Black, Brown and In Charge: New Movement Leaders and the Future of the Left
Session Type(s): Featured Panel
Starts: Friday, Jul. 12 10:15 AM (Eastern)
Ends: Friday, Jul. 12 11:30 AM (Eastern)
https://www.facebook.com/NetrootsNation/videos/1102292629966006/
Just as newly elected officials have reshaped Congress, movement leaders like Yvette Simpson (Democracy for America), Maurice Mitchell (Working Families Party), Karundi Williams (re:power) and Nina Turner (Our Revolution) are reshaping the larger progressive movement. It’s all part of a larger effort to ensure that we build a progressive coalition which lifts up all voices and recognizes the leadership of people of color. This panel will discuss the future of the Democratic Party, priorities for the progressive movement, and the 2019 and 2020 elections.
Moderator
Arshad Hasan
Arshad Hasan is the co-founder and Principal of Convey Communications, a firm dedicated to lifting up emerging leaders of the progressive movement – especially women, people of color, and queer folks – on their public communications skills. You’ve got a vision, we help you convey it to a world that needs to hear it. You deserve to be heard.
Arshad is a long serving member of Netroots Nation’s Board of Directors and served as the immediate past Chair of the Board. Prior to founding Convey Communications, Arshad has led some of the progressive movement’s most high-impact political organizations such as Democracy For America and Progress Now. He lives in Vermont with his tiny dog, Cole.
Other sessions: Believe Me! Great Public Speakers Use Body Language to be Heard
Panelists
Maurice Mitchell
Maurice Mitchell is a nationally-recognized social movement strategist, a visionary leader in the Movement for Black Lives, and a community organizer for racial, social, and economic justice. He is currently national director of the Working Families Party.
Yvette Simpson
In January 2019, Yvette became the first woman to serve as a Chief Executive Officer at Democracy For America (DFA), as well as the first woman of color in executive leadership.
Yvette is a lawyer, MBA, and former Cincinnati City Council President Pro Tempore. She served as the Federal Electoral Manager for Democracy for America during the second half of 2018 helping to flip control of the US House with historic victories electing the most progressive and diverse coalition of candidates in America’s history.
Yvette was elected to the Cincinnati City Council in 2011 and re-elected in 2013 for a four-year term. She served as President Pro Tem from 2013-2017. In 2017 she ran for Mayor of Cincinnati and earned the full support and endorsement of DFA members across the country. She made history as the first Black woman in Cincinnati’s 200-year history to win a Mayoral primary but came up just short of victory in the general election despite winning 15 of 26 wards.
Nina Turner
The Honorable Nina Turner is a “hell-raising humanitarian” and a tireless advocate for progressive values and social justice. She made history in 2005 and 2008 as the first woman and African American woman, respectively, to represent those districts. She promoted progressive policies through her work with the Ohio Democratic Party, Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, and during her time at Our Revolution. Turner is a former assistant professor of history at Cuyahoga Community College and host of the “Hello Somebody” podcast. Turner is currently a senior fellow at the New School Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy.
Karundi Williams
Karundi Williams (she/her) is the Executive Director of re:power, a national progressive training and capacity building organization. She is based in Washington, D.C. and leads a national team of strategists, organizers, and technologists towards re:power’s bold mission of building transformative political power with and for communities of color, at all levels in our government and power structures.
She brings two decades of experience in local government, the labor movement, and the progressive ecosystem to re:power. Her focus on creating systems for communities of color to build their political power to create social change – whether it be community organizing, connecting everyday people to policy platforms or investing in infrastructure and resources — is well aligned with re:power’s mission to build and train leaders of color.
Previously, Karundi held multiple leadership positions at SEIU (Service Employees International Union) as the Political Director for the Midwest initiative and the Director of State and Local Programs. Prior to SEIU, she was the Deputy Director for Government Affairs for the State of Ohio.
Karundi is based in Washington, D.C. with her daughter Zoya and her partner Rafiq. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, nature photography, traveling and spending time with friends and family over a good meal.