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Participant Biographies
Panel 1: “The Evolving History of Virginia’s Central State Hospital, 1869-2025: Panel discussion”
Moderator: Adrienne Fikes, Friends of Virginia’s Central State Hospital board member.
Dr. King Davis, President of the Friends of Virginia’s Central State Hospital
Dr. Olivia Garland, 1st Black woman Administrator at Central State Hospital
Dr. King Davis is retired Professor in the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin. From 1990 to 1994, he served as Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. And as Executive Director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health from 2003-2008. Also, Dr. Davis was the former Director of the Institute for Urban Policy Research & Analysis and holder of the Mike Hogg Endowed Chair in Urban Affairs from 2011 to 2014. Dr. Davis is the founder and president of the Friends of Virginia’s Central State Hosptial.
Adrienne Fikes, M.Ed. is the executive director of the Alexandria People’s Assembly and a Friends of Virginia’s Central State Hospital board member. Adrienne advocates for Black/African Psychology as a means to disrupt oppressive systems, and establish just, loving, sustainable communities. She is a family historian and descendant of a Central State Hospital patient, and was selected by the Board for Certification of Genealogists as a 2023 Paul Edward Sluby Sr. Scholar. Ms. Fikes developed the Joy, Genealogy & Justice Model for Black Liberation, and founded the #16Greats Project, asking how many of your sixteen great-great-grandparents can you name?
Panel 2: “Exploring the History of Enslavement in North Carolina and Virginia”
Moderator: Dr. Adrienne Petty
Maverick Easton Huneycutt, “Memories of Enslavement and the North Carolina WPA Ex-Slave Narrative Collection”
Maverick Huneycutt is a first-generation college student who received his BA and MA at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Maverick's scholarship focuses on race, violence, and African American history from the early 19th Century to the late 20th Century. In early 2024, he published an article in the University of Kansas' new interdisciplinary journal, Africana Annual. This article focused on the destruction of the African American community of Brooklyn in Charlotte, NC, in the 1950s. His MA thesis focused on the WPA Ex-Slave Narrative collection and slavery in North Carolina. Maverick is currently a PhD student at the University of South Carolina. He is working with Dr. Mark M. Smith on a comparative study of Slave Drivers in the Antebellum South, "Indian" Police in the Western United States, and Jewish Police in Poland during the Holocaust.
Gaila C. Sims, “Sparking Freedom: Enslaved Resistance in Fredericksburg and Stafford, Virginia”
Dr. Gaila Sims serves as the Vice President of Programs and Interpretation at the Fredericksburg Area Museum. Originally from Riverside, California, she received her BA in History and African American Studies from Oberlin College, and her MA and PhD in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining the FAM, Dr. Sims worked at a variety of museums and archives in the Austin, Texas area, including the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, the Harry Ransom Center, and the Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Audrey McDowell, “Tracing Jordans from Eastern North Carolina to Colonial Era Virginia”
Audrey M. McDowell has 30 years of experience conducting genealogical research on her ancestors who were living in the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina immediately following the Civil War, with a primary focus on records related to the slavery and Reconstruction eras. Several of her formerly enslaved ancestors and their slaveowners had connections with Virginia. Ms. McDowell has conducted multiple genealogy presentations at the Lemon Project Symposium, the African-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS), family reunions and churches. A native of the Cleveland, Ohio metropolitan area, Ms. McDowell holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in African / Afro-American Studies and an M.S. in Urban Policy Analysis and Management and works as a policy analyst. She is a licensed minister and holds a M.A. from Wesley Theological Seminary.
Tyrone S. Goodwyn, “Enslaved Indigenous in Central Virginia. The Power of the Grapevine Against Institutional Slavery”
Tyrone S. Goodwyn is a product of Tidewater Virginia & southeast North Carolina. His father’s family was (mostly) enslaved in Dinwiddie County VA. His mother’s family was (mostly) free people of color in southeast NC. They met in Tidewater. Thank you, Great Migration! Mr. Goodwyn holds undergraduate degrees in Marketing Management and in Management Information Systems from Old Dominion University; an MBA in Marketing from the College of William and Mary; and a Master of Information Systems from George Mason University. Retired from the IT profession, he works full time researching and publishing the stories of his people. He is currently partnering with Colonial Williamsburg and various Custis museums to transform 200 years of chattel lists into family units. He founded the Gabriel Jacobs Eastern People Of Color History [EPOCH] internship at ODU to further this work. Recently he has been presenting on the dozens of SE NC free men of color who fought as patriots in the Revolutionary War.
Panel 3: “Reclaiming Our Story”
Dr. Lisa Winn Bryan, Moderator and Voices Remembered Initiative Director
Lorenzo Dickerson, 2024 Fellow, Albemarle, VA – Rosenwald School (Filmmaker)
Dr. James Harrison, 2024 Fellow, Surry, VA - Genealogist
Michael Johnson, 2024 Fellow, Alexandria, VA - Frederick Douglass Cemetery Historian
Michelle Oliver, 2024 Fellow, Richmond, VA - Evergreen Cemetery Historian
Horace Scruggs, 2024 Fellow, Fluvanna, VA – Waterways and Rivers (Filmmaker)
Panel 4: “Strength in Sisterhood: The Power of a Council of Women in Navigating Life, Family, and Career”
Moderator: Shené V. Owens, Ph.D.
Eltonette Harris, Ph.D.
Stephanie L. Sutton
Tasha Turnbull
Shené V. Owens, Ph.D. holds both a B.A. in English Arts and M.A. in Counseling from Hampton University and a PhD. Educational Policy Planning and Leadership from William & Mary. With over 15 years of experience within higher education she is passionate about education, community engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, and social justice. Shené is affectionately known to her students as “Auntie Shené” or “SVO”. Throughout her career, Shené has been named one of Inside Business’ Top Forty Under 40 Awardees, one of William & Mary’s “Women of Influence”, “Diversity Champions”, “Outstanding Faculty award” from William & Mary’s Black Student Organization, and an award in recognition of advocacy, dedication, commitment, and devotion to the APIA communities at William & Mary. Shené is a PROUD member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., following in the footsteps and legacy of her grandmother. When she’s not at work, Shené is extremely active in her communities both in Virginia and New Jersey; serving as a mentor to teens and young adults. She lives by the West African term “Sankofa”, which teaches us that we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward.
