Our Power Cannot Be Shut Down

The Reverend Dr. Gina Marcia Stewart is a pastor, preacher, visionary, builder, mentor, adjunct professor, and daughter of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. She has led the congregation of Christ Missionary Baptist Church since March 1995. She is a native Memphian and "daughter" of Christ Missionary Baptist Church where she was baptized, and mentored for ministry by her predecessor and former pastor, the Rev. Eddie L Currie. On March 4, 1995, she was elected by majority vote to serve as the pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church. She is the first African American female elected to serve an established African American Baptist congregation in Memphis and Shelby County.

She is a 1978 graduate of Memphis Catholic High School. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Marketing in 1982 from the University of Memphis. In 1989, she received a Masters of Education in Administration and Supervision from Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee. She received the Master of Divinity degree from Memphis Theological Seminary in May 1996. Rev. Stewart also attended the Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute for Church Based Community and Economic Development (2000). She received the Doctor of Ministry degree from the ITC-Interdenominational Theological Center-(ITC)-Atlanta, Georgia on May 5, 2007. She is currently pursuing a PhD in African American Preaching at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dr. Stewart has received numerous honors and awards for her outstanding service to the church and the community such as Outstanding African American Student Award from Memphis Theological Seminary (1996)), and Outstanding African American Alumni Award Memphis Theological Seminary (1998) Outstanding Citizen of the Year from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority (2000), The Community Service Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (2000), the O'landa Draper Humanitarian Award, the Pastor of the Year Award (medium size church) from the Gospel Bridge Awards (June 2004), and The World's Most Loved Pastors (November/December 2005-Gospel Today magazine) and the Women of Wisdom award from the Women's Foundation of Greater Memphis (April 2007). She received the Pastor of the Year award from Citizens for Better Service (2012). She was the first female to receive the prestigious Carter G. Woodson Award from Southwest Community College-February 2013. In February 2017, she received the Living Legends Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the community. In April 2017, she received the Class of 2017 Women of Excellence Award from the Tri-State Defender and she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Memphis Juneteenth Festival (June 2017).

Dr. Stewart's work been featured in numerous books and publications such as Audacity of Faith: Christian Leaders Reflect on the Election of Barack Obama, What We Love About the Black Church: Can We Get A Witness? and Black Practical Theology. She has been featured in Gospel Today and Spirit magazine, "Soul Sanctuary" (released April 2006), a desktop documentary of the essential highlights of the African American worship experiences across denominations nationwide and The African American Pulpit, a quarterly journal that serves as a repository for the very best of African American preaching and provides practical and creative resources for persons in ministry.

Dr. Stewart has had the distinction of being the morning preacher for the Hampton Ministers Conference in June 2009 and the Conference Preacher for the Hampton Ministers Conference in June 2011.

She has served as a Team Leader for the Pastoral Excellence Program for Lott Carey International, a development and advocacy organization. She has served as Adjunct Faculty for Memphis Theological Seminary and a Faculty Mentor for United Theological Seminary Doctor of Ministry Program. She is currently a Visiting Professor of Practical Theology for the Samuel D. Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. .

Dr. Stewart was recently inducted into the Martin Luther King Board of Preachers-Class of 2018 (April) and elected to serve on the National Board of the NAACP (February 2017). In August 2015, she was elected to serve as the Second Vice-President for Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention. She also serves as a member of the Advisory Council for the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, Co-Convener for the Women in Ministry Conference-Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, Convener and a Trustee for the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Pastors Conference. She is a former board member of the Advisory Board for The African American Pulpit, The National Civil Rights Museum and Bread for the World. Dr. Stewart is the founder of Greater Works Inc. a non-profit organization devoted to philanthropy and ministry development. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. In September 2015, she released her first book entitled We've Got Next: HERstory in HIStory

Under Dr. Stewart's leadership, CMBC has experienced significant numerical, physical and financial growth. The church has purchased several additional properties to accommodate their increasing growth. The church offers more than fifty ministries, which are intended to minister to the Spirit, Soul and Body of every person and lead to personal transformation. She travels extensively conducting workshops, revivals, and seminars. Dr. Stewart is a woman with a heart for God and God's people.

