Program booklet for African-American Community Forum to Repeal California Prop 209. January 30, 2016 - Los Angeles

2. HOST/MODERATORS
TONY WAFFORD
CEO, I CHOOSE LIFE. Mr. Wafford leads the fight nationally for equitable HIV/AIDS
healthcare for heterosexual men and woman in the African-American community. Mr.
Wafford is a member of Black Community Clergy Labor Alliance and Vice President of
the NAACP Inglewood Branch.
DERMOT GIVENS, ESQ.
Is an attorney and political consultant. Mr. Givens provides political analysis to the LA
Times and other print news organizations. He also provides on air legal and political
commentary to KNBC and KCBS. His most recent book “100 QUESTIONS THAT
EVERY AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN ASKS” has sold out at African-American book
fairs across the country.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TYRONE HOWARD, Ph.D.
TYRONE C. HOWARD is on the faculty in the division of
Urban Schooling in the Graduate School of Education & In-
formation Studies at UCLA. He also is the Faculty Director of
Center X, the Founder and Director of the Black Male Insti-
tute, and an Associate faculty member in the Bunche Center
for African American studies at UCLA. Dr. Howard is also
the Faculty Associate Director for the Academic Advance-
ment Program at UCLA, which is the nation's premier student
retention program for underrepresented students. Formerly,
Professor Howard was an Assistant Professor in the College
of Education at The Ohio State University. Dr. Howard is the
author of the book, "Why Race and Culture Matters in
Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap in America's Classrooms" published by Teach-
ers College Press. He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, book
chapters, and other academic publications and reports. He has published his research in
The Journal of Higher Education, Teachers College Record, Theory & Research in So-
cial Education, The Journal of Negro Education, Urban Education, and several other
well-regarded academic journals. Additionally, Professor Howard has delivered over 75
keynote addresses and presented more than 150 research papers, workshops, and sym-
posia at national higher education, education research, teacher education, and social
studies conferences. Best known for his scholarship on race, culture, and education, Dr.
Howard is one of the most renowned scholars on educational equity, the African Ameri-
can educational experience, Black males, and urban schools. In 2007, Professor Howard
received an Early Career Scholar award from the American Education Research Asso-
ciation, the nation's premier educational research association. He has received more than
$5 million in research grants from the National Board for Professional Teaching Stan-
dards, the Department of Education, and other sources to fund his research. In 2007,
Professor Howard received the UCLA GSE&IS Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr.
Howard has been a guest on National Public Radio, has been featured in Diverse Issues
in Higher Education, has been recognized in Who's Who in Black Los Angeles, and is a
regular urban education contributor to the New York Times.

3. PROGRAM
8:00 AM Registration
8:30 Welcome Tony Wafford
Dermot Givens
8:45 Keynote “WHAT DO WE NEED?”
Dr. Tyrone Howard
9:45 Panel 1 “WHAT DO WE WANT?”
Fluke Fluker
Mark Lewis
Sherri Bell
Jaaye Person-Lynn, Esq.
Angela Reddock-Wright, Esq.
Dino Lawson
11:00 Panel 2 “HOW DO WE GET
WHAT WE WANT?”
Rev. Jewett Walker, Jr.
Nii-Quartelai Quartey
Jasmyne Cannick
Damien Goodmon
Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins
Valerie Lynn Shaw
12:30 PM Closing Remarks Tony Wafford
Dermot Givens