Dr. Elle Harris is from Portsmouth, Virginia. She has dedicated her life to advocating for women and girls worldwide. She has nearly two decades of experience in the Human Services and Counseling field with experiences ranging from direct care to agency operation and restructuring. Dr. Harris's primary academic areas of focus have been Imposter Syndrome and feelings of inadequacy in women nonprofit leaders. Dr. Elle Harris has served in many capacities throughout the community as she’s a founder of the nonprofit WWW Group, and serves on many boards and commissions in leadership roles. Her continuous work has earned her a Gold Level Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama, a Women of Distinction award from the YWCA of South Hampton Roads, and a Top Forty under 40 award from Inside Business.
Stephanie (Steph) Walters- As a graduate of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University, TV Host and Producer Stephanie (Steph) Walters has edified her skills in journalism, storytelling, and production through education and experience. Alongside her media career, Stephanie is also the Director of Engagement & Communications for YELLOW, a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by musician, producer, and philanthropist Pharrell Williams whose mission is to EVEN THE ODDS through education. In her role at YELLOW, Stephanie is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships between community and civic organizations; developing and implementing special projects at the local and national level; creating hyperlocal community activations; and curating YELLOW’s digital footprint and internal and external press, currently hosting their conversation series, Bright Sparks Live, which has now expanded to different parts of the United States. In August 2023, Stephanie launched her company, Dream Pusher, which is a story-telling + vision-building studio to help women reclaim and accomplish their dreams through content creation, media training, and lifestyle and empowerment workshops. Stephanie is a 2021 inductee in Hampton University's 40 Under 40; a member of Norfolk State University's School of Education Advisory Board; and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and GirlFriends, Inc.
Tasha Turnbull is a Fitness and Wellness Expert, owner of T2 Fitness, two-time Author, Stress Management and Recovery Health Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and Transformative Wellness Speaker. Tasha began her career as a certified personal trainer in 2009 after losing 100 pounds naturally, which inspired her to open and operate T2 Fitness Studios in Virginia Beach for 12 years. Since then, she has motivated over 10,000 men and women in Hampton Roads and virtually across the U.S. to prioritize health and fitness. She is also the founder and executive director of the T2 Fitness Foundation, a nonprofit that offers free comprehensive wellness programs to individuals with hypertension and diabetes across seven cities. Tasha has been featured in various national and local media outlets and is the recipient of the Women In Business Achievement Award from Inside Business. She was named a Woman to Watch in STRONG Fitness Magazine in 2019 and was highlighted as a featured trainer in the American Council on Exercise's newsletter. Additionally, she serves on the City of Norfolk's Parks and Recreation Commission.
Panel 5: "Exploring Black Americans through Disability, Relationships, Religion, and Conversations"
Moderator: Dr. Phyllis Slade Martin
Robert Monson, “Black Disabled Resilience in an Age of Waiting”
Robert is a writer, musician, theoethecist, and scholar of religion specializing in Black theologies. His work takes seriously the role of Black bodies and seeks to reframe masculinity in generative and soft ways of being. As co-director of an organization named Enfleshed Robert seeks to make helpful resources that give spiritual and practical nourishment. He is a podcast co-host of Three Black Men as well as Black Coffee and Theology.
darlene anita scott, “Relationship Goals: The Liberating Power of Intimacy In What We’ve Become”
darlene anita scott is a writer and multidisciplinary artist who explores corporeal presentations of trauma and the violence of silence, especially in Black girls. Her scholarship appears in Ourselves In Our Work: Black Women Scholars of Black Girlhoods (Peter Lang) and she has exhibited her artwork on the “good girl” widely including as cover artist for Girls In Global Development: Figurations of Gendered Power (Berghahn). Scott’s debut poetry collection, Marrow (University Press of Kentucky) reimagines people lost in a mass murder-suicide at the Guyanese settlement of Peoples Temple founded by James "Jim" Jones and popularly known as Jonestown. She also co-edited the creative-critical volume Revisiting the Elegy in the Black Lives Matter Era (Routledge), and her chapbook What We've Become is forthcoming in Spring 2025 (Finishing Line Press).
Gabrielle Kubi, “Conversations in Color: Conceptualizing University-Based Black Girls’ Development of an Intersectional Awareness of Misogynoir”
Gabrielle Kubi is a doctoral candidate in the University of Michigan’s Combined Program in Education and Psychology. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Human Development with minors in Education and Inequality Studies and holds an M.S. in Psychology. She is interested in the development of intersectional awareness among Black girls and women; and how educational spaces can be reimagined to support young Black people’s sociopolitical and identity development, particularly through university-school partnerships. She is excited to take part in the Lemon Symposium for the third time, and for the final time as a graduate student before she (prayerfully) defends her dissertation at the end of this semester (!!!).
Panel 6: “Prenatal Through Postpartum: The Renaissance of Black Maternal Health”
Moira Offord, M.S.
Ashley Nelson, M.S
Moira Offord is a crusader for equitable healthcare treatment of BIPOC women in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. After graduating from Old Dominion University with an undergraduate degree in Biology and a minor in Military Leadership, she was commissioned in the United States Navy. She served as a naval officer for over three years. After her service, she obtained a Master’s degree in Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University, where she conducted capstone research on postpartum hemorrhaging and its comorbidities that predispose African-American women to an increased risk of mortality. She utilized her experience as a surgical technologist in obstetrics and gynecology and dived deep into the pathologies that plague African-American women. Women’s health has become more than a passion; it is a lifelong calling for her to work to improve for all women, no matter their ethnic background, with an overall mission to attain medical equity in the world.
Ashley Nelson is an adjunct professor at Norfolk State University and a medical professional specializing in dermatology and plastic surgery. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from Christopher Newport University in 2019 and her Master of Science in Medical Science, focusing on Microbiology, from Marymount University in 2024. Currently, Ashley is pursuing a career in medicine, aiming to leverage her surgical background to research the incidence of skin cancer in Black and brown individuals. Beyond her work in science and medicine, she serves as the Christopher Newport Multicultural Alumni Chapter president. She is a nationally double-certified tennis teaching professional with Black Girls Tennis Club. Ashley has a passion for health equity and hopes that through research and practice in the field, her work will help bring our society closer to that goal.
Dee Winston is a distinguished healthcare professional with a strong academic background in health sciences, epidemiology, and maternal health. She holds esteemed certifications from the American Society of Clinical Pathology and the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology. Her dedication to maternal health stems from a life-threatening childbirth experience, propelling her into a career as a maternal health educator, advocate, and content developer for the influential National Black Postpartum Awareness Week launched in May 2023 through Speak! Move! Change! Leveraging her extensive academic pursuits and professional experiences, Dee is unwavering in her commitment to effecting positive change in the realm of maternal health. With a specialized focus in molecular biology and histology within laboratory sciences, she brings a unique scientific perspective to her work in maternal health. Dee's scholarly achievements and professional accreditations underscore her steadfast dedication to advancing healthcare and improving outcomes for minority women in maternal health.
