TEDxKingLincolnBronzevillle

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Amazing Tei Street

  Tei Street is an accomplished executive with a proven track record of driving strategic growth and operational excellence across diverse industries. With over 20 years of leadership experience, Tei has consistently delivered results by fostering collaborative environments and implementing innovative solutions. Tei’s expertise extends to board governance, where she has served on multiple boards, providing strategic guidance and oversight. She is adept at navigating complex challenges, building strong relationships, and driving consensus among stakeholders. Known for her passion for the development of young people, Tei excels at identifying opportunities, developing actionable plans, and executing initiatives that deliver tangible outcomes. She is a results-oriented leader with a strong commitment to integrity and ethical conduct. Tei's leadership style is characterized by her ability to inspire and empower teams, fostering a culture of accountability and high performance. Tei is family oriented. She enjoys reading political autobiographies and volunteering in her community.

• Dr. View

  Stevie "Dr. View" Johnson is the Assistant Professor of Creative Practice in Popular Music at The Ohio State University. DJ, producer, educator and community organizer, Dr. View is the sonic spirit of Black Wall Street embodied. The Tulsa-based producer and DJ is a southern, soulful, sampled-based beat maker and songwriter who utilizes sound to educate and liberate community through music and stories. Inspired by the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Bobbi Humphrey, Dr. Dre, The Dream, Quincy Jones, Missy Elliott & DJ Mr. Rogers, Dr. View got his name not only from his PhD, but from his southern roots in Longview, TX. Dr. View received his Ph.D in Higher Education Administration from the University of Oklahoma in 2019. His dissertation, entitled Curriculum of the Mind: A BlackCrit, Narrative Inquiry Hip Hop Album on Anti-Blackness & Freedom for Black Male Collegians at historically white institutions, received the 2019 Bobby Wright Dissertation of the Year Award for the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). This was the first time a Hip Hop Dissertation or non-traditional dissertation ever received the award. Dr. View is the Founder & Executive Producer of Fire in Little Africa, a multimedia Hip Hop project that consisted of four components: a 21-track Hip Hop Album, which was signed to Motown Records, an award-winning documentary, podcast and curriculum inspired by Black Wall Street and the 100 year acknowledgment of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Fire in Little Africa, which consists of 60 artists from the state of Oklahoma, released the project in May 2021 and accumulated over 7 million streams across all digital streaming platforms. In addition, Dr. View is the 2023 Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellow at Harvard University, which is named after iconic Hip Hop Legend and artist, Nas.

• Iyesha Bush

  Iyesha bush, a native of Columbus, Ohio is a Licensed Professional Counselor by the Ohio Counselor board. She received her bachelors in communication from Clark Atlanta University in 2004. In 2007 she enlisted into the United States Army for 6 years; during this time, she deployed twice to Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom). In 2012, she attended South Carolina State University obtaining dual Masters degrees from this HBCU. A Masters in Individual & Family Development (2014) and a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling (2016). Career driven, she commissioned to the Rank of 2nd Lieutenant as an Army Officer in 2014; serving in the SC National Guard until 2016. Iyesha is passionate about ending the stigma associated with Mental Health. She is changing the narrative that, seeking help for mental health challenges is “OK”. That you are not CRAZY! That getting help is NOT a sign of weakness, but a sign of Strength!

• Karen Hewitt

  Karen Hewitt, M.Ed. (They/She) Culture Bearer | Community Builder | Rest Advocate | Creative Visionary Karen Hewitt is a catalyst for connection, creativity, and transformation. As Founder of The Culture of You and Co-Founder & COO of The Ohio REST Collective, they specialize in Culture and Diversity Strategy, Leadership Development, and Community Building, centering Black and Queer wisdom while guiding organizations through meaningful change. Known for their sharp insight and warm, approachable style, Karen helps individuals and organizations navigate complex conversations with heart and strategy. She is a sought-after host, speaker, voice actor, and facilitator, celebrated for her healing-centered, trauma-informed approach that turns vision into tangible action. Their accolades include the 2020 Create Columbus Visionary Award, 2022 CEO Columbus Future 50 Fellowship, and 2023 membership in the African-American Leadership Academy Fellowship. They serve as President of The Buckeye Flame Board of Directors and are a Board of Directors member for Zora’s House. Beyond consulting, Karen is a dynamic creative, performing as Karen Marie in poetry, improv comedy, and music. They have graced sold-out stages like the Lincoln Theatre and are a published author of Grounded: A Collection of Healing Spoken Word Poetry (2019) and Fire: Poetic Memoirs of a Movement (2021), alongside contributions to anthologies such as The Black Woman’s Guide to Love and Business (2022), and Culture Impact: Strategies to Create World-Changing Workplaces (2023). With a background in mathematics, women’s basketball coaching, workforce development, and educational leadership, Karen integrates her analytical expertise with her passion for people to foster inclusive, affirming, and thriving communities. At the heart of her work is an unwavering commitment to creating spaces where people feel safe, valued, and seen.

