John Singleton
Producer, director and screenwriter John Singleton has helped to create some of the more prominent and esteemed black films in the past decade. He exploded onto the screen with his first film, Boyz ‘N the Hood, a tough, intelligent, plain-speaking look at friends in gang-ridden South Central L.A. that earned him Oscar nominations for best original screenplay and best director, becoming the youngest and first African American filmmaker to do so
He went on to produce and direct Baby Boy, and Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson, and Rosewood, starring John Voight and Ving Rhames. Among his other works are Higher Learning starring Omar Epps and Laurence Fishburne, and Poetic Justice. In 2006 he produced his second independent film, Illegal Tender, the story of a mother and son who flee from the thugs who killed his father. He has also directed television commercials for Coca-Cola and AT&T with D.L. Hughley.
Singleton has claimed numerous awards including the LAFCA New Generation Award, the MTV Movie Award for Best New Filmmaker, the New York Film Critics Award for Best New Director, the Special Award for Directorial Debut of the Year, and the ShoWest Award for Screenwriter of the Year.
Currently, Singleton is directing Tulia, a new movie starring Halle Berry. He is also preparing to direct a big screen version of the 1980’s television series The A-Team.
He went on to produce and direct Baby Boy, and Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson, and Rosewood, starring John Voight and Ving Rhames. Among his other works are Higher Learning starring Omar Epps and Laurence Fishburne, and Poetic Justice. In 2006 he produced his second independent film, Illegal Tender, the story of a mother and son who flee from the thugs who killed his father. He has also directed television commercials for Coca-Cola and AT&T with D.L. Hughley.
Singleton has claimed numerous awards including the LAFCA New Generation Award, the MTV Movie Award for Best New Filmmaker, the New York Film Critics Award for Best New Director, the Special Award for Directorial Debut of the Year, and the ShoWest Award for Screenwriter of the Year.
Currently, Singleton is directing Tulia, a new movie starring Halle Berry. He is also preparing to direct a big screen version of the 1980’s television series The A-Team.
Dr. Maulana Karenga
Dr. Maulana Karenga is professor and chair of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach. He holds two Ph.D.'s; his first in political science with focus on the theory and practice of nationalism (United States International University) and his second in social ethics with a focus on the classical African ethics of ancient Egypt (University of Southern California). Professor Karenga is the foremost exponent of Maatian ethical thought, having developed over the last three decades, a creative and scholarly Kawaida interpretation of ancient Egyptian ethical thought as a living tradition and a useful philosophical option for critical reflection on the urgent issues of our time. His second dissertation, a major work of 803-pages titled Maat, The Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt: A Study in Classical African Ethics, and submitted in 1996, was the most requested work from UMI out of 45,000 dissertations and theses worldwide of that year. Published as a book in 2002, it has received praise from the Africana Studies and Egyptological communities as a seminal and defining work which has opened up a valuable new dialog with ancient Egyptian thought and culture.
An activist-scholar of national and international recognition, Dr. Karenga has had a far-reaching effect on Black intellectual and political culture since the 1960s. Through his organizational and intellectual work, and his philosophy, Kawaida, he has played a vanguard role in shaping the Black Arts Movement, Black Studies, the Black Power Movement, the Black Student Union Movement, Afrocentricity, ancient Egyptian studies and the study of ancient Egyptian culture as an essential part of Black Studies, Ifa ethical studies, rites of passage programs, the Independent Black School Movement, African life-cycle ceremonies, the Simba Wachanga Youth Movement, Black theological and ethical discourse, and the Reparations Movement.
Moreover, he is the executive director of the Kawaida Institute of Pan-African Studies, Los Angeles, and national chairman of The Organization Us, a cultural and social change organization, so named to stress the communitarian focus of the organization. Dr. Karenga has also played a key role in national united front efforts, serving on the founding and executive committee of the Black Power Conferences of the 60's, the National Black United Front, the National African American Leadership Summit, the Black Leadership Retreat, the National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO), and on the executive council of the national organizing committee of the Million Man March/Day of Absence, as well as authored the Mission Statement for this joint project.
