Speakers
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Our 2025 Keynote Speaker: The Rev. Dr. William Joseph Barber II
“William Barber is the closest person we have to Martin Luther King, Jr. in our midst."
— Dr. Cornel West
- President - Repairers of the Breach
- Co-Chair - Poor People's Campaign
- NYT Best-Selling Author
Bishop William J. Barber II is President and Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach,
Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Executive Board Member of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, and Professor in the Practice of Public Theology and Public Policy and Founding Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. CoChair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival, and a Kettering Foundation Senior Fellow.
He is the author of five books: We Are Called To Be A Movement; Revive Us Again: Vision
and Action in Moral Organizing; The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and The Rise of a New Justice Movement; and Forward Together: A Moral Message For The Nation. White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy was released in June 2024.
Bishop Barber served as senior pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ for thirty years and as president of the North Carolina NAACP from 2006-2017 and on the National NAACP Board of Directors from 2008-2020. He is the architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement that gained national acclaim in 2013 with its Moral Monday protests at the North Carolina General Assembly. In 2015, he established Repairers of the Breach to train communities in moral movement building through the Moral Political Organizing Leadership Institute and Summit Trainings (MPOLIS). In 2018, he co-anchored the relaunch of the Pour People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival—reviving the 1968 Poor People's Campaign organized by women's rights movement, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., worker's rights movement, religious leaders, and people of all races to fight poverty in the U.S. As a moral leader Bishop William Barber II engaging in non-violent civil disobedience has been arrested more than 15 times in various states standing up with those who have been marginalized by
systematic racism, poverty, and injustice.
A highly sought-after speaker, Bishop Barber has given keynote addresses at hundreds of national and state conferences, including the 2016 Democratic National Convention, one of few preachers in nations history to be invited to give the homily at the 59th Inaugural Prayer Service for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Vatican at Pope Francis's encyclical “Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home” and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. In June 2018, he addressed the 5th Uni Global Union World Congress to more than 25 countries.
Bishop Barber is regularly featured in media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, NNPA, the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Nation magazine. He was named one of 2020's BET 100 Entertainers and Innovators and one of the 2019 recipients of the North Carolina Award, the state's highest civilian honor. He is a 2018 MacArthur Foundation Genius Award recipient and a 2015 recipient of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award and the Puffin Award.
Bishop Barber has had twelve honorary doctorate degrees conferred upon him. He
earned a High School degree from Plymouth High, a Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Central University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctorate from Drew University with a concentration in Public Policy and Pastoral Care. And has studied in a special fellowship at MIT.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Elizabeth Solomon is an enrolled member and officer of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag. She speaks frequently about local indigenous histories and issues and has a long-standing commitment to human rights, diversity, inclusion, and community building that she brings to both her paid and volunteer work. In this capacity, Ms. Solomon works with varied institutions as they navigate developing relationships with her community and serves on multiple advisory and management boards including those for the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, the Stone Living Lab, and the Commonwealth’s Seal, Flag, and Motto Advisory Commission. Ms. Solomon has a master’s degree in museum studies and works with museums and historic sites to help bring the voices and stories of native communities and others that are currently underrepresented in museum exhibits and public history programs to the forefront.
Roaming Buffalo is a descendant of the Wabanaki people who was born and raised in Massachusetts. Roaming is a citizen of the Abenaki nation and an active member of the North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB). They are advocates for Indigenous justice and are studying Indian law through the University of Oklahoma School of Law.
Roaming will offer a heart-centered Indigenous opening to a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging based conversation between Brandeis and Massachusett at Ponkapoag Elder Elizabeth Soloman. This will be Roaming's fifth Indigenous-centric opening on campus to welcome in the Ancestors of the Land where our campus sits and the Ancestors of those who have come to be with us and hold our hearts on opening night and throughout the three days of DEIS Impact campus engagement.
Our Featured Panelists!