Panel 7: “Descendant Power | Mobilizing for Community and Advocacy”
Moderator: Jessica Harris, Moderator, President of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities, Community, She/Her
Star Reams, Panelist, Secretary of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities, Community, She/Her
Laura Morgan Roberts, Board Member of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities, Community, She/Her
Jessica Harris is a descendant of enslaved communities in Central Virginia, including those at Monticello and the University of Virginia. She is board president for the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA. She is also the Community Research Program Manager at the UVA Equity Center. Jessica holds a Master’s in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia where she earned an Interdisciplinary B.A in arts nonprofit management and education. Her work is situated at the intersection of community engagement, education, and arts and place-based praxis. Jessica is also the founder and Artistic Director of Empowered Players, an arts education nonprofit 501(c)3 in Fluvanna County, Virginia.
Star Reams is a genealogist specializing in African American family history and a founding member and Board Secretary of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at the University of Virginia. Her work includes extensive research on enslaved communities at Pharsalia in Nelson County, Virginia, and consulting for Saving Slave Houses on projects like the “Silenced Voices in Interpreting Sites of Slavery” documentary and the Slave House Exploration and Evidence Tracing Field School, both at Pharsalia. Star’s DNA research has traced her origins to West Africa, validating her findings and connecting with living African DNA matches. Her commitment to uncovering and preserving African American heritage is ongoing and impactful.
Laura Morgan Roberts, Frank M. Sands Sr. Associate Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, is an organizational psychologist who researches positive identities and workplace diversity. She is a UVA alum and 7th generation descendant of enslaved and "free" laborers who built UVA and served its earliest students and faculty.
Panel 8: “Jackson Ward: The Birthplace of Black Capitalism"
Moderator: Faith Norrell
Faithe Norrell
Enjoli Moon
Sesha Moon
Faithe Norrell (moderator) is Cultural Heritage Specialist at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA). She came to the Museum after a 42 career as an elementary education teacher and Media Specialist/Librarian. She taught in public school systems around the country before returning to her hometown of Richmond, VA where she followed in the footsteps of over 20 direct descendants of Albert V. Norrell, Sr. who began teaching as one of the first graduates of the Colored High and Normal School at the age of 16 and taught for 65 years. Members of the family taught in Richmond Public Schools (RPS) for 133 consecutive years until her retirement in 2017. Also, as the great granddaughter-in-law of Maggie L. Walker, she includes personal stories of her many ancestors on whose shoulders she proudly stands as she leads tours at the BHMVA.
Sesha Moon is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The JXN Project. In addition to this role, she was Appointed by former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi as the Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with the U.S. House of Representatives. She has served as Chief Diversity Officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Senior Talent Management Strategist with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Senior Fellow of the Excellence in Government Fellowship with the Partnership for Public Service, and Senior Research Fellow with The Conference Board’s Engagement Institute. Along with completing programs at Harvard University and Cornell University, she received a Master of Science from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and the Doctor of Philosophy from Old Dominion University. She serves on the Board of Directors with the African American Federal Executive Association, is a board member with the Commonwealth of Virginia's Criminal Justice Services Board, and St. Jude African American Engagement Council.
Enjoli Moon is the Co-Founder of The JXN Project. She is also the Assistant Curator of Film and Special Programs with the Institute of Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University and Executive Director of the Afrikana Independent Film Festival, which holds the distinct honor of being the first and only Black film festival in Virginia. Afrikana has been hailed as the premiere space for Black arts and culture in the city – while quickly becoming the regional hub for Black indie cinema. She is also the founding chair of BLK RVA, a Richmond Region Tourism initiative designed to connect Richmond residents and visitors with Black-owned businesses in the area. Her work has been featured in local and national publications. She received the 2020 VCIC Humanitarian Award, the 2020 Richmond Times-Dispatch Strong Voices Award, and was cited as one of Style Weekly's Women In the Arts Award and Top 40 Under 40.
Panel 9: “Resilience and Healing Through History and Communities”
Moderator: Andre Taylor
Lynette N Stewart, “Family First: The Bedrock of Black Resilience through Cultural Practices and Collective Action”
Lynette Nickleberry Stewart is an Associate Professor in the School of Community and Human Services at SUNY Empire, where she also serves as Chair of the Department of Child and Family Studies. She holds a BA in Psychology from Stephens College and an MA and PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Missouri. Her research adopts an intersectionality perspective, focusing on how racial, socioeconomic, sexual, and other social identities influence family dynamics and human development. She teaches courses on military families, African American intimate relationships, and multicultural families.
Robin Jeser Wootton, “Can you meet me at Log Cabin Beach: a history of Grove and its resilience”
Robin Jester Wootton longs for truth and justice in all forms and especially through the arts. As a local musician and art enthusiast, she has worked toward highlighting local arts initiatives, preserving historical art and impact of the arts on communities such as Grove over the decades. She is a freelance writer, published author, podcaster, and blogger for over 20 years, and the director of AskingForMe.org a faith-based blog and podcast.
Orisade Awodola, “The Pennington Project”
Orisade Awodola is the founder and CEO of the Institute of African-Centered Thought (IACT), an ACAH Practitioner, and a leading academic in Africa-Centered Ancestral Healing who launched the field of Root Psychology in 2014 through her doctoral research. Awodola holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology from Antioch University. She has facilitated Africa-Centered Ancestral Healing (ACAH) healing circles and workshops at London’s King College, an affiliate of the Maudsley Institute of Psychiatry with Chief Kola Abiola in London, England, and the W.E.B. Dubois Cultural Center in Accra, Ghana. She was the Director of the Turning Point Program at Hillcrest Children’s Center, Bald Eagle Center in Anacostia, and Federal City Recovery Program in Washington, D.C., where she specialized in co-occurring disorders with adults and families.
Panel 10: “Undefeated by Eminent Domain: The Lee Family Rebuilding after Displacement in WWI”
Moderator: Mary Lassiter
Rosa Lee
Curtis Lassiter Sr.
