Meet Your Speakers
As associate professor and program coordinator in North Carolina, Dr. Jack Monell is a social justice scholar and advocate who uses his personal and professional experiences to make a difference in the lives of others. His research focuses on Afro-Latino youth and their families, pop culture, and delinquency paradigm shifts. In addition to his academic responsibilities, he serves as a consultant for local, state, and federal agencies and is a member of the American Society of Criminology.
A native of Houston, Texas, Crystal Francis earned her PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University, focusing her dissertation on prisoner re-entry and employment. She then turned her passion for policy reform and social justice into a meaningful career serving her Baltimore community. Currently, Crystal is a program analyst for the Social Security Administration and the chair of the Baltimore County Democratic State Central Committee.
Meet Your Moderator
Isaac Cudjoe, chief of staff and director of Walden’s Center for Social Change, is the architect behind Black History Lives Here. He sees the series as an opportunity to “get people to understand that Black history ... is the past, present, and future.” He also hopes these conversations will help Walden become a leader in confronting racial injustice. Outside of work, Cudjoe collaborates with two unfunded community organizations to create opportunities and action for marginalized populations.
The Future
Carla Tyler Chase and Ulysesses Wilcox explore the future of Walden and its alumni and students through the lens of how they hope Black graduates will impact the world. They also provide messages for future generations to inspire those who follow them to continue to drive positive social change within their communities.
The Present
Tiffany Solarin and Kurtis Gorham discuss their life experiences as well as how their current roles at Walden allow them to have an impact on our students’ daily lives. In this video, the pair also talks about what social change looks like today in their own communities.
The Past
Dr. Rochelle Gilbert and Rolando Cousins discuss how their pasts help shape who they are today. In this video, the pair talk about how childhood experiences continue to play a part in their everyday lives and explore the idea that a person’s title never tells the full story of who they are.
