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2022 EMPOWERMENT AND POLICY CONFERENCE PLENARY PANELS
View full agenda here.

DAY ONE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022

10:00AM – 11:00AM CST
PLENARY PANEL – Investing in Racial Equity:
Since 2020 the United States has been going through a racial reckoning. Many organizations across the nation, large and small, were voicing support for racial equity. But what does it look like to move beyond words and put your money where your mouth is? The panelists on “Investing in Racial Equity” will share what they have learned and seen through their investments that explicitly fund racial equity and uncover what is needed from philanthropy to ensure that investments match the work being done in communities across Louisiana every day in support of racial equity.

• Deirdre Johnson Burel, Senior Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Andy Kopplin, President & CEO, Greater New Orleans Foundation
• Carmen James Randolph, Founding President & CEO, Women’s Foundation of the South
• Chantel Rush, Managing Director, American Cities, Kresge Foundation
• Takema M. Robinson, Founder, Converge for Change, Moderator

11:00AM – 12:00PM CST
PLENARY PANEL – Moving Toward Holistic Health:
Achieving health equity requires a multifaceted approach – one that addresses health holistically. This panel will explore what it will take to make health equity a reality and consider what strong health equity infrastructure looks like. Local health leaders will respond to important questions like, what do we need to focus our attention on to create a strong health infrastructure to move us closer to health equity? And has the experience of COVID-19 shifted the way we think about holistic health and health equity?

• Davondra Brown, M.Ed., Director, Community Partnerships & Health Equity Louisiana Department of Health
• Dr. Eric Griggs, M.D., Health Equity Ambassador, State of Louisiana
• Dr. Eboni Price-Haywood, M.D., MPH, Medical Director, Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research
• Alma C. Stewart, R.N., M.S., President, Louisiana Center for Health Equity
• Dr. Julie Morial, M.D., MPH, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare, Moderator

View breakout sessions here

DAY TWO: THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2022

8:50AM – 10:00AM CST
PLENARY PANEL – Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus: 2022 Legislative Session:
The 2022 Legislative Session begins on March 14th, 2022. Members of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus from across the state will share what to expect, what to pay attention to, and what to advocate for.

• Rep. Kyle Green, LA House of Representatives, District 83
• Sen. Katrina Jackson, LA House of Representatives District 34
• Rep. Edmond Jordan, LA House of Representatives, District 29
• Rep. Ed Larvadain III, LA House of Representatives, District 26
• Rep. Candace Newell, LA House of Representatives, District 99
• Rep. Tammy Phelps, LA House of Representatives, District 3
• Rep. Vincent Pierre, Chairman, LA Legislative Black Caucus, LA House of Representatives, District 44
• Rep. Jason Hughes, LA House of Representatives, District 100, Moderator

10:00AM – 11:00AM CST
PLENARY PANEL – Redistricting Louisiana:
Redistricting only happens once every ten years and the Louisiana legislature just voted in February to pass new maps for important political districts including U.S. Congress, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the State House of Representatives and Senate. During hearings held across the state, residents called for better representation for African Americans who make up a third of the state’s population based on the 2020 Census data – but the maps that passed did not do this.

Just this week Governor Edwards vetoed the unfair Congressional map, but not the ones for the State legislature or BESE. Make sure you know what to be paying attention to as the redistricting process moves forward. Hear from a panel of advocates and experts on where we go from here and how you can help continue the fight for fair maps.

• Jared Evans, Policy Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Alanah Odoms, Executive Director, ACLU of Louisiana
• Ashley Shelton, Executive Director, Power Coalition
• Nicole Jolly, Vice President, Strategy and Engagement, Urban League of Louisiana, Moderator

11:10AM – 12:00PM CST
PLENARY PANEL – Infrastructure Act: What’s Possible in Louisiana?:
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is an historic investment and a generation-defining infrastructure bill. The roughly $1.2 trillion bill touches every sector of infrastructure, from transportation and water to energy, broadband, and housing, and contains policy reforms and funding for hundreds of programs. What can we expect to see in Louisiana, particularly within transportation and housing? What are the opportunities and who will benefit?