Berrender Johnson
Mary Lassiter is a community historian and artist. Mary is passionate about history and has been involved in multiple efforts to highlight neglected Black histories in the greater Williamsburg area. She played a leadership role in building an online exhibit illuminating the history of the Reservation community in collaboration with The Village Initiative. She also helped to spearhead the creation of Voices of Integration, a film and digital exhibit spotlighting the experiences of Mary and her classmates in the Class of 1969, the first fully integrated graduating class in the Williamsburg-James City County Schools. Mary has pursued these themes in her artistic work as well. She created a three-part artistic montage chronicling her family’s displacement from the Reservation and resilience as they rebuilt, which was exhibited in 2020 at the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center. She is now forging an effort to rename public schools in the region that honor individuals tied to slavery and the Confederacy. She believes in the proverb, “live and let live.” She is the mother of two adult children and as 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Curtis Lassiter Sr., is a man among many who has strived to be a friend to all and a helper to those in need. He is the second son born to Carl and Mary Lassiter. He is a lifelong resident of Williamsburg, Virginia. He grew up with his siblings Carl, Jr., Ronald, Mary, and William in the community of East Williamsburg. He is married to the former Cynthia Ceaser and is the father of five children, twelve grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He has dedicated his life to his family. He attended Bruton Heights School during segregation, graduating in 1965. The years spent at Bruton Heights were significant to Curtis. His class of ‘65 was a close family rather than a group of students. Curtis attended Virginia State College, receiving an associate degree in Electronics before serving a tour of duty in Vietnam. He served his country well, and God returned him home uninjured and safe. He was employed at Newport News Ship Building and Anheuser-Busch Brewing, retiring in 2005. Curtis is a member of the Williamsburg Men’s Club. He is a lifelong member of Saint John Baptist Church where he currently serves as a deacon and participates in Bible studies, Sunday School, and many other activities of the church. Curtis is proud of his heritage as an African American and as a Native American, in the Meherrin tribe. He is dedicated to God, family and community.
Rosa Lee is a retired public school social worker in the District of Columbia Public Schools. She has a love for history and considers herself an amateur historian. Her research into family history began in the early 1990's and included the help of her then pre-teen daughter, Nedra, who today is a professor of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, MA. Educationally, she attended the public schools in Williamsburg and received her BS degree at Virginia State University and a Master's Degree in Social Work from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is a member of the James Dent Walker Chapter of the AAHGS (African American Historical and Genealogical Society) in Washington, D.C. Rosa Lee is a descendant of the Lee, Holmes, and Taylor families who lived in the Reservation community. She has conducted in-depth research at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. on the U.S. government’s displacement of families from the Reservation. Her archival research led to the discovery and digitization of over 3600 pages of firsthand testimony from Reservation residents and over 300 photos of their homes, churches, schools, and other buildings.
Berrender Johnson is a native of Williamsburg, VA-James City County. She is the sixth of eight siblings who resided in East Williamsburg, Virginia. She attended Bruton Heights Public School in James City County, up to the 5th grade. Afterwards, she was the first person in her family to participate in integration within our school system. Initially. she was one of few students in her class to integrate into an elementary school in Williamsburg. Currently, she's a substitute teacher with eight years of experience in the District of Columbia (DC) Public Schools. She teaches at an elementary school, grades Pre-K to 5th grade, specializing in Early Childhood Education. She received her Bachelor Degree in Special Education at Virginia State University. She is known for her positive attitude and energy. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, dancing, various types of music, reading and live plays.
Panel 11: “Piney Swamp: A Place of Black Resistance, a Site of Black Landedness, a Subject of Cooperative Research”
Moderator: Sara Lewis, Fairfield Foundation
Darold Cuba, PhD (ABD), Founding Chair of the Cambridge AntiRacism Forum (CARF) and MarronageOrg, Cambridge University, UK
David A. Brown, PhD, Director, Fairfield Foundation
Nathaniel Glasgow, GIS Technician & Archaeologist, Fairfield Foundation
Apostle Markita Brooks, Pastor, Truth in the Spirit, Historic Antioch Baptist Church
Sara E. Lewis received a B.A. in History and Art History from William & Mary, an M.A. in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University, and an M.B.A. from William & Mary. She has worked as museum curator with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, product manager with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and marketing communications director with the National Center for State Courts. She is Fairfield Foundation’s development officer and contributes to special research projects.
Dr. David Brown received a BA in Anthropology/Art History from William & Mary, an MA in History/Historical Archaeology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a PhD in American History from William & Mary. He has worked as an archaeologist and draftsman with the College of William & Mary, the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research, and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Dr. Brown serves as Co-Director of the Fairfield Foundation, and is co-owner of DATA Investigations, a cultural resource management firm. Dr. Brown is a founding member of the Werowocomoco Research Group and an adjunct professor of history at William & Mary.
Nathaniel Glasgow received a BS in Anthropology from Appalachian State University. He served as an archaeology fieldwork Intern at James Madison’s Montpelier. Mr. Glasgow completed both the GIS Fundamentals and Advanced Certificates at the University of Richmond. Since 2022, he has served as the GIS Technician and as a staff archaeologist for DATA Investigations, LLC, and the Fairfield Foundation.
Darold Cuba is an intellectual historian, social entrepreneur and media veteran (NYT, Vice, TriBeca, Fox, Wikipedia) with an interdisciplinary background, researching "landed Blackness” as "United States Post Emancipation Marronage (USPEM)." A founder of MarronageOrg, a social innovation enterprise preserving marronage communities and freedom colony settlements around the globe, incubated in the inaugural Cambridge Enterprises CRoSS (Commercialising Research out of the Social Sciences) Ideas Incubator c/o 2023; Oxbridge Africas (OA) a media initiative solving for the lack of representation, parity, inclusion and equity in Western narrative industries, a member of the Clinton
Foundation’s CGIU2024 cohort; and the Cambridge Histories of Marronage (CHoM) Workshop, he’s a Teaching Fellow at the Global History Lab (GHL) and a Research Associate at the Cambridge Black Advisory Hub (CamBAH). A native of the Virginia Tidewater, raised in Gloucester as a descendent of the original indigenous Native AmerIndian, African and European communities, he’s a History PhD candidate at St John's College, Cambridge, and holds graduate degrees from Harvard (MPA) and Columbia (MA), and a BA from Temple (Communications & PPE).
