Meet Our Speakers

Historian

A historian who brings hidden histories into full view, Dr Fields-Black’s research reshapes the understanding of Black resistance, community and freedom in the United States.

• 2025 Pulitzer Prize in History

• 2025 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize

• 2025 Tom Watson Brown Book Award

Author of Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War.

Author & Policy Advocate

Heather McGhee explores how racism and economic inequality are interconnected and why fixing one benefits everyone.

A New York Times bestselling author of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, she previously served as President of the “think-and-do” tank Demos, now chairs the board of Color of Change and contributes regularly to NBC News.

She holds a B.A. in American Studies (Yale) and a J.D. (UC Berkeley).

Novelist

Bernardine Evaristo is an award-winning novelist whose work celebrates the breadth and complexity of Black British life. Her writing is known for its inventiveness, humour and deep humanity.

She is the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize, awarded for Girl, Woman, Other, and serves as President of the Royal Society of Literature.

Design Director & AI Practitioner

Ovetta Sampson works at the intersection of human-centred design and artificial intelligence, helping organisations build technology that serves people with clarity, care and ethical awareness. With experience across IDEO, Microsoft and Google, she brings deep expertise in guiding teams toward more inclusive and responsible innovation.

She was named one of Business Insider’s “Top 15 Most Important People in Enterprise AI.”

Art Historian & Curator

Alayo Akinkugbe is an art historian whose work expands the visibility of Black artists within the global history of art. Through her platform A Black History of Art, she highlights artists who have shaped visual culture across centuries.

She is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and the Courtauld Institute of Art, and has worked as a Curatorial Intern at the National Gallery in London.

Writer & Broadcaster

Afua Hirsch is a writer and broadcaster whose work brings clarity and nuance to conversations about identity, culture and social justice. Her journalism and commentary have shaped public dialogue in the UK and beyond.

She is the author of Brit(ish) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Novelist

Mohamed Mbougar Sarr is a Senegalese novelist whose writing blends philosophical reflection with lyrical storytelling. His work has earned international acclaim for its ambition and emotional insight.

At 31, he was the winner of the most prestigious French literature prize, the Prix Goncourt for La plus secrète mémoire des hommes.

Historian

Christy Pichichero is a historian whose research examines race, culture, slavery and colonialism in 18th and 19th century Europe. Her work brings new understanding to the roots of contemporary debates on identity and power.

She is the author of The Military Enlightenment and an Associate Professor at George Mason University.

Writer & Former Minister of Justice of France

Christiane Taubira is a writer and stateswoman whose leadership shaped major national conversations in France on equality, citizenship and historical memory.

Her work blends political insight with literary depth.

She is the author of L’esclavage raconté à ma fille and L’esclavage, racine de la République, and is a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

Art Historian & Curator

Dr Denise Murrell is an art historian whose research reframes modern art by restoring the central role of Black models and subjects long overlooked in Western narratives.

Her curatorial work has shifted how museums present the history of modern art.

She is the author of Posing Modernity and Curator at large at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Writer & Cultural Critic

Enuma Okoro is a writer and a weekly columnist for the Financial Times Weekend's Life & Arts section.

Her column The Art of Life explores the intersection of arts, culture, spirituality and contemporary life. She invites readers to consider questions of belonging, meaning and interiority.

The Flesh of the Earth, her fictional short story is part of universities writing programs.

Scholar & Author

Dr Ruha Benjamin is a scholar whose work explores the social dimensions of science, medicine and technology. She examines how innovation can either reinforce inequity or become a tool for justice and collective wellbeing.

She is a MacArthur Fellow and the author of Race After Technology and Viral Justice, influential books that inspire new visions of equitable futures.

Journalist, Scholar & Cultural Critic

Pamela Newkirk is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and scholar whose work examines race, representation and power in American culture. Her writing and research bring historical depth and clarity to contemporary debates around media, justice and belonging.

She is the author of Diversity, Inc. and Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga, and a professor of journalism at New York University.

