the improvements that still need to be made in the system.

Episode 21: "Courage is Doing the Right Thing" with Guests Dr. Ralph Barrett & Dr. Russell Robinson from NCCU

Episode 21: with Guests Dr. Ralph Barrett & Dr. Russell Robinson from NCCU

We’re excited to welcome two professors from North Carolina Central University to our show this week - Dr. Ralph Barrett & Dr. Russell Robinson. Join our hosts as they hear about the professors’ backgrounds before jumping in to discuss a wide range of topics facing students and the Black community. They start with protests around the Black Lives Matter movement - both in the nation and what they see their role is in helping students on the NCCU campus. They discuss the mishandling of the capital insurrection and the comparison between Black and white “protests” in the media and the terms used for each. The professors also bring up the importance of voting, and the effect Black voters can have on elections; as well as the way youth, especially young men of color, react to the police differently when in a group versus on their own. They end by discussing how essential it is to break the cycle of psychological trauma and abuse in the Black culture, and to focus on self care and mental health.

 

More about Dr. Barrett:

Ralph G. Barrett is Assistant Professor of Music at North Carolina Central University. A native of the Philadelphia, PA area, Dr. Barrett holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from The University of South Carolina, a Master of Music in conducting from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Millersville University, Millersville, PA. Dr. Barrett is a retired U.S. Navy Musician and Band Officer, and a veteran of 28 years of enlisted and officer service. Dr. Barrett's performing and recording credits include; principal percussionist and tympanist with Gateways Festival Orchestra and Colour of Music Orchestra; the Virginia Symphony Orchestra; Honolulu Symphony Orchestra; Natalie Cole, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Jim Nabors; and The Washington Winds. He has guest conducted instrumental ensembles nationally, and has been a featured adjudicator for North American Music Festivals. Dr. Barrett's military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda music honors society, and was elected to the Upper Moreland High School, Willow Grove, PA, Alumni Hall of Fame. He has been an active lay leader with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Prior to arriving at NCCU, Dr. Barrett served as an adjunct professor of music at Benedict College, Columbia, SC

 

More about Dr. Robinson:

Dr. W. Russell Robinson is an assistant professor in the Media Studies curriculum housed in the Department of Mass Communication. His teaching interests include mass media and popular culture, gender and sexuality, Black masculinity, critical race theory, new media, media advocacy, and the politics of media representation.

Dr. Robinson served as the chair of the NCCU Faculty Senate from 2018-2020. Additionally, Dr. Robinson currently serves as the parliamentarian for the University Of North Carolina Faculty Assembly for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Dr. Robinson's research concentrates on intersectionality, specifically along the lines of race, gender, class and media representation. His current research examines hash tag activism and has generated a book chapter (co-author), The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: The American Civil Rights Movement Goes Online in From Tahir Square to Ferguson: Social Networks as Facilitators of Social Justice Movements (Peter Lang Publishing, 2018). Additionally Dr. Robinson is the co-editor of a special Howard Journal of Communications Prince in/as Blackness: Explorations of a music icon and racial politics (2019). Additionally he has presented papers nationally and internationally. Further, Dr. Robinson is a Digital Humanities Fellow, a collaboration between NCCU and the Franklin Humanities Institute of Duke University. From this involvement, he has a forthcoming book chapter which looks at DH from the HBCU perspective. In the Digital Humanities space, Dr. Robinson was invited co-facilitate an international workshop at the Lahore University of Management Sciences which was sponsored by the American Institute of Pakistani Studies in 2019.

Further, Dr. Robinson serves as the founding faculty member of the Intellectual Soul Food Lunch Buffet, a student run classroom project/podcast that probes issues of African American popular culture while promoting student media entrepreneurship by way of new media.

Dr. Robinson often is sought locally for his professional opinion on matters of social media, Black masculinity and popular culture. He has appeared in The Durham Herald Sun, Ebony, Al Jazeera English, Diverse Issues in Higher Education and The Wall Street Journal.