Markita Brooks is the Founder and Ministry Leader of The Truth In The Spirit, based at the Historic Antioch Baptist Church in Hayes, VA. The Truth In The Spirit is focused on transformation and empowerment for individuals, ministries, businesses and communities. Markita has a Bachelor’s degree in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond. She has been trained through Kad-Esh MAP Ministry’s Global Revival Messianic Apostolic Prophetic Bible School and the Messianic Yeshiva of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues. Markita is a motivational speaker and the published author of The Road to Damascus: Transformation for the Next Level and 5 Biblical Keys to Unlocking Wealth. She leads the Company of Apostles and Prophets, the Ecclesia Network of Ministries, the Nehemiah Network of business owners, the Invitation Movement and the National Kingdom Council. Apostle Markita also serves on 5 non-profit boards of directors and as the spiritual covering of many other ministries worldwide, while training pastors and leaders in various other ministries as well. She is also the Founder and CEO of Kingdom Wealth, LLC, a Bible-based business coaching firm, as well as the Founder and President of the Ari Network, Inc., a global network connecting Kingdom entrepreneurs
Panel 12: “We've Come Full-Circle: How Two Families Separated by Slavery are Back Together Again"
Moderator: Malerie Gamblin, M.Ed. (Class of 2017)
Ellicia Bragg Chau
Corinne Chau
Herbert Bragg
Ellicia Bragg Chau, M. Ed., Parent ’17 & ‘27. Genealogy has been a mainstay in Ellicia’s life for a long time. She has carried that enthusiasm and love of family history throughout the years, eventually identifying and documenting multiple branches of her family tree. After early success, she hit some pretty big brick walls; however, her research coupled with a willingness to collaborate with others eventually revealed myriad ancestors from colonial America’s earliest days. These people-- who were enslaved and free, known and unknown-- were just waiting to be found so their stories could be told. In addition to her work as a family historian, Ellicia is also a proud wife and mother, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and an alumna of Hampton University and the University of Virginia.
Corinne Chau ‘27 is a sophomore at William & Mary. During her time as an undergraduate student here at The College, she has been active in the Black Student Organization (BSO), the Chinese Student Organization (CSO), a women’s on-campus fitness organization called CHAARG, the Center for Student Diversity’s PLUS Program, and, for two academic years, she earned the #1 women’s spot on William & Mary’s Club Tennis Team. In her off-campus pursuits, Corinne is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Registry (PTR); a member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the America Tennis Association (the oldest African American sports organization in the United States), a Life Member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts of the USA, and she was appointed Youth Ambassador at the Whirlwind Johnson Tennis Foundation. Corinne is becoming increasingly interested in her family history and is delighted to be participating in this year’s milestone Lemon Project Spring Symposium.
Mr. Herbert Bragg was born in Chidester, Arkansas. He made Virginia his home after being stationed here in the military. After serving more than 20 years in the United States Army, including a tour in Saudi Arabia and Iraq where he was awarded the Desert Storm/Shield Ribbon with Bronze Star, he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer. In addition to earning numerous military awards and decorations, he also earned a BS in Political Science and an MS in Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) which contributed to an outstanding public service career with the City of Hopewell, Virginia. During his 20-year tenure with Hopewell, he held a variety of positions including Information/Research Officer, Director of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs and Legislative Liaison. Over the years, Herbert has also been a steadfast servant to Hopewell and the Black community at-large through many volunteer efforts, including serving as Vice President of the Hopewell-Colonial Heights National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), chairman of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation, and co-founder of the City of Hopewell’s Black Heritage Committee. He currently serves as president and CEO of Bragg Consulting, Research & Analytical Services and continues as the long-time spokesman and general historian for the Arkansas and Alabama-based branches of the Bragg Family.
Panel 13: “Healing Through the Arts: Music, Stories, and Dance”
Moderator: Andre Taylor
Horace J. Scruggs, III, “Song: The Tie That Binds”
Teaching and conducting professionally since 1985, Horace Scruggs is an active musician, conductor, composer, lecturer, educator and film documentarian. He holds Bachelor’s of Music Education from Longwood University, and a Master’s in Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory. He also holds a Certificate in Music Production from Berklee College of Music. Upon retiring from public education in 2020, Mr. Scruggs began producing documentary films on the subject African - American History and culture. His works have been featured by the Fluvanna County Arts Council, The Montpelier Juneteenth Celebrations, and the Maupintown Film Festival. He has also produced films for Virginia Humanities and James Monroe’s Highland. In 2024 Mr. Scruggs was a participant in the Preservation Virginia African American Fellowship program.
Vincent Sneed, How Teaching African American Music Can Create Equitable Schools”
Vincent Sneed has been a music educator in public schools in Georgia for the past 21 years. He has taught both high and middle school which included teaching band, chorus, music history, music theory, music appreciation, and piano. Sneed also has taught voice and provided music for churches across the state for the last 25 years. In 2012, he was selected as the Teacher of the Year for the Muscogee County School District in Columbus, Georgia, Star Teacher in 2013, as well as Teacher of the Month on numerous occasions. Sneed was a featured TEDx speaker at Northwestern University in 2024. He speaks nationally and internationally on culturally relevant education. He received his undergraduate degree in music education from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia and his Masters Degree from the University of Florida. He is currently pursuing his Ed.S from the University of Florida.
Valerie-Alfisha Valentine, ‘No Fish Allowed in this Area’
Previous Presenter. Native of Newport News & descendant of original settlers. Denbigh High School (enrolled in 1st accredited ‘Writing Class’ w prerequisite); Spelman College-B.A.; California State University @Long Beach-M.A.. Retired Pharmaceutical Sales/Regional Training Mgr. My career encompassed territories to each region of U.S.A., which as a native of historical area, made me study local history in each region. Background Actor in Commercials, TV Shows, Netflix, Hulu, various films. Pilates, Reading, Yoga, Golf, Travel, Baking…
Valerie A. Winborne, “Alchemy of Being: Black Memory, Movement, and the Dance of Survival”
Valerie A. Winborne is a versatile artist with a career spanning decades in dance, choreography, acting, education, and therapy. She toured extensively with the Urban Bush Women dance company as a featured performer. Valerie has worked with Ron Brown and David Rousseve and has showcased her choreography at venues like Danspace and PS122. A featured performer in the off Broadway production of The Story of Josephine Baker, she was also Summer Director for Robert Wilson's Watermill Center and Movement Coach for his production, The Temptation of St. Anthony. As a Dance/Movement Therapist, she leads workshops for trauma survivors and women with cancer. Formerly Artistic Director of Norfolk State University's Dance Theatre and Department Chair of the Gifted Dance Education Program in Virginia Beach, she now teaches at William & Mary and is President-Elect of the National Dance Society.