4. Panel 1 – WHAT DO WE WANT
FLUKE FLUKER
Teacher/Educator Co-Founder of the THE VILLAGE NATION, a nationally (and
Oprah) recognized program that assist African-American High School students to
close and surpass the achievement gap.
MARK LEWIS
CEO of EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT SERVICES which assist High School
students gain admissions to elite 4 year universities. Mr. Lewis is a graduate of
Harvard. He serves on multiple commissions and non-profit boards.
SHERRI BELL
Is an organizer for the LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKERS CENTER that
influences government policy and trains leaders to improve the lives of African-
American workers (union, non-union, formerly incarcerated and the unemployed).
JAAYE PERSON-LYNN, ESQ.
Is an attorney who specializes in criminal and civil rights litigation. From
representing high profile/celebrity clients to representing people who are just
trying to maintain their life and not get “caught up” he fights for justice everyday.
Attorney Person-Lynn is involved in multiple civic and service organizations that
serve the African-American community. He is a proud alumnus of Hampton
University.
ANGELA REDDOCK-WRIGHT, ESQ.
Named a Top California Employment and Labor Law attorney by the Daily
Journal. Reddock-Wright is an employment law attorney, mediator/arbitrator, and
workplace investigator. She also works with public agencies in developing and
implementing labor compliance agreements. Reddock-Wright is an Instructor at
UCLA Extension and serves on numerous public and non-profit boards. She is
also a founding board member of the Los Angeles African American Women’s
Public Policy Institute (LAAAWPPI).
DINO LAWSON
Is a member of # BLACK LIVES MATTER. He is a frontline soldier who is not
afraid to put himself on the line, get arrested and go to jail for what he believes is
right. He is launching a new organization BMBB.

5. Panel 2 - HOW DO WE GET WHAT WE WANT
JEWETT L. WALKER JR.
Is a leading political consultant in Los Angeles County, President of the 100 Black Men of
Los Angeles and Pastor at New Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Rev. Walker has
provided strategies for and managed winning campaigns for many African-American elected
officials.
JASMYNE CANNICK
was selected as one of Essence magazine’s 25 Women Shaping the World, KCET’s Southern
California Seven Women of Vision, one of the Most Influential African-Americans in Los
Angeles Under 40, one of Los Angeles’ Most Fascinating Angelenos by the L.A. Weekly, and
one of The Advocate's 40 Under 40 leaders. Cannick is best known as an on-air commentator
on the intersection of pop culture, politics and race. Today she works as a political and
communications consultant.
NII-QUARTERLAI QUARTEY
Is the National Strategic Partnerships Manager for the “Voices for Healthy Kids.” a new
collaboration between the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation. One of his proudest political accomplishments was serving as an Official
California Surrogate for the Barack Obama Re-Election Campaign. Mr. Quartey has served
with distinction as Board President of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber of
Commerce, and was recently selected as a Truman National Security Fellowship Political
Partner. He plans to complete his Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership at
Pepperdine University in 2017.
DAMIEN GOODMON
Damien Goodmon is the Founder and Executive Director of the Crenshaw Subway Coalition
and it’s successor organization the Citizens’ Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line. As a result
of the organization’s efforts, over $1.5 billion additional dollars have been invested in the
mass transit infrastructure. He has been a guest lecturer on issues of transportation,
environmental justice and social activism at several universities. He is a lead subject of the
award-winning documentary Beyond the Echo of the Drum, which premiered at the
prestigious 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
DR. KIKANZA NURI-ROBINS
Author of several best selling books and the soon to be published “FISH OUT OF WATER:
Strategies for people who don’t fit in,” a book about learning cultural codes (available May
2017). Dr. Nuri-Robins is a nationally recognized expert/consultant in organizational
development, specializing in helping close the gap between what people say they do and what
they actually do. She uses her skills to help people and organizations that are in transition –
or ought to be.
VALERIE LYNN SHAW
The Shaw Family has provided service and leadership in Los Angeles since the 1950’s. Ms.
Shaw was appointed by 3 consecutive Los Angeles Mayors to serve as a Commissioner on the
Board of Public Works, overseeing a $2 billion budget and 5000 employees. Recently retired,
Ms. Shaw spent the majority of her professional life working to improve all aspects of the
African-American community in the City of Los Angeles. She serves on the board of
directors for several non-profit organizations.