Known among World leaders, presidents, celebrities, and academicians alike for his trademark activism, intellectual discipline, and masterful oratory, Dr. Amos C. Brown is a legend in his own time. Tutored by Medgar Evers, Benjamin Mays, Samuel Williams, J. Pious Barbour, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (as one of the eight students in the only class Dr. King taught in his lifetime at Morehouse College), Dr. Brown has never seen the issues of society as separate from the mission of the church, especially when the members of the church are directly affected by systems of evil.

A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Brown has been Pastor of San Francisco's Third Baptist Church since 1976. As a scholar, theologian, preacher and social activist, he has maintained a marriage of piety and political action in his ministry. He was equipped for great and distinct ministerial leadership through his training at Morehouse College, B.A. (1964) and earned degrees of Master of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary and the Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary. Before accepting the call to Third Baptist, he served as pastor of Saint Paul's Baptist Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania and Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Under his leadership, Third Baptist Church has established a summer school program, created an After-School Academic enrichment program (Back on Track) in partnership with Temple Emanuel Congregation, the Charles A. Tindley Academy of Music; sponsored more African refugees than any local congregation in the nation and sponsored 80 children from Tanzania to receive heart surgery in the United States. He led the Bay Area in raising $68,000 for the Somalian Relief Effort in 1984, led in founding the Black American Response to the African Crisis, which raised $300,000 for the Ethiopian Famine crises, and led an airlift to Ethiopia under the auspices of the National Baptist Convention.

In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, he has served as a member of the governing board of San Francisco Community College, National Chairman of the National Baptist Commission on Civil Rights and Human services, member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Chairman of the Bay Area Ecumenical Pastors Conference, first Vice President of the California State Baptist Convention, President of NAACP Branch in San Francisco, California, and a member of the governing board of the National Council of Churches of Christ.

Dr. Brown was a delegate to the 2001 United Nations Conference on Race and Intolerance in Durban, South Africa. He represented the National Board of the NAACP in this World Conference. Also in the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Dr. Brown was one of the principal national faith leaders to give a response address to the tragedy at the San Francisco's Day of Remembrance. In September of 2001, Dr. Brown and Jesse Jackson met with the venerable, Nelson Mandela in South Africa around issues of African development and U.S. foreign policy matters. And as a great champion of educational enterprises, he brought to Third Baptist the Honorable Kweisi Mfume for an evening of "Celebrating our Commitment and Passion for Education and Academic Excellence". From this effort over $67,000 was raised for scholarships for worthy students who are pursuing higher education and training.

Dr. Brown was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Ministerial Award for outstanding leadership and contributions to the Black Church in America. He was also inducted into the International Hall of Fame at the King International Chapel at Morehouse College. For a second time, Dr. And Mrs. Brown was invited by President and First Lady Barak and Michelle Obama to a Christmas Reception at the White House. Most recently, the City and County of San Francisco honored Dr. Brown during the Martin Luther Ling Jr. Holiday, and gave a brilliant address to the community. In April of 2011 he will be honored by his hometown of Jackson Mississippi.

Sharing Dr. Brown's commitment to service and racial uplift are his wife, Mrs. Jane Smith Brown of Richmond, Virginia, two sons, Amos C. Brown, Jr., David Josephus Brown, and daughter, Kizzie Marie Brown.

Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He was educated in the Detroit Public School system. He graduated from Wayne State University with a B.A. in Political Science and Marygrove College with an M.A. in Pastoral Ministry. He attended the University of Detroit for advanced study in Black Theology. Rev. Anthony is a Certified Social Worker with the State of Michigan. On May 12, 2007, Rev. Anthony was the keynote speaker for the Graduation Class of Marygrove College at which time the Board of Trustees conferred upon Rev. Anthony the degree of Honorary Doctor of Arts. In 2022, Wayne State University conferred upon Rev. Anthony the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa.