Panel 14: “The Resilience of Black Women”
Moderator: Dr. Sarah Thomas
Jill Found, "Didn't I Bring You Up?:" Maintaining Family at Betsy's South Carolina College”
Jill Found is a historian and educator based in Columbia, South Carolina. They earned their Ph.D. in history from the University of South Carolina and currently serve as the Chief Historian of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina. They have previously worked as a public high school teacher, textbook editor, and museum educator.
Ivey Kline, “Contesting Slavery, Articulating Selfhood: Black Virginian Women’s Freedom Suits in the Nineteenth Century”
Ivey is a History Ph.D. student at Indiana University Bloomington and is broadly interested in histories of the United States South. Focusing on Virginia, histories of slavery and emancipation, and archival power, her research explores the archive as a knowledge project that has produced an exclusionary narrative of the South. Currently she is interested in the varied ways that Black women engaged and subverted government surveillance through court testimony, midwifery, and articulations of freedom. She holds a B.A. in History from Roanoke College where she helped co-create the Genealogy of Slavery project which sought to locate the names and narratives of enslaved people in Roanoke County. She also worked as the collections manager of the Maurice Berger Memorial Archive and Library.
Karen A. Ford, “Lessons from Janie Porter Barrett: Past to Present”
Dr. Karen Ford is a Barrett scholar and former juvenile justice professional, having worked at the institutional, regional and community levels. She the director emerita of James Madison University's School of Strategic Leadership Studies (PhD) and a professor emerita of Leadership Studies. She holds degrees from Emory & Henry College, Virginia Commonwealth University and Howard University.
Panel 15: “Partnership Model for Historical Preservation that Empowers Communities: The Cape Charles Rosenwald School Restoration Initiative and the W&M Public Policy Program”
Moderator: Paul Manna
Tevya Griffin
Dianne Davis
Matthew Nwaneri
Tevya Griffin was born and raised on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. She graduated from Northampton High School, received a B.A. in Public and Urban Affairs from Virginia Polytechnic and State University and an M.A. in Community Planning from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners and is a member of the American Planning Association. She has served as Director of Development in Hopewell and is presently Director of Planning and Codes Compliance for the City of Williamsburg. She has served as the Chair of the Steering Committee on the Crater Continuum of Care to end Homelessness, the grant committee for the National League of Cities – Cities of Opportunity Grant, and volunteers within her community. She founded the CCRSRI in 2009.
Paul Manna joined the Government Department in 2003 and he also has been a faculty affiliate of the Public Policy Program since arriving at W&M. He earned a B.A. from Northwestern University in 1992 and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin in 2003. Prior to graduate school he was a high school social studies teacher and debate coach. His research and teaching interests primarily focus on American politics, public policy, and applied research methods with emphasis on K-12 education policy. He has completed four book projects and written numerous articles, book chapters, and reports, including publications informing policymakers on the role state policy can play in improving the quality of school principals. He was chair of the Government Department from 2016-2020 and Director of the W&M Public Policy Program from 2021-2024.
Dianne Davis is a proud alumnus of Cape Charles Elementary School where she graduated in 1962. She has a B.S. degree in Business Education and a M.S. degree in Urban Education with a concentration in Administration from Norfolk State University. She worked for the Northampton County Public School System for 32 years as a Business Teacher and an Administrator (Career and Technical Education Coordinator). She has served and is currently serving on numerous boards and committees just to name a few: first Historic District Review Board member for the town of Cape Charles, Eastern Shore Community College Foundation Board, Cape Charles Memorial Library Board, Eastern Shore Area Agency on Aging/Community Action Agency Board, State Youth Supervisor for the National Federation of Colored Women’s Club, Food Bank Advisory Board, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She is also a member of Mt. Sinai Gospel Tabernacle Church.
Matthew Nwaneri is a native of Maryland and a graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville. He graduated from William & Mary with his B.A. in Government (2023) and Master’s in Public Policy (2024). Among his many activities and leadership roles at W&M, Matthew was a Community Fellow for The Village Initiative for Equity in Education and he also served as the External Coordinator for Merrimack Mentors. Matthew now serves as a Virginia Management Fellow at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
Panel 16: "Writing The Williamsburg Bray School: A Study in Community Resilience and Partnership”
Moderator: Maureen Elgersman Lee
Janice Canaday
Johnette Gordon-Weaver
Burnell Irby
Theodora "Teddi" Ashby
Maureen Elgersman Lee is Director of the William & Mary Bray School Lab, Office of Strategic Cultural Partnerships. She holds advanced degrees in African American Studies, and The Williamsburg Bray School: A History through Records, Reflection, and Rediscovery (2024) is her fifth book.
Nicole Brown is the Graduate Assistant for the William & Mary Bray School Lab, Office of Strategic Cultural Partnerships, a PhD student in American Studies at William & Mary. She is also a former program design manager at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation as well as a public historian who portrays Ann Wager, the white teacher at the Williamsburg Bray School.
Janice Canaday is a lifelong resident of Williamsburg, Virginia, and a member of the Bray School Descendant Community. An educator and interpreter, she also serves as the African American Community Engagement Manager for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Johnette Gordon-Weaver is a native of Williamsburg, Virginia, who traces her Hundley/Hunley and Roberts lines to the 1600s. She is a former account executive, a proud alumna of Hampton University, and a community activist and advocate.
Burnell Irby is a Howard University graduate, and an educator in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. As a youth, he spent his summers in Williamsburg at his great grandmother’s home in Grove.
Theodora “Teddi” Ashby is a member of the Bray School Descendant Community and has been a family researcher for more than forty years. She is a member and twice president of the African American Genealogy Group of Philadelphia.
Panel 17: "Lemon Project Graduate Student Panel"
Kelly Conway
Monet Watson
Bennett White
Kelly Conway serves as the American Studies graduate assistant with the Lemon Project. In this role, she advises the Lemon Project Society. This is her second year with the project.
Monet Watson serves as the Anthropology graduate assistant with the Lemon Project. This is her second year with the project.
Bennett White serves as the History apprentice. This is his first year with the project.
Panel 18: “This Represents Opportunity:” Black Resilience and the Legacy of Mitchelville”
Moderator: Madie Critchfield Fischetti
Dr. Katherine Seeber
Ahmad Ward
Ahmad Ward is the Executive Director of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. Ward is a native of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He received a BA in Art from Elizabeth City State University and an MA in Museum Studies from Hampton University. At Mitchelville, he is responsible for developing and implementing a master plan to recreate this historic town as an interpretative site. Prior to this position, Ward spent fifteen years leading the Education Department at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. It is there where he honed his expertise in telling the story of civil and human rights in America, with a focus on historic analysis and application to current social justice issues. With Masters-level training and years of experience in exhibition design, he brings a strong understanding of storytelling and the importance of technology in interpretation. He has been responsible for creating programming partnerships with local schools, universities, and organizations; teacher and student resources; written articles, blogs, and essays for local, national, and international platforms as well as the development of public programming for community-at-large in the areas of civil and human rights movements, multiculturalism and contemporary human rights issues.
