Oak Park Conference – Saturday Morning Session, 19 October

Session Theme – “Appreciating Diversity”

Diversity provides great benefits in building healthy societies. Enlarging the forum for discourse and interaction uncovers new viewpoints, new concerns, new ideas, and new energies. The intermingling of attitudes provides richness and strength.

These sessions will discuss the advantages of embracing diversity and ways to find acceptance, appreciations, and balance. We will seek means for building bridges between diverse parts of our community. We will consider factors that take advantage of diversity to build a stronger community.


Registration and Breakfast

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
Student Center Multipurpose Room

Breakfast provided courtesy of
St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley


Keynote Speaker

Madye Henson-McCannon

Principal, CentricIMPACT

8:00 – 8:45
Student Center Multipurpose Room


Panelist Presentations
followed by facilitated discussions

9:00 – 11:15
Classrooms in Social Studies and Humanities Buildings

The schedule for the Saturday morning session is tentative.
Speakers and panels may change.


Social Connectedness

D’Andre Braddix, Ed.D., executive director of DEI, STLCC

Dwayne James, Ed.D
Community Development & Dir. of DEI, MU Extension

Dan Monti, Ph.D
Prof. of Sociology & Anthropology, Saint Louis University

Neighborhoods
& Housing

Rosalind Williams
former Ferguson Dir., of Planning & Development

Todd Swanstrom, Ph.D
Prof. of Community Collaboration, UMSL

Robin Harvey
Legal Services of Eastern Missorui


Andreal Hoosman
Owner, Haywood Hoosman Realty

Economic Development

Madye Henson-McCannon. DM
Principal, CentricIMPACT

Stefani Weeden-Smith
St. Louis Anchor Action Network

Michael Gearhart, Ph.D
Asst. Prof. of Social Work, UMSL


Education & Youth Empowerment

Community Safety

Giving Voice Through the Arts

LaRhonda Wilson
Assoc. Prof. of Sociology, STLCC at Florissant Valley

Carolyn Fuller
Prof., Political Science Department, STLCC


Precious Berry
Youth Activist

Delrish Moss
former Ferguson Police Chief


Redditt Hudson
Nat’l Coalition of Law Enforcement Officers for Justice, Reform, and Accountability

Christi Griffin, J.D.
President, The Ethics Project

Peggy Neely-Harris
Performing Artist, Teacher


Alice Bloch, Ph.D
former Head of Dance Department, Lindenwood U.


Dana Sebastian-Duncan
Art Therapist


Session Roundup

11:30 – 12:00
Student Center Multipurpose Room


SC = Student Center (location of Multipurpose Room)
SS = Social Studies Building (location of Break-out Classrooms)
H = Humanities Building (location of Break-out Classrooms)

Parking available for free in all campus lots, except where spaces are noted as reserved.