Known as the “King of Motown,” Smokey Robinson founded the R&B group The Miracles, which delivered 37 Top 40 hits for Motown Records. Smokey Robinson is second to only Berry Gordy in the founding of Motown. A prolific songwriter, he is credited with 4,000 songs and 37 Top 40 hits, including “Tears of a Clown,” “Tracks of My Tears” and “Love Machine.” Robinson also served as vice president of Motown Records, writing and producing hits for groups such as The Temptations (“My Girl”) and Mary Wells (“My Guy”).

Singer, songwriter and record producer Smokey Robinson was born William Robinson Jr. on February 19, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up in a rough neighborhood, Robinson started out singing in local groups. In the early 1950s, he formed the Matadors, which later became the world-famous group The Miracles. A chance meeting with record producer Berry Gordy Jr. led to a contract with Motown Records as well as an important working relationship.

The Miracles scored their first big hit with “Shop Around” (1960) and developed quite a following with their energetic R&B sound. The group has numerous hits, including “You Really Got a Hold on Me” (1962) and “I Second That Emotion” (1967). Robinson also worked behind the scenes, composing and producing for The Miracles and other Motown artists, such as Mary Wells and The Temptations. His work contributed to the success of Motown Records and helped advance the popularity of soul music. Bio from https://www.biography.com/musician/smokey-robinson.smokey

Listed amongst the Most Influential People of 2021 by TIME100, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 Most Influential African Americans, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, and the 2014 NNPA Newsmaker of the Year, Attorney Ben Crump is referred to as Black America’s Attorney General. Through a steadfast dedication to justice and service, renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Benjamin Crump has established himself as one of the nation’s foremost lawyers and advocates for social justice. His legal acumen has ensured that those marginalized in American society are protected by their nation’s contract with its constituency. He is the founder and principal owner of Ben Crump Law.

Crump’s tireless advocacy has led to legislation preventing excessive force and developing implicit bias training and policies. He has represented families in several high-profile civil rights cases including Trayvon Martin, who was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida, in 2012; Michael Brown, who was killed by a law enforcement officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014; and Stephon Clark, who was killed by police officers in Sacramento, California, in 2018. Crump represented 9 of the 13 black women who were victims in the Holtzclaw Oklahoma City Police rape case in 2015 and worked on the precedent-setting U.S. Supreme Court case involving excessive police force against Robbie Tolan in 2008. Most recently, Attorney Crump has represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, the residents of Flint, Michigan, who were affected by the poisoned water of the Flint River, as well as the family of Henrietta Lacks in a landmark reparations case. Crump has helped reach historic settlements and verdicts for families that have faced injustices. Crump won a $411 million verdict for Duane Washington who was horribly injured in a truck accident, he helped reach a $641 million settlement for the children of Flint, Michigan, he reached a $27 million settlement for the family of George Floyd, a $12 million settlement for the family of Breonna Taylor, and over $200 million in settlements in banking while Black cases, among others.
Crump is the President of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association and previously served as President of the National Bar Association. He was the first African-American to chair the Florida State University College of Law Board of Directors and is the founder and director of the Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute. In 2021, St. Thomas University College of Law, one of the most diverse law schools in the nation, announced the Benjamin L. Crump Center for Social Justice in his honor, which will open doors for minority students pursuing law degrees.

Among dozens of accomplishments, Attorney Crump has been recognized with the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award, the SCLC Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award, the American Association for Justice Johnnie Cochran Award, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Eleanor Roosevelt Medallion for Service. He hosted the critically acclaimed legal docudramas “Evidence of Innocence” on TVOne and “Who Killed Tupac: The Search For Justice” on A&E, and served as executive producer and writer for the documentary, “Woman in Motion,” about Nichelle Nichols, one of the first African-American TV actresses. He is a frequent contributor to MSNBC, CNN, and USA Today.

Crump’s book, published in October 2019, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People, reflects on the landmark cases he has battled, and how discrimination in the courthouse devastates real families and communities. Crump graduated from Florida State University and received his law degree from FSU College of Law. He is married to Dr. Genae Angelique Crump. Bio from https://bencrump.com/about/attorneys/ben-crump/

James Bryson is an award-winning educator, author, national trainer and founder of New Millennium Institute. He offers presentations, workshops and forums that seek strategies to help people maximize their potential.

Since he lived in public housing, he understands the challenges of helping people to maximize their potential and overcome their self-handicapping behaviors. Unfortunately, many of his peers did not develop their potential and prescribed to self-handicapping strategies and found themselves unprepared to make a successful into the workforce or community.

Mr. Bryson received a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences from Eureka College and a Master’s Degree in Social Science from Illinois State University. He has completed a multitude of training seminars in assessment, counseling, motivation, process management, service delivery systems, personal and workforce development, and human resource management.

Mr. Bryson is certified as a Diversity Practitioner by the Workforce Diversity Institute at Northeastern Illinois University. He has presented at the Heartland Professional Development Conference which focused on diversity and workforce development issues. He is featured in Role Models: Profiles of Successful African American Professionals in Peoria, Illinois. He is inducted into the African American Hall of Fame for education and won Martin Luther King Drum Major Award for Student Advocacy, and founded Illinois Central College’s African American Male Program, Harvesting Dreams. Bio from https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-agbara-bryson-71204485/

Peter Babcock is a former NBA executive, serving as general manager with three franchises; the San Diego Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks. He also worked in a variety of capacities from scouting to coaching to player personnel with the New Orleans Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers over a 42-year period. He also served as president and minority owner in his final two seasons with the Denver Nuggets. His Nuggets and Hawks teams appeared in the playoffs 14 out of 15 seasons. Babcock also directed the NBA Pre-Draft Camp for over twenty years, served on the competition and rules committee and steering committee for the NBA and was a member of the USA basketball men’s selection committee picking the 1996 Olympic team and head coach. Bio fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Babcock.