Manny Daphnis is a dynamic voice for this generation whose work transcends domains and genres. Through his candid presentation of truth via his work as a pastor, counselor, professor, author and consultant Manny has impacted countless lives across various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds with a message of hope, encouragement, restoration & empowerment.
Manny’s passion is to help people see themselves as God has made them and live out their potential in spite of what they may have endured. It is in this pursuit that Manny published Work God’s Way, a book that empowers individuals to discover their true identities as they discover their God ordained work. Over the years Manny has served in teaching, counseling, mentoring, research and coaching settings with individuals of all ages. Additionally Manny has served on a number of boards and currently serves as a board member of the Brockton Interfaith Community; New Heights Charter School of Brockton; Operation Make A Difference, Inc. a parachurch youth ministry in Boston; the Evangelical Christian Mission of Chambelan, Haiti as well as the Brockton Interfaith Coalition.
Manny holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University as well as a Master’s degree in Public Health from Tufts University. Pastor Manny also completed his theological training at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he earned a Master’s degree in Divinity.
Manny currently pastors Restoration Community Church located in Brockton, MA. He and his wife Fredlyne have been married since 2003 and have three children- Hakeem, Hadassah, and Shiloh. They currently live just outside of Boston, MA.
Jessica Sanon is passionate about supporting and building economic mobility and capacity for communities facing systemic barriers. In 2017, Jessica founded sySTEMic flow, a socially driven organization that advances STEM education and math proficiency for women and girls who identify as Black, Indigenous, and Person of color (BIPOC). At sySTEMic flow, she has developed and implemented inclusive programs that tackle the issues surrounding the retention of BIPOC women in STEM through a holistic model that bridges the educational and workforce gap within the industry. Jessica has worked across various industries where she advanced new business ventures and program initiatives that strategically address societal gaps in education, housing, and the professional services industry. She has worked with business leaders on their organizations' recruitment and retention efforts through career development opportunities and DEI programs.
Jessica has her MBA in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Management from the Heller School at Brandeis University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics & Statistics, and Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
They hold both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Brandeis University, as well as a certificate from the Columbia Publishing Course. They are also an Ordained Minister and First-Aid certified. They have volunteered as a mentor and tutor for secondary school students, and their poetry, translations, nonfiction essays, and feature writings have been published both digitally and in print. They are a skilled public speaker, having presented multiple times at conventions and in private company trainings on topics such as research practices, queer representation, critical fandom, racial inclusion, and general DEI topics.
Jonathan Goldman is the Executive Director of the Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice and an advocate for immigrant justice. Born in Denmark and raised in the US, Jonathan's outlook on immigration has been shaped by this foundational part of his identity. He previously co-founded The Right to Immigration Institute (TRII) and was one of the youngest elected members of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee. Jonathan Goldman is committed to creating a better world through collaborative approaches, community engagement, and innovative solutions.
At TRII, Jonathan co-led a nonprofit that operates the first-in-the-nation program at Brandeis University that trains undergraduate students in immigration law and mobilizes them to provide immigration legal services. With his leadership, they served 120+ immigrants, trained 70+ students, accredited 7 students with the Department of Justice, and proved the feasibility of engaging undergraduates in the fight for immigrant justice. He received multiple recognitions including the Davis Projects for Peace Prize and the Karpf Hahn Peace Award, and TRII received the Interdisciplinary Legal Studies Teaching Award from the Consortium for Undergraduate Law & Justice Programs.
John Valinch (he/they) is a proud first-generation Puerto-Rican/American college graduate whose life is devoted to catalyzing change and amplifying the power of marginalized communities. His journey in the environmental justice movement and broader social justice movement began at the age of 15 when he joined GreenRoots to stop a diesel power plant from being built in his hometown of Chelsea, Massachusetts. He is guided by a principled commitment to justice, equity, sustainability, and building people-power through strategic research, engagement, and public policy.