• Andreanecia Morris, Executive Director, Housing Louisiana
• Kyle Wedberg, Senior Manager, Research and Consulting, Government Officers Association
• Dr. Shawn Wilson, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
• Donald Cravins, Jr., Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, National Urban League, Moderator

12:30PM – 1:30PM CST
PLENARY PANEL – SEE CHANGE: Closing The Racial Wealth Gap:
A close examination of wealth in the U.S. finds evidence of staggering racial disparities, according to the Brookings Institute. Nationally, the net worth of a typical white family ($171,000) was nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family ($17,150) in 2016. By 2050, Metro New Orleans stands to realize a $3 billion gain in economic output by closing the racial equity gap.

The racial wealth gap persists due to accumulated inequality, discrimination, and policy – but it can be addressed. This panel features the SEE CHANGE National Advisory Committee who will speak to the opportunity for wealth creation in Black and Brown communities – from entrepreneurship and homeownership to strategies rooted in community – these experts will shed light on where we can go from here to close the racial wealth gap.

• Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder in Residence, PolicyLink
• Bill Bynum, CEO, Hope Credit Union
• Peggy Davis, Vice President Community Impact, Chicago Community Trust
• Dr. JaNay Queen Nazaire, Senior Advisor, PSG
• Dr. Andre M. Perry, Author and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute
• Judy Reese Morse, President and CEO, Urban League of Louisiana, Moderator
  1:30PM – 2:30PM CST
  PLENARY PANEL – Sustaining Louisiana’s Cities featuring Mayors of Louisiana:
  Back by popular demand, African American Mayors in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Alexandria will come together to share their thoughts on leading through a global pandemic, their plans for creating more sustainable cities and the opportunities to increase equity through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Don’t miss this intimate and important conversation about the future of Louisiana cities.
• Sharon Weston Broome, Mayor-President, Baton Rouge
• LaToya Cantrell, Mayor, New Orleans
• Jeff Hall, Mayor, Alexandria
• Jade Brown Russell, Principal, JD Rusell Consulting, Moderator

Register here and Make sure to select “I would like to attend the breakout sessions” when you register to receive the link to join!

2022 EMPOWERMENT AND POLICY CONFERENCE BREAKOUT SESSIONS SCHEDULE

ROUND ONE CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Wednesday, March 16; 1PM-2PM CT)

Closing the Digital Divide: The Bridge to the Future:
Even before the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, there was a huge gap between those with and without high-speed internet access as well as those who have access but can’t afford to connect. The gaps are still present, but the Infrastructure Act provides an opportunity for states and cities to build actionable plans that prioritize connectivity and affordable access in rural and urban areas. This panel will discuss what’s possible, what’s probable, and what families can do to ensure their connectivity to the future.

• Veneeth Iyengar- Louisiana State Executive Director, Broadband Development & Connectivity
• Kimberly W. LaGrue – Chief Information Officer, City of New Orleans
• Tess Zaretsky – Manager, Strategic Partnerships, EducationSuperHighway
• Telley Madina – President, Madina Group, Moderator

If Not Now, When? Advancing Health Equity and a Healthy State with Ochsner:
Ochsner Health is committed to working with valued partners and community members to build a healthier region to live and thrive in. Healthy State by 2030 is driven by a comprehensive strategy to enhance healthcare access, improve health equity and health outcomes. In this dynamic panel, topics of health, equity, race and opportunity converge as moderator Dr. Leonardo Seoane, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer for Ochsner Health, engages the voices of Ochsner experts and community members in the quest to help build a roadmap to a healthier state.

