Reclaiming American Values
BLAC is a movement that builds Black power by providing education and resources that uplift our communities.
Our social construct is racially, experientially, and economically diverse. That diversity creates a unique platform for dialogue and synergy around developing solutions with long term impact in black communities.
Coming from a strong background of entrepreneurship and business, Dexter’s career-leadership has played a key role in various professional contexts including: sales, recruiting, higher education, as well as spearheading and co-leading start-ups. Originally a native of Detroit, Michigan, Dexter left his hometown to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There he was elected Student Body President for two consecutive terms, representing their 4,000+ student constituency.
Canvassing the majority of the United States and more than 20 nations abroad, Dexter’s work has measurably empowered global communities – impacting leadership standards and social constructs; reforming educational policy; and stimulating sustainable, equitable solutions for marginalized populations. His reputation has established him as a credible voice and thought leader, making him a highly sought-after advisor for global shapers around the world.
Dexter currently serves as the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Allyship at Lambert & Co. There he is responsible for diversity standards and programming for the company’s workforce. As the organization’s DEI champion-practitioner, his work partners with Lambert’s leadership to ensure that DEI best practices are incorporated throughout the company’s talent, culture, and strategy.
Dexter is the founder of Dexter Sullivan Enterprises, a business collective that facilitates consulting services, philanthropic projects, and other cutting edge ventures. Prior to accepting his role with the Lambert & Co., he convened the Michigan Mobility Institute’s Mobility On-Ramp Collaborative, a State funded initiative to create long term talent solutions for the mobility industry. Dexter is a proud resident of Metro Detroit, where he Chairs the Black Legacy Advancement Coalition, a movement he founded in 2020 that builds Black power by providing education and resources that uplift communities. BLAC is comprised of diverse Black American leaders and allies that are committed to crafting systemic strategies that secure the future of Black America through meaningful reform.
Dexter enjoys biking, good music, live concerts, road trips, and spending quality time with family and friends. He is an active member of his local church, and faithfully serves as a mentor and youth advocate in his community.
David S. Walker is a gifted communicator, brilliant visionary, and an incredible leader. An award winning speaker, David is committed to motivating families on the power of investing to take full control of your financial future and own your tomorrow. As a Wealth Management Specialist, David works for one of the largest wealth management and advisory firms in the nation with over $4 Trillion in AUM. His responsibilities include supporting the overall business practice which includes, asset development, portfolio management, sales execution, operational effectiveness, and client experience.
Prior to working in Wealth Management, David spent over 7 years with Christians United for Israel (CUFI). During his tenure, he helped build out the campus division–CUFI on Campus–developing strong Christian student leaders on college campuses in the US. As the director of CUFI on Campus, David along with his team launched over 300 officially recognized CUFI on Campus Chapters at top universities across the nation. His efforts aided to change the narrative on college campuses regarding Israel and the conflict in the Middle East. David has also traveled extensively across the U.S. and internationally speaking at over 450 conferences, universities, churches, and synagogues as well as lobbying elected officials on Capital Hill on the importance of Christian Support for Israel.
Prior to working with CUFI, David worked on several local and national political campaigns as a Campaign Manager and Senior Advisor. His emphasis on developing strong economic opportunities in urban areas is a strategy he believes can reduce crime and uplift poverty stricken communities. He is also passionate about Education and Criminal Justice reform.
David graduated with a B.S. in Finance & Political Science from the University of Detroit Mercy. He is a man devoted to his family and invested in his church and community of Austin, TX. David is married to Bri Walker and together they have three beautiful daughters. As a couple, they serve together as leaders at Celebration Church. They open their home to host and lead Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. In his free time, David volunteers at the Texas Food Bank and serves as a personal male mentor to many, helping young men successfully navigate the complexities of adulthood and leadership.
Tiffany Johnson commits her life and energy to the upliftment, connection and joy of Black folks. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, her family instilled the values of legacy, ancestry and service in her from a very early age. She went on to graduate with a dual degree in Anthropology and African & African-American studies from Washington University in St. Louis. While pursuing her undergraduate studies, she had the opportunity to serve as both a mayoral and congressional intern, which provided her with her first experiences shaping and understanding public policy. Upon graduating, she joined Teach For America and taught middle school English while simultaneously pursuing her master’s degree in Education. This experience solidified a lifelong passion and commitment to educational equity, social justice and youth empowerment.
