Speakers

Juan Williams
Juan Williams is one of America’s leading political writers and thinkers. A top Washington journalist, he dares to examine American politics, civil rights, media, law, and culture with an uncompromising integrity and insight.

Williams is the senior correspondent of NPR, National Public Radio, and a political analyst with Fox News. He was the host of “Talk of The Nation” for NPR and an award-winning writer and columnist for over 20 years at The Washington Post.

An influential chronicler of the Civil Rights movement, Williams received an Emmy for documentary writing. He has authored several books including Eyes on the Prize and This Far by Faith: Stories of the African American Religious Experience. Williams’s acclaimed biography, Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary was reissued in 2004 with a new epilogue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s historic Brown vs. Board of Education decision. His newest book is Enough. Williams navigates the difficult terrain of American race relations with an honest and compelling voice.


Dr. Julianne Malveaux

Recognized for her provocative, progressive and insightful observations, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, an economist, author and commentator, is the President and CEO of Last Word Productions, Inc, a multimedia production company. Described by Dr. Cornel West as “the most iconoclastic public intellectual in the country”, Dr. Malveaux’s contributions to the public dialogue on issues such as race, culture, gender, and their economic impacts, are helping to shape public opinion in 21st century America.

As a writer and syndicated columnist, her work appears regularly in USA Today, Black Issues in Higher Education, Ms. magazine, Essence magazine, and the Progressive. Her weekly columns appear in numerous newspapers across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Charlotte Observer, the New Orleans Tribune, the Detroit Free Press, and the San Francisco Examiner.

Well-known for appearances on national network programs, Dr. Malveaux is a charismatic and popular guest on a variety of shows. She appears regularly on CNN, BET, as well as on Howard University’s Television show, Evening Exchange. She has appeared on PBS’s To The Contrary, ABC’s Politically Incorrect, Fox News Channel’s O’Reilly Factor and stations such as C-SPAN, MSNBC and CNBC. She has also hosted talk radio programs in Washington, San Francisco, and New York.

In addition to her columns and media appearances, Dr. Malveaux is an accomplished author and editor. Her academic work is included in numerous papers, studies, and publications. She is the editor of Voices of Vision: African American Women on the Issues (1996); the co-editor of Slipping Through the Cracks: The Status of Black Women (1986), and recently co-edited The Paradox of Loyalty: An African American Response to the War on Terrorism (2002). She is the author of two column anthologies: Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: Perspectives of a Mad Economist (1994), Wall Street, Main Street, and the Side Street: A Mad Economist Takes a Stroll (1999). She is most recently the co-author of Unfinished Business: A Democrat and A Republican Take On the 10 Most Important Issues Women Face (2002).

A committed activist and civic leader, Dr. Malveaux serves on the boards of the Economic Policy Institute, Women Building for the Future - Future PAC, and The Recreation Wish List Committee of Washington, DC.

Dr. Malveaux received her BA and MA degrees in economics from Boston College, and earned a Ph.D in economics from MIT. A native San Franciscan, she currently resides in Washington, DC.


Kwain N. Bryant

Kwain Bryant is a keynote presenter, program developer, and training specialist with Empowerment Exchange.  He is an “interactive educator” who motivates everyone to reach their full potential.  Mr. Bryant presents at local, regional and national levels and is a graduate of North Carolina Central University, the place in which he developed his passion for Health Education and serving others.

Mr. Bryant founded Empowerment Exchange in 2001.  A human potential investment agency, Empowerment Exchange invests in individuals, organizations and communities to facilitate a productive and positive change.  As Senior Consultant for Empowerment Exchange, Bryant regularly provides consultation and training to various organizations and human  service agencies across the country while continuing to work directly with adolescents and teens.  As a highly sought after and exceptional speaker and trainer, he is known for his energetic and enthusiastic presentations.  Mr. Bryant believes that knowledge is power but enthusiasm is the switch that turns it on.

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