• Kevin Green – Vice President – Community Health Centers, Ochsner Health
• Deborah Grimes, RN, JD, MSHQS – Chief Diversity Officer, Ochsner Health
• Dr. Eboni Price-Haywood M.D., MPH, Medical Director, Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research
• Dr. Yvens Laborde – Medical Director, Global Health Education, Ochsner Health System Assistant Professor of Medicine
• Dr. Victoria Smith – Associate Medical Director, St. Charles Parish Hospital and Primary Care-River Region
• Dr. Leonardo Seoane – Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Ochsner Health, Moderator

Centering Equity in Education In the Midst of COVID-19 Recovery:
Staff shortages, resource gaps, and the emergence of the virtual classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic have strained public education across the country. As we push toward a ‘new normal,’ what can communities do to improve educational outcomes? What is most critical to focus on in this moment? Find out as we hear from different professionals across the education community and preview a new report documenting the pandemic’s impact on education in Louisiana.

• Dr. Jawan Brown-Alexander, Educational Consultant and Former Chief of Schools, New Schools for New Orleans
• Betty Ward Cooper, Former Board President, Monroe City Schools
• Dr. Tia T. Mills, President, Louisiana Association of Educators
• Debra Vaughan, Owner and Consultant, D Vaughan Consulting LLC
• Cathy Washington, Executive Vice President, Urban League of Louisiana; Moderator

Expungement Access: An Opportunity for Justice:
In 2021, Louisiana lawmakers had the opportunity to pass a bill that would have helped thousands of Louisiana residents wipe out criminal records that can prevent them from getting better-paying jobs. It costs at least $550 in fees for people seeking to expunge their arrest or conviction records, not to mention the arduous process. Last year’s bill failed to pass, but what opportunities exist moving forward?

• Ames Grawert – Senior Counsel, Brennan Center
• Dolfinette Martin – Housing Director, Operation Restoration
• Vanessa Spinazola – Executive Director, Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana
• Troy Glover – New Orleans Director, Center for Employment Opportunities, Moderator

Building Cultural Infrastructure: Using Art & Culture to Advance Economic Equity:
There is a well-known saying that “culture bubbles up from the sidewalks” in New Orleans. It is a mythical statement which proclaims the abundance of our cultural production and intimates its role as a natural resource, for the almost magical ease with which it is created. This 60-minute panel will explore the architecture behind the magic, what are the basic systems that undergird cultural production and cultural economy? And what happens when the sidewalks are cracked, faulty, or altogether missing? As experts in these undergirding systems, our panelists will examine the ways in which structural failures have created vast disparities that disadvantage not only the most apparent victims of said disparity, but the economy and quality of life of our city and state as a whole. We will investigate solutions that imagine new systems, capable of undergirding a just economy, and highlight the transformative power of art and culture to bring about the changes we seek.

• Gina Charbonnet, Cultural Producer and Owner, GeChar Productions
• Nesby Phipps, Artist/Culturebearer, Muralist, Philosopher
• Oliver Thomas, Councilmember, District E, New Orleans
• Asali DeVan Ecclesiastes, CEO, Ashé Cultural Arts Center; Moderator

ROUND TWO CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Wednesday, March 16; 2:05PM-3:05PM CT)

Health Is Wealth AND Infrastructure:
For years, our community has been plagued by poor health outcomes, with a significant racial gap on nearly every marker of good health and well-being. The drivers of these health inequities are largely not individual medical factors, but are social and economic determinants that also negatively affect our economic progress and prosperity. This session will highlight priorities of the New Orleans Health Department’s recently released Community Health Improvement Plan, the work of partners and health care systems to address these challenges, and how economic development and health must work together to rectify generational and systemic inequities that affect our community on multiple levels. Health is wealth, and both are the foundation of a thriving region.