Tiffany later transitioned to New York City and developed her leadership and skillset in various teaching and leadership roles throughout the city, including some time as an Assistant Principal at one of the highest performing schools in the city. In 2014, Tiffany was appointed to one of Brooklyn’s Community Education Council’s by the Borough President, a role that involved partnerships with parents, school and community leaders to enhance students’ experiences. In addition to allowing her to build coalitions with numerous families and community organizations, Tiffany’s experiences in NYC schools caused her to question the role of school in shaping the identity and ideology of Black youth. She also recognized the importance of mental health and wellness practices for both students and teachers. She then began to hone her expertise in socioemotional learning and emotional resilience coaching in response to those needs. Eventually, she transitioned to KIPP in Newark, NJ, serving as a leader, teacher and equity strategist.
Tiffany currently works for Teach For America’s New York Region as a Director of Program Design & Implementation. In this role, she designs and execute diversity and inclusion programming while simultaneously partnering with school and network leaders to train and support teachers early in their careers. Here, she is exploring her loves of coaching and contributing to the personal and professional development of others. When not working, Tiffany loves to read, cook, dance, write and spend time with loved ones. One of the quotes that grounds her and helps her love and lead through her core values of love, freedom and authenticity is: “Transform yourself to transform the world” by late Detroit activist and heroine Grace Lee Boggs.
Growing up as the child and grandchild of community leaders and activists in the Kensington section of north Philadelphia Colten had a white hot burning desire for justice imprinted on his heart at a young age. From as early as he can remember he would tag along from meeting to meeting with his father, Rev. Joel Barnaby. Rev Barnaby served on the board of directors for the Community and Police Interracial Taskforce, the Youth Violence Reduction Program, the Community for Mental Health (COHMAR), and also founded and ran Cross Connection Family Services, a day treatment facility for violent juvenile offenders to receive mentorship and rehabilitation. Sitting in meetings like these through his childhood and teenage years would inculcate in Colten a passion for civic justice that has stayed with him throughout his life.
Colten attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he received his B.S. in Historical Theological Studies and went on to pursue his M.A. in the History of Christian Theology. During his time in Tulsa he worked as a youth pastor at Sanctuary Tulsa and served as the Vice President of Racism Stinks, a local non-profit focused on fighting against systemic racism and healing racial divisions in the Tulsa community.
Colten is a Team builder, DREAM releaser, RELENTLESS believer in people, leadership and self development fanatic, lifelong learner and lover of freedom and opportunity.
Dr. Timothy Bradford Jr. (T.J.) is the Lead Precision Agriculture Instructor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. He is responsible for teaching undergraduate courses in Precision Agriculture, as well as upper level & graduate courses in Precision Agriculture and Vegetable Production. He oversees the MSU Agronomy Club which seeks to disseminate agronomic knowledge and provide students with networking opportunities with industry leaders and professionals. He is also a committee member of the Mississippi Youth Institute for The World Food Prize where high school students engage with local leaders and experts on critical global challenges, participate in hands-on activities, and explore exciting ways to make a difference in Mississippi and around the world. Dr. Bradford is currently conducting research pertaining to the practical use of UAV’s and various remote sensors for agriculture production within specialty crops.
Before his current faculty appointment at Mississippi State University, Dr. Bradford was employed by the United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resource Conservation Service as a Soil Scientist and Soil Scientist. His duties included mapping and classifying soils, utilizing GIS technologies to map and implement conservation practices, determining optimal recommendations for fertilizer, water, and seed for southern row crops, and conducting laboratory experiments assessing soil productivity. He has been stationed at various duty stations in Mississippi; as well as duty stations in Harrisburg, PA, Crestview, FL, & Saratoga, WY. Dr. Bradford is also the Owner & Senior Agronomist of Bradford Agricultural Consulting where they specialize in commercial and residential construction of greenhouses and high tunnels, as well as provide comprehensive consulting for specialty crop producers throughout the Southeastern United States. He also serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Bradford Farms, located in Isola, MS where he is involved in production operations for vendors such as Wal-Mart.
TeQuion M. Brookins is a full-time community volunteer and social entrepreneur. After serving several years at private grantmaking foundation McGregor Fund (Detroit, MI), she was appointed as McGregor’s first director of operations, becoming the 94-year old foundation's only African American employee to ever hold a director-level position.
Brookins has founded several social enterprises including a business consulting firm specializing in start-up assistance for small, women and minority owned entities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she developed a sanitizing and cleaning company to help make indoor spaces safer for MIchigan schools, homes and small businesses.