• Sarah Napper

  I am an Early Childhood Educator with a background in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), with deep roots in community work through the Black Church. As a pastor, licensed cosmetologist, and group fitness instructor, I am passionate about helping others become the best version of themselves—spiritually, mentally, and physically. My work centers around affirming identity, challenging societal narratives, and empowering people to walk boldly in their purpose. Whether I’m in the classroom, pulpit, or community space, I lead with compassion, authenticity, and a deep commitment to equity and healing.

• Shantel Williams-Rivers

  Shantel is a Life Coach, Author, Certified Minister, and Safe Space Curator who creates healing spaces rooted in truth, connection, and care—especially for neurodivergent Black women. As the founder of Dropping Gems, both a talk show and a growing online platform, she brings people together for raw, honest conversations around healing, relationships, and self-worth. With lived experience and spiritual grounding at the core of her work, Shantel blends compassion, accountability, and community care to help others feel seen, supported, and never alone. Whether she’s coaching one-on-one or leading group discussions, her mission is clear: to help people unlearn survival mode and embrace joy, softness, and belonging.

• Stephanie Finoti

  Stephanie Finoti is a former Miss Ohio 2024 and a Biomedical Scientist committed to advancing equity in healthcare and education. As the founder of "That STEM Girl initiative", she empowers underrepresented youth to lead in medicine and STEM through mentorship, access, and advocacy. A first-generation Brazilian-American and former CREATES-HS scholar at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, an initiative focused on creating opportunities for marginalized communities in Columbus, Stephanie’s journey has taken her from a redlined neighborhood into rooms with medical leaders shaping the future of healthcare. With years of clinical and research experience, she uses her voice to champion representation, dismantle systemic barriers, and plant the seeds for lasting change.

• Tasha Lomo

  I desire to create spaces that are catalysts of transformation for black and brown communities through bridging creativity, design thinking, and holistic wellness to design systems that are inclusive and culturally competent. With my experience in community partnerships, program facilitation, and design research; I plan to design systems that are equitable for black and brown communities to thrive.

• Tecca Thompson

  Tecca Thompson, also known as The Rested Black Woman, is a somatic practitioner, breathwork facilitator, and the founder of Sacred Healing Spaces. She creates spaces where Black women can soften, exhale, and return to themselves. Through rest, breath, story, and ritual, she guides individuals and communities into deeper connection with their bodies and their truth. Her work blends somatic practice with cultural care, helping people interrupt patterns of urgency and reclaim rest as a source of power. Tecca is known for her gentle, grounded presence and her ability to hold space for healing in both personal and collective settings. Her workshops and teachings support nervous system repair, embodied leadership, and the soft strength it takes to live a liberated life.

• Treva Lindsey

  Dr. Treva B. Lindsey is an award-winning author and Professor at The Ohio State University, co-founder of Black Feminist Night School at Zora’s House, founder of the Transformative Black Feminisms Initiative at OSU. Her most recent book, America Goddam: Violence, Black Women, and The Struggle for Justice (University of California Press) received a starred review from Kirkus Books, landed on several “Best of 2022” lists, has been a finalist for prestigious national awards, and was described as “required reading for all Americans.” Her first book, Colored No More: Reinventing Black Womanhood in Washington D.C was a Choice 2017 “Outstanding Academic Title.” She has published in Feminist Scholar Online, Biography, The Journal of Pan-African Studies, Souls, African and Black Diaspora, the Journal of African American Studies, African American Review, The Journal of African American History, Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism, Urban Education, The Black Scholar, Feminist Studies, and Signs. She is the recipient of several awards and fellowships from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, the Social Science Research Council, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. She is the Distinguished Father Royden B. Davis, S.J., Chair at Georgetown University for Spring 2025. She was a 2020-2021 ACLS/Mellon Scholars and Society Fellow. She was the inaugural Equity for Women and Girls of Color Fellow at Harvard University (2016-2017). In 2022, she received the Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences Mid-Career Faculty Excellence Award. Professor Lindsey also writes for and contributes to outlets such as Time, CNN, Al Jazeera, NBC, BET, Complex, Vox, The Root, Huffington Post, PopSugar, Billboard, Bustle, Teen Vogue, Grazia UK, The Grio, The Washington Post, Women’s Media Center, Zora, and Cosmopolitan.