Dr. Katherine Seeber is an archaeologist and historian who specializes in archaeology with and for communities that need it. She uses archaeology as a tool for social change and has spent the last 18 years working throughout the South on projects spanning thousands of years, miles, and peoples. Dr. Seeber currently serves as Archaeologist and Historian at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. She leads the nonprofit’s community archaeology program and archaeological investigations. Dr. Seeber holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Anthropology from Binghamton University and a B.S. in Archaeological Science from the State University of New York at Potsdam. Dr. Seeber has been awarded numerous fellowships and grants, including the National Trust African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund grant, which funded a portion of her research at Mitchelville.
Madie Critchfield Fischetti, ASLA, AICP, is a licensed Landscape Architect and Certified Planner based in Athens, Georgia. She holds a BA in American Studies from William & Mary (1998) and an MLA (Landscape Architecture) with a Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia (2001). Madie’s academic background in American Studies ignited her interest in the intersection of material culture and landscapes, leading to her career in landscape architecture and historic preservation. For over two decades, she has been a consultant for the National Park Service, documenting cultural landscapes across the United States and focusing on the African American experience in the Southeast. Her work includes sites that tell the stories of formerly enslaved people, freedom seekers, Black WPA workers, and Civil Rights monuments. She is currently the project manager for several design initiatives at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park.
Panel 19: “Aspiring for Change: Community Transformation Through "Coming to the Table"
Moderator: Hayat Bain
Danita Rountree Green
Laura Hill
Roslyn Ella Honesty
Hayat Bain (she/we/they) delights in gathering people in for connecting heart-to-heart and healing in community. She convenes and facilitates circles and groups for the purpose of racial healing, self-awareness and spiritual growth. From a career in conventional health care she has over time been called to focus on our country’s racial healing from her home base in Richmond, VA, former capital of the Confederacy. Hayat has been active (often in leadership roles) at both the local and national levels of Coming to the Table (CTTT) since 2016, supporting these organizations focused on racial healing and equity with communications, event planning and coordination, mindfulness practices, and exploration of generational healing through linked descendants event support. She is currently the Co-Chair of the CTTT 2025 National Gathering Planning Team. A 2017 fellow in the Community Trustbuilding Fellowship of Initiatives of Change USA, she is also a STAR practitioner (Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience). Hayat particularly enjoys weaving expressive arts and embodiment practices into meaningful transformational gatherings. She is a peace dance leader/mentor, a flutist and vocalist, sound healer, ordained interfaith minister, holistic healing coach and former nurse practitioner who has degrees in music, psychology and nursing from William & Mary and UVA.
Danita Rountree Green, M.A., TLSC, (she/her) is an author, facilitator, public speaker and transformational storyteller who believes language leads change. This rooted belief led her to become Co-Founder and Executive Director of Coming Together Virginia (CTVA), a local group of Coming to the Table, a national non-profit committed to racial healing and social equity. The largest of over 50 affiliated local groups, engaging nearly 3000 participants, CTVA facilitates the "courageous yet clumsy" conversation on race and the legacy of the American Slave Trade in the former capital of the Confederacy, working to bridge the racial divide. As a playwright, healing artist and restorative language specialist, she conducts workshops addressing various forms of community trauma, including mass incarceration and the current public health crisis affecting communities of color. As a storyteller, she is known as The BroomLady and the creator of The Love Locked Down Theatre Project. Danita uses storytelling to unravel self-defeating narratives, helping others to move through personal, generational and historical trauma. She holds certifications from the VA Dept of Health in ACES/TIC and degrees from the University of Virginia and the Maryland University of Integrative Health. To learn more about Danita, book a consultation or engagement. https://danitarountreegreen.com/
Laura Hill (she/her) is the President and Executive Director of Virginia Racial Healing Institute. She is the founder of Coming to the Table - Historic Triangle, a local group of Coming to the Table, a national racial reconciliation organization. As executive director, she launched and plans three annual community programs to bring diverse people together to have civil conversations about race - the Greater Williamsburg National Day of Racial Healing, Journey to Racial Healing, and Heal Greater Williamsburg, Heal the Nation Community Day. In 2023 her popular column "Building a Bigger Table," earned a first-place column writing award from the Virgina Press Association. A collection of her columns will be published in 2024. Laura serves on the City of Williamsburg's first-ever Truth and Reconciliation Committee, the Racial Trauma committee of the Greater Williamsburg Trauma-Informed Community Network (GW-TICN) and James City County's Social Services Advisory Board. She also co-chairs Coming to the Table's National Reparations Working Group.
Roslyn Ella Honesty (she/her) co-facilitates the Northern Shenandoah Valley’s local group of Coming to the Table (CTTT), a national organization committed to racial reconciliation and the dismantling of oppressive systems. She identifies as a Child of God, committed to helping others become aware of what it means to “live Martin Luther King’s dream.” Called a transformational truth-telling leader, powered by the Holy Spirit and fulfilling His purpose for her to “tell them who they are,” she believes that we all belong to one another and are family in spirit and in truth. Since discovering her ancestors’ ties to slavery, she delights in fostering soulful CTTT conversations that help others to feel seen, heard and empowered. Through her empathic heart’s song she shows people how to let go of their fears and embrace their own truth, focused on racial healing, equity and justice. Our NSV-CTTT local group creates community transformation through public events and heart-centered gatherings across diverse cultural and spiritual perspectives. Roslyn Ella is an active member of the NAACP, and in her spare time educates people on how they can obtain equal access to the law, believing that an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.
Panel 20: “Initiatives for Memorialization & Institutional Accountability”
Moderator: Christine Cynn
Ashley Burks
Arya Hanjagi
I-Kamilah Hiwott
Maryam Shaw
Victoria Vidal
Dr. Christine Cynn is the founder and director of the Health Humanities Lab in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Humanities Research Center. She is also an associate professor in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, affiliated with the departments of African American Studies and English. Her interdisciplinary research draws from feminist, decolonial, and African cultural studies to explore literary and visual productions of illness, health, memory and archives. She is the author of Prevention: Gender, Sexuality, HIV, and the Media in Côte d'Ivoire, as well as a number of articles in journals such as Camera Obscura, Journal of Asian American Studies, Women's Studies Quarterly, and Transformations. She has co-edited a collection of essays on literary and visual representations of HIV/AIDS.
