Changing The World
Rev. Jennifer Bailey is a storyteller, community organizer, and emerging national leader in multifaith movement for justice. As Founder and Executive Director of the Faith Matters Network, Bailey believes that people of faith can be game changers in the fight to build a more just, compassionate, and peaceful world. She comes to this work with nearly a decade of experience combatting intergenerational poverty in her hometown of Chicago, and her adopted home, Nashville, Tennessee. Bailey is currently a Nathan Cummings Foundation
Aja Monet is an internationally established poet, performer, singer, songwriter, educator, and human rights advocate. Her craft is an in-depth reflection of emotional wisdom, skill, and activism. In both Monet’s poetry and songs, she poses questions about the power of the imagination and metaphor in how we engage with local and global issues. As a Teaching Artist for Urban Word NYC as well as Urban Arts Partnership in NYC, she uses poetry as a therapeutic tool with at-risk inner city kids, showing how words can empower and encourage holistic healing in youth education. In 2014, she was awarded the YWCA of the City of New York’s “One to Watch Award”—an award established in honor of Monet’s work to honor women under the age of 30 who exemplify the mission of the organization: to empower women and eliminate racism. Monet volunteers with Justice League NYC, a coalition working on juvenile justice to end police violence both in New York City and nationally.
Linda Sarsour is a working woman, racial justice and civil rights activist, every Islamophobe’s worst nightmare, and mother of three. Ambitious, outspoken and independent, Sarsour shatters stereotypes of Muslim women while also treasuring her religious and ethnic heritage. She is the Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York and Senior Strategist for Take on Hate, a recently launched campaign which aims to change perceptions of Arab and Muslim Americans including refugees. In 2013, she co-founded the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, the first of its kind in NYC. In wake of the police murder of Mike Brown, she co-founded Muslims for Ferguson to build solidarity amongst American Muslim communities and encourage work against police brutality. She has received numerous awards and honors including “Champion of Change” by the White House and received the inaugural American Muslim of the Year honor from the Council on Americans Islamic Relations. She has written for and has been featured in local, national, and international media discussing impact of domestic policies that target Arab and Muslim American communities, criminal justice issues, and Middle East affairs.
Camille Beckles is a St. Louis native with a love for media, photography, and technology. Beckles attended Boston University as a Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholar where she earned a degree in film and television. After moving to NYC in 2010, she began her career in television as a member of the NBC Page Program, before moving into the digital media space. She currently leads the digital production team at Beamly, a social and content tech startup. Beckles has always been passionate about social justice and discovering ways that media and technology can connect people and break barriers. She is from Ferguson, Missouri, and is an activist in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Darren Johnson is a New York City-based director and dramaturge, focused on new work and the theater’s ability to spark social change. Johnston was the Festival Artistic Director for DETROIT, NY, a collaborative performance between New York City and Detroit artists, featuring seven short plays, historical footage, short films, performance art, and live music. With Tectonic Theater Project, he has helped develop work about Paul Robeson, the Cuban revolution, LGBT hate crimes, and life on the Autism spectrum. At the Public Theater, Johnston served as the Executive Assistant to Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and assisted Suzan-Lori Parks and her producers on Watch Me Work, her ongoing performance piece in the Public Theater lobby. As a political organizer, Darren was the Grassroots Fundraising Manager for Organizing for Action-New York, the Campaign Manager for Jenifer Rajkumar for City Council, and a Field Organizer with Obama for America, in addition to his work with the official youth wings of the New York State and Manhattan County Democratic Party.