He became the Pastor of Fellowship Chapel in December 1986 following the passing of Reverend James E. Wadsworth, Jr. Through the grace of God and the labor of his ministry, the church has experienced the greatest growth in its 55-year history. Through its James E. Wadsworth, Jr. Community Center, Fellowship Chapel has a full-time outreach ministry with programs ranging from health and wellness, youth mentoring and development and job training. Rev. Anthony is the developer of the Isuthu Institute (Coming into Manhood Rites of Passage Program) for boys ages 6-18, dealing with African American male responsibility. It is one of the oldest mentoring programs of its kind in the country. He also initiated its female counterpart, the Intonjane Institute (Coming into Womanhood Rites of Passage Program) for girls ages 6-18.

Currently, Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony is a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors. In addition, he is serving his 15th term as President of the Detroit Branch NAACP, a position he has held for 28 years. The Detroit Branch NAACP is the largest branch in the country. It hosts the largest sit-down dinner in the nation, bringing at least 10,000 persons to gather every year to celebrate and commemorate the struggle for social justice, freedom, and equality. He is the founder of the Freedom Institute for Economic, Social Justice, and People Empowerment, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which also sponsors the annual Freedom Weekend in the city of Detroit. He is also the founder of the Fannie Lou Hamer Political Action Committee, a grassroots community-oriented organization that supports issues and candidates often overlooked by those in the traditional political arena.

Reverend Anthony is the originator of the Take Your Souls to the Polls voter registration and mobilization program. This was initiated to bring about greater youth involvement in the electoral process. He is also the recipient of numerous awards and recognition, locally and nationally. Among them are the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference How Beautiful Are Thy Feet Award and the 2021 NAACP Image Award for Activist of the Year. During the pandemic of 2020, Reverend Anthony led and coordinated the Connected Futures Program with business and corporate leaders. This program raised $23 million to provide laptop and Wi-Fi connectivity for 51,000 students, grades K-12, in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. It serves as a model for the nation.

On June 5, 2005, Reverend Anthony led his congregation, community and business leaders, government officials, supporters, and well-wishers in a procession to the new Fellowship Chapel called The Village, for its grand opening and inaugural worship service. The Village contains the new church and soon-to-be-developed 140 units of multi-family homes and senior citizen residencies. This is a $60 million-dollar project which will result in the building of a new community.

In September 2005, Rev. Anthony married Monica G. Anthony. They are the proud parents of three adult daughters (Tolani, Maia, and Theresa) and in 2011 a new addition was added, young Ms. Wendelaya Adiah Anthony.

Zina Pierre, Ph.D. is founding President and CEO of Reyarp Strategies Group, LLC (RSG). Reyarp Strategies provides diversity, equity and inclusion training, professional development, personality assessment facilitation, executive coaching, and advocacy services. She is also managing partner of Quora Alkaline Water bottling company with customers including 7-Eleven, Royal Farms Convenience Stores, and numerous hotels in the DMV.

Dr. Pierre has worked in the national political arena for more than 30 years advising and developing strategic outreach engagement and public/private partnership plans for national unions, civil rights organizations like the NAACP, and political organizations including the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and advisor to presidential campaigns. In addition, she has worked on dual sides of the isle with congressional,

state, and local elected officials drafting policies and building allyships between the government and private sector. Dr. Pierre has also developed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion frameworks and DEI advisory committees for the District of Columbia Departments of Forensic Sciences and the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority. In 2016, she served as the former National Director for African American Faith Outreach for former Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton.

Dr. Pierre's work as a public servant began in 1993 in the Clinton Administration, with her last administration assignment in the White House as a commissioned officer in the position of Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Executive Office of President Bill Clinton. In that role, she served as President Clinton's liaison to the nations state legislators, mayors, and county officials. Prior to the White House she served as a political appointee in several Federal agencies including, OPM, Department of Labor, and SBA. Before her career in politics, Dr. Pierre spent 10 years in television working for Fox 5 DC, the News Channel 8, USA Today Show, America's Most Wanted and Sports News Network.