Ashley Burks is a senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Psychology and Africana Studies with a concentration in Pre-Graduate School. This is their first year as an undergraduate fellow at the Health Humanities Lab. Ashley has gained valuable research experience as a Research Assistant in the Pediatric Health and Development Lab, Empower Youth Lab, and the AYA Research Lab. Their work has primarily focused on health disparities, pain management, and the psychological well-being of Black youth and young adults. Through their participation in the VCU McNair Summer Research Institute, Ashley conducted research on coping strategies, pain, and quality of life in individuals with sickle cell disease, further cementing their interest in bio-behavioral health and culturally responsive interventions. Ashley looks forward to contributing to the East Marshall Street Well Project, particularly in its walking tour and website development.
Arya Hanjagi is a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry and general business, on the pre-medicine track. She has been an undergraduate fellow in this lab for three years now, having worked on the East Marshall Street Well Project last year as well with a focus on podcasting and oral transcriptions. Her first year she helped create a learning module on Skepticism in Clinical Trials by looking at historical cases and the current community’s trust in healthcare professionals in the Richmond area. She has used this experience with community-based research to contribute to her position on the Student Engagement Council at VCU and in the Health Hub.
I-Kamilah Hiwott is a Senior at Virginia Commonwealth University Majoring in African American studies and History. She looks forward to her graduate education in Africana studies. This is I-Kamilah’s second year as an undergraduate fellow with the project. She has participated in several conferences and symposiums on the EMSW Oral History and Memorialization Project, explaining the intersections of medical racism and intricate dynamics of institutional racism. With her expertise on oral histories and memorialization, she continues to bridge community relationships with the greater Richmond area to advocate for the enslaved Africans uncovered in this project.
Maryam Shaw is a sophomore at VCU studying Medical Lab Sciences, on the pre-med track. This is her first year as an undergraduate fellow at the Health Humanities Lab. Previously, she has been a research assistant for VCU’s DECK study (Designing Equitable Care for Kidneys) where she was able to do research with Richmond’s east end population to identify barriers in identifying kidney disease. She is participating with the East Marshall Street Well Project, specifically with the walking tour. She hopes to engage in more research related to social justice and medicine in the future.
Victoria Vidal is a sophomore at VCU majoring in Biology, with a double minor in Chemistry and Business. This is her first year as an undergraduate fellow at the Health Humanities Lab. She began her research work as a student attending the Virginia Summer Residential Governor's School for Agriculture (GSA) at Virginia Tech, where she conducted research examining the impacts of advertising, weak regulations, and insufficient education on childhood obesity and practical solutions to these issues. She is eagerly looking forward to further engaging with the East Marshall Street Well Project, specifically with the podcast focused on education regarding the project’s mission.
Dr. Michael Lawrence Dickinson is the co-director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Health Humanities Lab's East Marshall Street Oral History and Memorialization Project and is an associate professor of History at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research examines free and enslaved Black life and labor in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Dr. Dickinson’s book Almost Dead: Slavery and Social Rebirth in the Black Urban Atlantic, published in 2022, was awarded the Paul Lovejoy Book Prize for excellence in slavery scholarship.
Panel 21: “Highlighting Undergraduate Research at William & Mary”
Moderator: Dr. Jennifer Putzi
Martha Holler, “Envisioning Change: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's American Utopia in "Iola Leroy"
Martha Holler is a senior here at William & Mary, majoring in English and minoring in history.She is particularly interested in how literature forms and is formed by understandings of American history, particularly the history of the American South. Her most recent research examines how the American Civil War, specifically within the context of camp, influenced Southern female identity for white and Black women. This research is centered on how the tension created by moving sentimentalism out of the domestic sphere and into the masculine space of Civil War camps shaped codes of civility for Southern women and how sentimentalism's history influences conventions of womanhood across race.
Abigail Swanberg, “Diversity on DOG Street”
Abigail Swanberg is a senior history major, business minor at William & Mary. She grew up in Appomattox, Virginia, where she started her work as a public historian at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park in 2019. At William & Mary, she is a member of the Spotswood Society, Lemon Project Society, and she is the Oral History Committee Chair for the Toano Walking Tour Project.
Jennifer Putzi and Micah Hutchings, “Mary Virginia Montgomery's Diary: Education and Resilience in Reconstruction Mississippi”
Jennifer Putzi is a professor of English and Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies at William & Mary. Micah Hutchings is a sophomore at W&M. They are working together on a digital edition of Mary Virginia Montgomery's 1872 diary.
Panel 22: “Healing Through Truth: Exploring the Intersection of Historical Narratives, Reparations and Mental Health at Virginia Theological Seminary”
Moderator: Ebonee Davis-Hayes
Maddy McCoy
Simone Jacobs
Ebonee Davis-Hayes - Panel Member & Moderator
Director of Virginia Theological Seminary Reparations Program
PhD Candidate, History Department, Howard University
Maddy McCoy - Panel Member
Founder of Slavery Inventory Database, LLC.
Head of Historical Research, Virginia Theological Seminary Reparations Program
Simone Jacobs, LCSW-C, LICSW – Panel Member
Founder and Director, Takoma Therapy
Author, "Understanding the Paradox of Surviving Childhood Trauma"
Panel 23: “Reclaiming the Narrative: Rediscovering the Black History of Smith's Fort”
Moderator: Elyse Werling
Faith Page
Rev. Dr. James Harrison
Elyse M. Werling (she/her) is the curator of collections at Preservation Virginia. She holds an M.A. in history and museum studies from Tufts University and a B.A. in history and anthropology from Indiana University. Her work has been published in Antiques and the Arts Weekly, Historic New England Magazine and White House History Quarterly.
Faith F. Page (she/her) is an undergraduate student majoring in History at William & Mary. She intends to pursue graduate school for Museum Studies and History upon completing her Bachelor's degree. She participated in the 2024 Woody Internship for Museum Studies where she worked with Preservation Virginia to highlight the African American experience on Smith's Fort Plantation (or Gray's Creek Farm).
Rev. Dr. James M. Harrison (he/him) is the fourth Executive Minister for American Baptist Churches of the South, one of 34 regions making up the national denomination, American Baptist Churches, U.S.A. Rev. Dr. Harrison was a 2024 African American Fellow with Preservation Virginia and developed research on Black American Land Ownership on Gray’s Creek in Surry County, Virginia, between 1860-1960.