• Charlotte Parent – Vice President Of Business Development, University Medical Center New Orleans
• Jeff Schwartz – Director of Economic Development, City of New Orleans
• Dr. Jennifer Avegno, MD – Director, City of New Orleans Health Department, Moderator

Mental Health: How Are We Doing?:
In 2019, we hosted a panel called Mental Health: The Stigma That Stops Us. Now, in 2022, after two years of enduring the stress, loss, and tremendous challenges of a global pandemic, we need to stop and ask ourselves how are we doing? Has the way we talk about mental health changed in the last couple years as a result of the collective trauma we have experienced? This panel will help shed light on what the discussion around mental health is in Louisiana today, especially for youth and children.

•  Dr. Denese Shervington, MD, MPH – Founder & CEO, Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies Chair of Psychiatry, Charles R. Drew University
•  LaShonda Williams, JD – Executive Director, NAMI Louisiana
•  Leon C. Winters, LCSW-BACS – CEO and Lead Therapist, Winters Mental Health and Consulting

Southern Communities Initiative: Connecting Corporate to Community to Advance Racial Equity:
After the killing of George Floyd in 2020, corporate America made pledges of more than $65B to combat racial equity, But how do pledges become a reality and make it to the communities that have been impacted the most by inequitable policies and practices? Learn about a national effort to create an ecosystem to move corporate pledges to communities to create a cycle of economic justice long overdue. (Hint: Robert F. Smith is leading the charge)

• Fabrice Coles – Senior Manager, Global Public Policy, PayPal
• Joe Davis – Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group
• Kim Davis – Senior Advisor, Walton Family Foundation
• Ami Desai – Division Office of the CEO, Vista Equity Partners
• Judy Reese Morse, President and CEO, Urban League of Louisiana, Moderator

How We Teach History:
At the end of February, the State Department of Education finished the second round of public comment for new Social Studies standards. In the 2021 legislative session, bills like HB 564 sparked great debate about what should or should not be taught in schools, including an attempt to ban K-12 schools and colleges from teaching critical race theory. What can school board members, advocates, and parents do to help ensure youth learn and preserve the history not being taught in schools?

• Ciara Hart – History Teacher and Social Emotional Learning Coordinator, Kenilworth Science and Technology School
• Tramelle Howard – Louisiana Director, The Education Trust
• Adrinda Kelly – Executive Director, Black Education For New Orleans (BE NOLA)
• Omari Kenner – Student, Kenilworth Science and Technology
• Olin Parker – President, Orleans Parish School Board
• Nicole Jolly – Vice President of Strategy and Engagement, Urban League of Louisiana, Moderator

Black and Latinx Entrepreneurship and Business Ownership:
With the #BuyBlack movement gaining traction, we take a look at the state of Black and Latinx-owned businesses. The economy is growing but has that growth been equally distributed? What can local, state and federal governments–along with the private sector–do to further encourage and support entrepreneurship and market growth? Join us as we hear from professionals on the trajectory of Black and Latinx business ownership.

• Lindsay Navarro, Executive Director, El Centro
• Mayra Pineda, President & CEO, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana
• Jon Renthrope, CEO & Brewmaster, Cajun Fire Brewing Company
• Klassi Duncan, Vice President, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Urban League of Louisiana; Moderator

ROUND THREE CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Wednesday, March 16; 3:10PM-4:10PM CT)

Transportation Equity:
With the recent passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, roads, bridges and public transportation systems across the country are set to be revamped over the coming years. Subsequently, renewed talks about ensuring increased access to these systems for those who need it most are taking center stage. Thought leaders and experts across the state will weigh in on what to expect from the transportation and infrastructure of tomorrow.

• Antonio Carriere, Sr. Transportation Planner, Atlas Technical Consultants
• Amy Stelly, Urban Planner
• Dorothy Wiley, President, AllendaleStrong
• Rep. Cedric Glover, LA House of Representatives, District 4; Moderator

Ask The Dr.:
Mask mandates are being lifted, vaccine requirements are being challenged in courts and Louisianans are wondering what’s next in the fight against Covid-19. This panel will feature medical doctors and experts answering the tough questions. What does the medical community know about future variants and vaccines? In what ways is the medical field responding to patients’ needs? Join us as we Ask the Dr.