Dr. Pierre has served on numerous boards including the National Council of Negro Women, Greater Washington Urban League, Board of Visitors for Lincoln University, The White House Project, the Ms. Foundation, and many more. She currently serves as President of the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation representing the largest group of Black State Legislators in the country. She received her undergraduate degree in Communications from Catholic University and Ph.D. in Religious Philosophy. She is a John Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member.

Stephanie Owens is the Principal of Dolphin Strategies LLC, a firm specializing in developing cutting-edge public education and voter participation strategies that drive impactful citizen civic engagement. Stephanie is dedicated to creating voter education and issue advocacy campaigns for companies that prioritize policy development through public engagement. She has spearheaded transformative initiatives for the American Cancer Society, National Football League, NASCAR, and the African National Congress. Her extensive experience in voter protection includes developing strategies for the League of Women Voters and Common Cause. Stephanie has served as the NAACP Grassroots Election Protection Advisor across several election cycles. 

Stephanie's dedication to public service is reflected in her appointments by both President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton. She held senior positions in various government agencies, including Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House.

During her tenure in the federal government, Stephanie pioneered innovative tactics for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, facilitated citizen participation in the community restoration process after the BP Deep Horizon oil disaster, and advocated for improvements to federal procurement policy, particularly benefiting small and disadvantaged businesses. Her direction of the White House Federal Interagency Task Force on St. Petersburg showcased her commitment to addressing civil unrest and fostering positive change in the aftermath of a police shooting incident. In 2022, Stephanie Owens served as Deputy Mayor for the City of St. Petersburg, following her instrumental leadership in a historic campaign that resulted in the election of the first African-American Mayor in 2021.

Widely recognized for her ability to forge effective cross-sector alliances and coalitions, Stephanie Owens actively influences government and corporate policies to enrich communities. Her expertise in intersectional equity and inclusion has made her a sought-after advisor, providing systemic strategies that improve organizational outcomes and foster social progress. 

Stephanie has served on several boards, including the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, ACLU FL, League of Women Voters, FL, Pinellas County Homeless Leadership Board, and Girl Scouts West Central FL. Her commitment to empowering constituencies and grassroots organizations in disenfranchised communities shines through her volunteer advocacy training initiatives, amplifying her dedication to fostering positive change at the community level.

Takiyah M. Jefferson, CMP, is a highly successful strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in leading meetings, event planning, travel management, and business operations. Her expertise includes managing events with up to 15,000 attendees for associations, unions, and corporations, 

A native of the Bronx, New York, she is passionate about helping organizations leverage the power of events to drive ROI, connect members, drive the mission, and increase organization revenue. 

Jamal R. Watkins currently serves as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Advancement at the NAACP. Jamal previously led the Association's efforts to maximize the African-American community's participation and representation in our democracy as the Vice President of Civic Engagement at the NAACP.

Mr. Watkins previously served as National Outreach Director for the AFL-CIO. In this role, he was responsible for strengthening and growing national strategic partnerships with the labor movement across a range of priority campaigns and program work.

Prior to joining the AFL-CIO, Mr. Watkins held leadership positions in a number of organizations dedicated to community organizing and civil and human rights. These include Deputy National Political Director at Service Employees International Union; Chief of Staff at the Center for Social Inclusion; Managing Director for Campaigns for Amnesty International, the world's largest grassroots human rights organization; and, Deputy Director and Interim Executive Director of City Year Los Angeles, a national non-profit AmeriCorps organization.

Mr. Watkins has worked in several distinct arenas, including politics, campaigns, communications, education, human resources, and fundraising. He played key roles as a National Recruiter for the DNC, Fundraising Canvass Director for Grassroots Campaign, Florida State Director of the Young Voter Alliance during the 2004 Presidential Election, Regional Coordinator on the "Yes on Proposition 79" Campaign for Health Access of California, and most recently developing a voter mobilization and engagement field strategy for the 2014 mid-term election cycle.

A native of California and a resident of Washington, D.C., Mr. Watkins earned his B.A. in Philosophy, with a minor in Political Science, at Stanford University and completed graduate-level work at New York University for Speech and Interpersonal Communication. As a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., his motto is "onward and upward."