John joined Boston Trust Walden as an ESG Analyst in May 2024. In this role, John evaluates current and potential portfolio investments and engages companies to advance sustainable business practices, policies, and achieve impact across a broad array of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. As the Senior Manager of Climate Resilience and Land Use at Groundwork USA, John led resident-centered climate resilience intervention strategies through the Climate Safe Massachusetts Partnership and facilitated equitable development best practices and environmentally-just land reuse strategies through the Brownfields Technical Assistance Program. He also spearheaded the organization’s federal affairs program, uplifting the importance of climate resilience and environmental justice for the 21-affiliate Trust Networks.
John previously worked as a Research Analyst for UNITE HERE!, an international union
representing over 270,000 hotel, gaming, airport, and food service employees. At UNITE
HERE!, John co-led a strategic research team to support hotel organizing campaigns. He also co-founded Hospitality Employees Advancement and Training (HEAT), Inc., a joint labor-management culinary training academy in Miami, Florida, which provides hospitality workers the training and skills needed to earn sustainable living wages, benefits, and jobs with dignity in South Florida. In addition, he helped secure registered apprenticeships in the hospitality sector in a collaboration between UNITE HERE! and the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute.
John serves on a number of boards, advisory groups, and steering committees. He is the Co-President of Comunidades Enraizadas (“Rooted Communities”) Community Land Trust in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and serves as a Director of the Board at GreenRoots. John is also a member of the Steering Committee of the Climate Adaptation Forum, coordinating quarterly, interdisciplinary conversations on climate change. He also serves on the Segal Advisory Board, working to build the capacity of the Eli and Phyllis Segal Citizen Leadership Program at Brandeis University. In 2015, John co-founded the Chelsea LGBTQ Coalition, the first interracial, interfaith, and intergenerational LGBTQ network in the City’s history.
John holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and a Master of Business Administration from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. John previously graduated summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2014, where he received a B.A. in Political Science with a Minor in Public Policy. In his spare time, John enjoys spending time with loved ones, outdoor explorations, and building up the power of communities to secure a healthy, equitable, and life-affirming future for all.
Our Workshop Facilitators!
Bringing the nonprofit, The Resilient Activist (TRA), into being has been the most profound and significant accomplishment of my life. Activists, especially environmental activists, are underappreciated heroes who carry the weight of the world in their hearts, minds, and bodies every single day. These gentle souls step into activism based on a fervent desire to right a wrong, heal a pain, or alleviate a grief with the pervasive awareness of the fragility of ecosystems, wildlife, and humanity on this planet. Compassionate and sensitive, many activists struggle with depression, grief, and a sense of impending failure over ongoing ecological destruction.
My older son, Kevin, was one of those activists who was broken by the emotional burden he carried, believing that his personal well-being was of little importance when weighed against the needs of the world. He died by suicide in 2003. He wrote, “Letting go of the passion to work on substantive structural change in favor of personal happiness is not a viable option.” TRA was founded to help activists like him recognize the critical value of self-care and to provide the community, resources, and insight to support long-term resilience in light of the critical work they do.
In August 2019, Sami became a Climate Reality Leader through the Climate Reality Leadership Corps, a global network of activists committed to spreading awareness of the climate crisis and working for solutions to the greatest challenge of our time. Learn more.
The challenges of 2020 crystallized in my mind both the desire to become more actively involved in efforts to address climate change and social equity issues, but also the need for a nurturing community to provide safety and respite. Through the Resilient Activist, I have found opportunities for activism as well as connectedness and community. I am excited for the opportunity to join with Sami and others to further the vision and mission of the organization.
Lidia A. Ghebremeskel is from Eritrea and holds a BA in Political Science & International Relations. She worked in consular and political affairs at Eritrea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Enthusiastic about sustainable development and international relations, She is currently pursuing an MA in Sustainable International Development at the Heller School while contributing as a Graduate Research Assistant there.