An activist-scholar of national and international recognition, Dr. Karenga has had a far-reaching effect on Black intellectual and political culture since the 1960s. Through his organizational and intellectual work, and his philosophy, Kawaida, he has played a vanguard role in shaping the Black Arts Movement, Black Studies, the Black Power Movement, the Black Student Union Movement, Afrocentricity, ancient Egyptian studies and the study of ancient Egyptian culture as an essential part of Black Studies, Ifa ethical studies, rites of passage programs, the Independent Black School Movement, African life-cycle ceremonies, the Simba Wachanga Youth Movement, Black theological and ethical discourse, and the Reparations Movement.
Moreover, he is the executive director of the Kawaida Institute of Pan-African Studies, Los Angeles, and national chairman of The Organization Us, a cultural and social change organization, so named to stress the communitarian focus of the organization. Dr. Karenga has also played a key role in national united front efforts, serving on the founding and executive committee of the Black Power Conferences of the 60's, the National Black United Front, the National African American Leadership Summit, the Black Leadership Retreat, the National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO), and on the executive council of the national organizing committee of the Million Man March/Day of Absence, as well as authored the Mission Statement for this joint project.
Keith Muhammad
Brother Keith Muhammad is honored to serve as the Oakland Representative of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. Hence, he has dedicated his life to Program of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He is currently the Executive Director of Muhammad University of Islam in Oakland, California, successfully teaching children K-12 with love. He currently teaches History and World Cultures to 6th-12th grade students. He has also facilitated weekly town hall meetings in Oakland, Ca that address issues that deeply impact all communities, especially those that are low-moderate income.
He strongly believes that” injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and began his life of service standing for justice while in high school.
Brother Keith earned a B.A. in Physical Education from CSU Long Beach in 1989 where he served as Black Student Union president from 1987-1989. While attending CSULB, he maintained a constant schedule of service as a football coach (Dorsey High, Los Angeles), a mentor and counselor for at-risk youth and college bound high school students.
Mr. Muhammad became a registered member in the Nation of Islam and was immediately assigned to its ministry class. He served as a study group coordinator in Inglewood, California, and coordinated youth outreach activity for Muhammad Mosque #27 in Los Angeles. In 1991, Muhammad was assigned to serve as representative and student minister for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to the city of Oakland at Muhammad Mosque #26B.
Brother Keith not only serves the community, he is a shining example of a husband of over 20 years, and father of 4 sons. While he would surely give God the credit and praise, many are proud to watch his eldest son begin his college career at the University of California Berkeley at the age of 16, his second son, Ismail has entered San Francisco State University at 16, and two younger sons studying for a bright future.
Many who have listened to Brother Keith Muhammad’s lectures are often impressed with his grasp of history and love for his people; especially as it relates to and affects the poor and exploited segments of America.
Finally, Brother Keith is author of Grant Justice: Lessons Learned Fighting for Justice in the Murder of Oscar Grant, a textbook for activist and students in the journey for justice.
He strongly believes that” injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and began his life of service standing for justice while in high school.
Brother Keith earned a B.A. in Physical Education from CSU Long Beach in 1989 where he served as Black Student Union president from 1987-1989. While attending CSULB, he maintained a constant schedule of service as a football coach (Dorsey High, Los Angeles), a mentor and counselor for at-risk youth and college bound high school students.
Mr. Muhammad became a registered member in the Nation of Islam and was immediately assigned to its ministry class. He served as a study group coordinator in Inglewood, California, and coordinated youth outreach activity for Muhammad Mosque #27 in Los Angeles. In 1991, Muhammad was assigned to serve as representative and student minister for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to the city of Oakland at Muhammad Mosque #26B.
Brother Keith not only serves the community, he is a shining example of a husband of over 20 years, and father of 4 sons. While he would surely give God the credit and praise, many are proud to watch his eldest son begin his college career at the University of California Berkeley at the age of 16, his second son, Ismail has entered San Francisco State University at 16, and two younger sons studying for a bright future.
Many who have listened to Brother Keith Muhammad’s lectures are often impressed with his grasp of history and love for his people; especially as it relates to and affects the poor and exploited segments of America.
Finally, Brother Keith is author of Grant Justice: Lessons Learned Fighting for Justice in the Murder of Oscar Grant, a textbook for activist and students in the journey for justice.