In 2019 Brookins founded the Minority Freedom Community Fund(MFCF), a nonprofit providing pathways to philanthropy for people of color nationwide. Detroit’s entrepreneurial hub TechTown and the Rocket Community Fund featured Brookins and the MFCF in its Innovator Series 2020, which “shines the spotlight” on those who responded creatively and quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to being named a Comcast Newsmaker.
An active participant in philanthropic circles and the Detroit business community, Brookins serves on two international boards, including Global Executive Business Consultants, and A Child for All. Brookins was elected to serve as a founding board member and committee leader for Connect 313, a citywide, data-driven digital inclusion strategy to make Detroit a national model for digital inclusion. She is a 2020 recipient of Crain’s Detroit Business’ “20 in Their 20s” award, a 2021 recipient of Acquisition International’s Influential Businesswoman awards, and was nominated for Corp! Magazine Michigan’s Most Valuable Millennial.
Brookins is involved in a myriad of philanthropic and civic organizations and initiatives including: The Michigan Nonprofit Association, a statewide membership organization dedicated to serving the diverse nonprofit sector; PEAK Grantmaking a nonprofit transforming philanthropy by advancing equitable, effective grantmaking practices; the National Black MBA Association creating educational opportunities and economic growth for African Americans, including partnerships to provide access to graduate management education programs and career opportunities; the Association for Black Foundation Executives to promote effective and responsive philanthropy in Black communities; the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce; the Detroit Chamber of Commerce; the National Small Business Association’s Leadership Advisory Council; the Council of Michigan Foundations which has announced a statewide Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) initiative in four cities funded by the Kellogg Foundation; the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network focused on building a diverse and powerful social sector; and the Technology Affinity Group, a membership association of foundations promoting use of information and communications technology to further philanthropic goals.
Brookins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the College of Wooster with a minor in Africana Studies in 2012. She received dual master’s degrees in Finance and in Business Administration from Walsh College of Business and Accountancy in 2018.
Brookins currently lives in Metro Detroit with her partner and two dogs, Choco and Baby.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors steer the direction and course of the organization by formal appointment.
Board of Advisors
The Board of Advisors advises the direction of the organization and organize strategic funding and expansion opportunities that impact the reach of the organization’s sector initiatives.
Commission Members
Commission members commit to partner with one or more of the sector initiatives to research and develop policies that protect and enrich the will of the Coalition in African-American communities nationally.
Apprentices
BLAC apprentices support the Board and the Commissions administratively, while being facilitated through a leadership development program that readies them for effective community service in their respective futures.
Allies
Allies are advocates of the work and support the BLAC Coalition in their individual activism, organizing, and/or fundraising support.
The strength of BLAC’s organizing potential is in the commissions of leaders involved in the conversation. We center a diverse group of individuals around sector initiatives that African American life consistently intersects. Our commissions develop the research and the policies that uplift black communities in ways that can be tangibly realized.
1) Adequately research and understand the distribution of resources in our states and cities.
2) Catalog them in ways that are useful to the African American citizens’ benefit.
3) Measure the distribution of resources for effectiveness and improvement.
4) Sharing the information pertaining to these community resources with African American populations.
Our tool in the realization of black human rights is not obtained through words and protest only. It must be wielded from the art of calculated strategy and compromise. This coalition will not be an organ of activism only. In practice, we also activate the second phase of mobilization – consistent negotiation. This kind of work is a long road approach. If done right, it will have significant outcomes at desired checkpoints for African American human rights in this country. We form a collective committee of determined thinkers, engaging the times with “organized thought and strategic negotiations.”
We are charged by the challenge of Dr. Martin Luther King in one of his final messages to America that, “…It is time for the negro middle class to rise up from its stool of indifference, to retreat from its flight into unreality, and to bring its full resources, its heart, its mind, and its checkbook, to the aid of its less fortunate brother and sister.” In this same address, Where Do We Go From Here, Dr. King noted the fact that, “White indifference continues to lock this undercover and sometimes blatant racism in play. With complicitness, apathy, and disinterest when the next logical steps are to be taken.” This is an interracial movement that depends solely on the solidarity of black and white individuals, and the collaboration of other races, to ensure that a united front is sustained in the fight against racist limitation and bias.
Commission Members are those individuals that commit to partner with one or more of the sector initiatives to research and develop policies that will accomplish our goal of protecting and enriching the will of African American communities nationally.
Apprentices support the Board and the Commissions administratively, while also being facilitated through a leadership development program that will ready them for effective community service in their respective future.
Allies are advocates of the work, and support the cause in their activism, organizing, and fundraising. No official financial commitment is required to become an ally at this time.
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