Say it: I AM Brilliant! with Guests Shemekka Ebony & Michael Stewart-Isaacs

Episode 20: Say it: I AM Brilliant! with Guests Shemekka Ebony & Michael Stewart-Isaacs

We are so excited to welcome two inspiring guests to our show this week: Shemekka Ebony and Michael Stewart-Isaacs. They explain their backgrounds and work as community activists, public speakers and parents, before discussing their #IAmBrilliant program and the impact that it has on the people it reaches; this program works to validate each person and their gifts to help them ignite their spark. We also learn about their work in community engagement, including their journey with the Asheville Public Safety project. They discuss how community engagement relates to law enforcement and changing the systems in place; explaining how “change comes at the speed of trust.” Shemekka and Michael's gifts allow them to meet humans wherever they are. It is at that moment that they pour positive energy into a tired soul. They validate your Brilliance, so you can see your gifts.

Website: I Am Brilliant

 

More about Shemekka Ebony:

Inspirational, Gracious, Natural Born Leader and Dedicated. These are a few of the words that come to mind when you are in the presence of women and children advocate, community activist and public speaker Shemekka Ebony. As a highly sought after influencer in community engagement, Shemekka has been engaging and inspiring business owners, non-profits, and community leaders from all segments of the world for over two decades.
Growing up in poverty in a small town in Kinston, NC where the crime rate is high, unsolved murder rate is high and the education scores are low would be a deterrent for so many; yet, Shemekka used what many deem a glass half empty childhood as an avenue to empower others and restore love into their community. Being the first to go away to college in her family was one of the most impactful catalysts that spearheaded her desire to connect, engage and inspire those whose voices are often left on the backburner.
As a community outreach organizer and program developer Shemekka understands that there is no single approach in gauging the needs of those who want to develop a system of impactful wins in their respective communities.
Her calling to “Speak for those who can’t speak for themselves” is manifested by the plethora of platforms she anchors today such as her ongoing work with 100 Million Healthier Lives, the North Carolina Black Women’s Roundtable, her radio platform Sunday Stacks, and her captivating work as the director of #IAmBrilliant which has made its way to NBC’s TODAY Show.
Shemekka’s transparency is as engaging as it is effective in changing the hearts and minds of those within an earshot. With her relatable universal message of inclusion and team building, she breaks down barriers that stifle progress by digging deep into commonalities that tend to be overlooked.

 

More about Michael Stewart-Isaacs:

Michael is a collaborative influencer who knows how to speak to the heart of an audience and he enables people to tap into higher levels of leadership. He continues to give his story in order to inspire and help others just as people have helped him in life. Raised by the Diamond of Sierra Leone, his mother, who instilled in him a sense of artistic passion and his Jamaican father who instilled pride and dignity, Michael lives up to the standards by which they raised him. Michael invites everyone around him to incorporate those same values in their family, company, and community. With his confidence and all-embracing energy, Michael has an ability to charge the atmosphere whether it be in the streets, classroom, or the boardroom.
A prime example of leadership in action, Michael has been involved in the world of entrepreneurship for over two decades. His appeal is limitless and breaks the boundaries of all professions, ages, and cultures. Facing troubled beginnings in New York, it was the echo of his grandmother’s teaching of Luke 14:11 that recalibrated the way he used his gifts to serve the world.
At the young age of thirteen, Michael’s keen understanding about the lack of economic development within his community set in motion the concept for his very first company MOSAYK, which was featured in Black Enterprise.
Leveraging his experience as a serial entrepreneur and his belief in his own Motivation, Success, and Knowledge, Michael developed innovative programs to instruct others in becoming masters of their own fate as well. He continues challenging today’s leaders to be lifelong business achievers providing signature training programs, motivational speeches, and coaching.
The culmination of his mission has resulted in the co-founding of the #IAMBRILLIANT campaign which has been featured on NBC’s TODAY Show. This campaign has traveled the country helping citizens identify their skills and applying it to better their communities. Michael continues to challenge his audiences by motivating them to see their brilliance within and spread it abroad.

Read more about Shemekka & Michael here.