Chief of Staff & Cultural Advocate

Keyza Nubret is Chief of Staff at a French government agency, where she works at the intersection of public policy, culture and representation. She is deeply committed to amplifying voices from France’s Overseas territories, strengthening their visibility and influence across institutional, media and cultural spaces.

Through her work, she contributes to more inclusive narratives within public life and cultural discourse.

Model & Diversity Advocate

Chrystèle Saint Louis Augustin rose to prominence as a leading fashion model in the 1990s, recognised for challenging industry norms by wearing her hair natural at a time when few models of colour did so. She has long spoken openly about identity, often affirming her experience as both European and a Black woman.

Following her modelling career, she has become a committed advocate on issues of diversity, representation and race, using her voice to challenge exclusion within cultural and public spaces.

Marketing & Communications Specialist

Mélissandre Monatus is a French-Creole marketing and communications specialist working in the video game industry. Her work spans strategy, storytelling and communication within interactive and digital media environments.

Alongside her industry practice, she lectures on communication and media and works as a documentary filmmaker. Through teaching and film, she addresses questions of culture, identity and visibility within contemporary creative industries.

Cultural Strategist and Serial Entrepreneur

Bryan Lattimore builds products and advises organizations at the intersection of culture, creativity and innovation. His work focuses on how design, social influence, and content can help us remember the future.

He is Co-Founder of Utility, a fintech company, and General Partner at Wynne Studios. Previously, he served as a culture strategist at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and investor at Emerson Collective. He holds an MBA from Wharton and serves on the boards of the Institute of Black Imagination and PennPraxis at the University of Pennsylvania.

Journalist & Media Executive

Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson is a journalist and media executive with a long career in broadcast news and documentary storytelling. She currently serves as Vice President of News Programming and Executive Producer of Nick News at Nickelodeon.

Previously, she spent more than fifteen years as a producer at 60 Minutes, contributing to reports that received Peabody and Emmy recognition. Her work has also appeared on CBS News, NBC Nightly News and CUNY-TV, and she has reported internationally on major global events.

Legal Scholar & Writer

Patricia J. Williams is a legal scholar and writer known for her work on race, law and critical theory. Her writing brings legal analysis into dialogue with culture, history and lived experience.

She is a MacArthur Fellow and the author of The Alchemy of Race and Rights, and has contributed widely to public conversations on law, justice and social critique.

Art Advisor, Cultural Strategist and Designer

Malika Leper and Stephen Burks work together across contemporary art and design, bringing complementary practices into close collaboration. Leper’s work as an art advisor and cultural strategist engages with artists, collectors and cultural organisations, while Burks is an internationally recognised designer whose practice spans craft, industry and global production.

Burks is the founder of Stephen Burks Man Made, a design studio known for collaborations with artisans and manufacturers around the world. In 2025, Leper and Burks, through Stephen Burks Man Made, contributed to PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, presenting Objects of Belonging as part of the exhibition. Their work together connects contemporary art, design and material culture through exhibitions, commissions and institutional projects.

Tony Award winner, three-time Grammy winner, a jazz legend.

Dee Dee Bridgewater is a Tony Award–winning and three-time Grammy Award–winning jazz vocalist, widely recognised as one of the most influential voices in contemporary jazz. Born in Memphis and raised in Michigan, she rose to prominence in the 1970s with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra before achieving international acclaim on both stage and record.

Her career spans more than five decades and includes celebrated recordings, Broadway success (The Wiz), and performances on major concert and festival stages worldwide. Beyond music, she has served as a UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Goodwill Ambassador and hosted NPR’s JazzSet, contributing significantly to jazz education and cultural advocacy.

Acclaimed vocalist and international media personality.

China Moses is a vocalist, songwriter, and broadcaster whose work bridges jazz, soul, and contemporary music. Born in Los Angeles to Dee Dee Bridgewater and theatre director Gilbert Moses, she developed her career across Europe and the United States, establishing herself as both a dynamic performer and a respected media figure.

In addition to her recording and touring career, she has worked extensively as a television and radio host, particularly in Europe, where she is known for her engaging presence and cultural insight. Her work reflects a modern approach to jazz, combining strong musical heritage with a distinctive, contemporary voice.