• Dr. Kristi L. Anderson – Assistant Professor of Research, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, Lafayette LA Campus
• Dr. Corey Hebert – Physician, Chief Medical Editor for NBC WDSU-TV and BNC
• Sharonda Williams, J.D. – General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, Loyola University, Moderator

Early Childhood Education: A Solution for Workforce and Wealth Building:
The Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector has been hit very hard by the pandemic, and it is an industry that is primarily led by women of color. For years, many have fought for increased investment in ECE and for the formalization of the sector. This panel will talk about the great opportunity that a strong ECE sector offers for wealth building, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, including efforts happening in Louisiana.

• Rhonda Broussard – CEO, Beloved Community
• Kristi Givens – Executive Director, Kids of Excellence
• Rochelle Wilcox – CEO/Founder, Wilcox’s Academy of Early Learning and For Providers By Providers
• Arnel Cosey, Ph.D. – Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Community Services, Kingsley House, Moderator

Wealth Creation Through Homeownership:
Homeownership is one of the most common modes Americans utilize to build generational wealth. Nevertheless, homeownership rates among African Americans are declining–hitting levels not seen since the 1960s. How can potential homeowners educate themselves on the process while being financially prepared? Are there policy opportunities to close this persistent gap?

• Fred Johnson – CEO, Neighborhood Development Foundation
• Bonnie Moore – Director, Department of Community Development, City of Shreveport
• Ricardo Thomas – President, Thomas-Waddell & Associates, Inc.
• Charles E. West II – President, Square Button, Moderator

Achieving Equity in Workforce and Wages:
By 2050, Metro New Orleans stands to realize a $43 billion gain in economic output by closing the racial equity gap. Closing that gap means full engagement in the workforce – which Louisiana currently does not have. In every indicator assessing the educational and economic status of major racial and ethnic groups in Louisiana, African Americans rank at the bottom – in educational achievement and attainment, employment, and livable wages. This panel will discuss some of the ways we can address these disparities and create systems level changes for workforce and pay equity that all residents can rally behind to create a stronger state. This session will share some of the findings and recommendations of a policy brief that will soon be released by the Urban League of Louisiana.

• Cherie LaCour-Duckworth, Vice President, Office of Workforce Development Urban League of Louisiana
• Lamar Gardere, Executive Director, The Data Center
• Jan Moller, Executive Director, Louisiana Budget Project
• John Warner Smith, Education Policy Director, Urban League of Louisiana
• Patrick Young, Director, Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Office of Mayor Cantrell
• Nicole Jolly, Vice President, Strategy and Engagement, Urban League of Louisiana; Moderator

Last Thursday, we launched our official Justice for Ronald Greene online petition with our partners the National Urban League, the NAACP Baton Rouge, ACLU of Louisiana, and VOTE.

We, and those who sign this petition call for:

1. All troopers involved to be immediately terminated. There has been limited discipline against some of the troopers but it is not enough. Every day that any trooper involved in this horrendous incident remains on the job is an injustice to the family and to all residents of Louisiana. All troopers involved must be terminated.

All troopers to be arrested on charges that are appropriate for the crimes committed. There have been no charges thus far, after two years since Mr. Greene’s murder. The officers involved, named and unnamed, must be arrested immediately.

Thursday, May 27, the Urban League of Louisiana participated in a multitude of actions to bring justice for Ronald Greene.

• In the morning, we held a press conference with our partners the National Urban League, the NAACP Baton Rouge, ACLU of Louisiana, and ADL South Central.
• During that press conference we launched our official Justice for Ronald Greene online petition.
• In the afternoon, we headed to Baton Rouge to participate in the Justice for Ronald Greene Rally on the Louisiana State Capitol steps.