6. MUSIC
TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA (1996)Tupac; A CHANGE IS GONNA COME (1963)
Sam Cook; PEOPLE GET READY (1965) The Impressions; COMPARED TO
WHAT (1971) Les McCann & Eddie Harris; EVERY DAY PEOPLE (1972) Sly &
The Family Stone; BALL OF CONFUSION (1971) The Temptations; SAY IT LOUD
(1968) James Brown; WHAT’S GOING ON (1971) Marvin Gaye; AIN’T NO STOP-
PING US NOW (1979) McFadden & Whitehead
Wafford, Givens Host Community Meetings on Prop 209
Published November 25, 2015
Tony Wafford of I Choose Life
Health and Wellness Center and
Attorney Dermot Givens hosted
the first of a series of community
meetings to discuss the repeal of
anti-affirmative action law,
Proposition 209. Dr. Maulana
Karenga provided the group a
detailed history of Affirmative
Action and made the case of why
it is important for African-
Americans to receive equity in
employment, contracts and uni-
versity admissions. He gave an
analysis of how and why Prop.
209 should be repealed.
Attendees represented the dias-
pora of the African-American
community. The forum was held
at Dulan’s on Crenshaw where a
full breakfast was served.
Tony Wafford said, “it’s time that
we revisit Prop. 209 like my
grandfather would always say all
your good-byes ain’t gone!”
Givens said that in organizing
the political campaign to repeal
Proposition 209 “the campaign
must start and end in our com-
munity” … “Everyone in Califor-
nia is at the table and getting
their fair share except African-
Americans. We need to stop
those in power from being able
to use Prop. 209 to deny us our
fair share.”
Tony Wafford, Dr. Maulana Karenga,
Attorney Dermot Givens Chimbuko
Tembo and Tulivu Jadi. (courtesy photo)

7. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OVERVIEW
In the 1970’s, Affirmative Action was first proposed to assist African-
Americans in gaining access to previously denied government
employment and contracts.
To gain political support for Affirmative Action other disadvantaged
groups were added to the Affirmative Actions laws.
Affirmative Action programs were adopted by private industry.
In the 1990’s a major movement was undertaken to end Affirmative
Action. This movement succeeded by labeling Affirmative Action
programs as quota system that gave unqualified African-Americans
jobs, contracts and benefits by denying those to white people.
Proposition 209, as promoted by Ward Connerly, amended the
California Constitution by making it illegal to consider race in hiring,
contracting and providing other government resources.
As a result, African-Americans receive minimal employment, contracts
and other benefits.
However, other groups have continued to receive and expand their
access to employment, contracts and other government benefits.
“Quotas” and “Affirmative Action” have become bad words.
Californian’s have accepted the ban on Affirmative Action as gospel.
Since Prop. 209, Special Laws have been passed into law to help
Latinos, Asians, immigrants, the disabled, women, LGBT’s and others.
These laws have passed due to the support garnered from African-
Americans.
Since Prop. 209, no special laws have ever been proposed to
specifically and directly help African-Americans.
Less than 2% of the state of California's $150 billion in expenditures is
spent with African-Americans.

8. THANK YOU
Dr. Maulana Karenga for being our first keynote
speaker; Dr. Tyrone Howard for being our second
keynote speaker and to each of our panelist.
To the men who attended our first meetings (Gene
Ramos, Brennan Monconduit, Desmond Fletcher, Mark
Lewis, Rafiki, Jimmy Woodard, Dennis Wafford,
Damien Goodman).
To our contractors and volunteers: Dyke Redmond of
Heart and Soul (video), Arnetta Mack of Mack
Enterprises Unlimited (graphic design), Damian W.
Givens (music), Dennis Wafford (photography), Keion
Morgan (outreach), the staff at the Nate Holden Center
for Performing Arts and especially Diane Walker.
RepealCaliforniaProp209
@RepealCAprop209
#hateCAprop209
AfricanAmericanMenAsk.com