Jhmira Alexander is a strategist and nonprofit executive with expertise in fundraising, financial sustainability, and organizational development. An entrepreneur turned intrapreneur, she is known for centering community voice through collaboration and believes in building sustainable change alongside those most impacted.

Enneréssa is an award-winning artist and choreographer who has developed impactful installations showcasing Black excellence while serving as an innovative educator. Already an accomplished athlete, Enneréssa answered her calling to the arts at the age of thirteen, studying under dance legends like Joel Hall, Kim Tyler, Larry Brewer, and Dr. Dionne Champion. She was a member of the Joel Hall Dancers for over three seasons. Her holistic approach to arts education provides youth and adults with platforms to excel—both in artistic expression and in their everyday lives.

Alice is the founding director of the Beyond Prisons Initiative at the Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture. The initiative is a teaching and learning project that engages and connects students, faculty, and community in work addressing the social injustices caused by mass incarceration alongside opportunities to support education inside prisons. She teaches inside Illinois prisons with the Prison + Neighborhood Arts/Education Project and is a co-founder of Chicago Torture Justice Memorials.

Cheryl is a lifelong activist and organizer, who has brought deep commitment and compassion to those in need. She spent 25 years as a Chicago cab driver and organized fellow drivers for labor rights.

Throughout her career, Andrea has spearheaded transformative campaigns—including successfully advocating to reallocate $33 million for school resource officers into student programming and staff. She has also been a leader in developing the "Treatment Not Trauma" coalition—which seeks a city-wide program that dispatches mental health professionals and emergency medical technicians in response to mental health crises.

As a visionary media leader, Nissa transformed Borderless Magazine—a nonprofit and nonpartisan news outlet reimagining immigration journalism—from a blog to a nationally recognized, award-winning newsroom with nine full-time employees. Her fundraising efforts have secured $3 million to support the organization's operations and its empathetic, human-centered reporting.

Dave (Mississippi Chata/Dine) has dedicated decades to expanding Native representation in Chicago's art world and beyond. As a co-curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and assistant curator at Aurora University's Schingoethe Center, he helped develop groundbreaking exhibitions presenting Native identity through first-voice perspectives. At the American Indian Center, he led the creation of Chicago's first 100% Native-first-voice gallery space, giving Native artists control over how their work and stories are presented.

Hac is a Chicago-born urban planner, community development professional, and cultural producer dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of “Asia on Argyle”—a five-block business district in Chicago that represents diverse Southeast Asian and African communities. He co-founded “Celebrate Argyle” a community initiative that shines a spotlight on immigrant-owned restaurants and businesses and connects community to resources. The initiative has brought renewed attention and appreciation to the neighborhood through innovative and cross-cultural collaborations.