Dr. Lynn Dymally
Dr. Lynn Vivian Dymally is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Legal Studies in Business in the college of Business Administration at California State University, Long Beach. In addition to her teaching responsibilities there, she serves as Faculty Representative to the Associated Students Elections Board, as well as Faculty Advisor to the Black Business Student Association. Dr. Dymally has also served as a member on the Advisory Committee for the Hispanic Serving Institution Development Grant at CSULB. During her ten years at the University, Professor Dymally has co-authored two articles, The Opaque and Under-Regulated Hedge Fund Industry: Victim or Culprit in the Subprime Mortgage Crisis, to published in NYU Journal of Law and Business September 2009 and Increasing Extraterritorial Intrusion of E.U. Authority into U.S. Business Mergers and Competition Practices: U.S. Multinational Business Underestimate the Strength of the European Commission, published in University of Connecticut International Law Journal. Her other academic activities include an assignment by CSU Chancellor Reed to the California African American Political and Economic Institute(located on the campus of California State University, Dominquez Hills) as the Coordinator for the Institute’s Think Tank activities.
Born and educated in Los Angeles County, Lynn attended public schools and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at San Diego majoring in Communication/Sociology, a Master of Arts degree in Business Management from the University of Redlands, and a Juris Doctor degree from Whittier College School of Law.
In addition to her vast community and political involvement, Professor Dymally has also served as an instructor for the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans in Washington, DC, Appointee to the Los Angeles County Task Force on Teenage Pregnancy, Member of the Board of Advisors for Whittier Law School, and she was a participant in the American-Swiss Foundation's Young Leaders Conference held in Switzerland. Professor Dymally's travels include most major cities in the United States, various African Countries including Zaire, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. She has also traveled to parts of Europe including London, Paris, Belgium, and Switzerland.In addition, she has visited many cities in Mexico, parts of South America, and various Caribbean island countries.
During her leisure time, Lynn enjoys travelling with her son, attending her mother’s theatre performances, assisting her father with community and political projects, spending time with friends, reading, water sports, skiing, white-water rafting, listening to music, watching DVDs, attending concerts & sporting events, movie-going, shopping, traveling, and playing golf.
Born of an East Indian Muslim heritage with a uniquely Muslim maiden surname, Professor Dymally is deeply spiritual and a devout bleeding-heart liberal Democrat who believes her purpose in life is to serve others and that “success is the best revenge.”
Born and educated in Los Angeles County, Lynn attended public schools and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at San Diego majoring in Communication/Sociology, a Master of Arts degree in Business Management from the University of Redlands, and a Juris Doctor degree from Whittier College School of Law.
In addition to her vast community and political involvement, Professor Dymally has also served as an instructor for the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans in Washington, DC, Appointee to the Los Angeles County Task Force on Teenage Pregnancy, Member of the Board of Advisors for Whittier Law School, and she was a participant in the American-Swiss Foundation's Young Leaders Conference held in Switzerland. Professor Dymally's travels include most major cities in the United States, various African Countries including Zaire, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. She has also traveled to parts of Europe including London, Paris, Belgium, and Switzerland.In addition, she has visited many cities in Mexico, parts of South America, and various Caribbean island countries.
During her leisure time, Lynn enjoys travelling with her son, attending her mother’s theatre performances, assisting her father with community and political projects, spending time with friends, reading, water sports, skiing, white-water rafting, listening to music, watching DVDs, attending concerts & sporting events, movie-going, shopping, traveling, and playing golf.
Born of an East Indian Muslim heritage with a uniquely Muslim maiden surname, Professor Dymally is deeply spiritual and a devout bleeding-heart liberal Democrat who believes her purpose in life is to serve others and that “success is the best revenge.”
Dr. Pamela Ashe
Pamela Ashe is a licensed psychologist with over twenty years of experience as a psychotherapist. Her areas of interest are women's issues, partner and family relationships, cultural dynamics, and professional growth and development. She enjoys using a collaborative, interpersonal approach within a cultural, social, familial context to address the needs of the whole person. She works with individuals to help them build on their strengths and attain personal growth.
Pamela has a passion for group psychotherapy. In addition to conducting therapy groups throughout her career she also teaches graduate coursework in group counseling and provides training in group psychotherapy to doctoral level psychology interns. She is a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, the Association of Black Psychologists, and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association.
Pamela has a passion for group psychotherapy. In addition to conducting therapy groups throughout her career she also teaches graduate coursework in group counseling and provides training in group psychotherapy to doctoral level psychology interns. She is a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, the Association of Black Psychologists, and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association.