TEDx is coming to Overtown!

Our very own Community Engagement Manager, Nicole Crooks, will be giving a keynote about the power of narrative and how we all can learn from Overtown's past and future.

Click here to get tickets and learn more!

Speakers:

Adriana Delor
Investing Consultant

Adriana is a passionate advocate for understanding people – the deeper, richer understanding that unlocks true influence and impact. Through times of uncertainty, she forged a groundbreaking approach: shifting hearts and minds, not just data points. Her secret weapon? The "human factor."

Anya Freeman
Founder & CEO

Founder & CEO, Kind Designs. Anya is originally from Ukraine and together with her family lived in Israel, South Africa, and China before settling in Miami to attend law school. Anya worked for the US Attorney's Office and clerked at the United States District Court before opening her own law firm focused on environmental policy. Frustrated with lack of innovation around rising sea-levels which threaten Florida, Anya took on the challenge of finding a technological solutions to this global challenge that is affordable for communities and supports the environment.

Desiree Faulkner
Real Estate Developer

Desiree’s experience in real estate development & construction spans over 27 years. She began her career working at an architectural firm and scaled her way to starting her own real estate development & consulting company. She experienced first-hand synergies between the public and private sector to positively influence the environment and society. Her knowledge spans in construction, development, asset management, permitting, entitlements, design, budgeting and bidding of large-scale industrial parks, residential and commercial buildings. She was instrumental in developing premier mixed-use developments into live, work, play destinations and revitalized undeserved urban areas into communities with cultural and generational impact.

Dr. Edward Robinson
Founder and Band Leader

Dr. Edward G. Robinson is the founder and band leader for the Instant Attraction Band. He has performed worldwide for audiences from Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean. He has also performed for sororities, fraternities, social & civic organizations, and religious institutions just to name a few. He is a song writer, author, adjunct professor, retired school administrator and creator of a literacy Superhero (READMAN). He is a graduate of an HBCU (Florida Memorial University), University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University. He has been entertaining audiences for over 40 years and has performed with renowned jazz and R&B artists.

Nicole Crooks
Community Engagement Manager

Nicole Crooks is the Community Engagement Manager for Overtown at Catalyst Miami, where she has the privilege of living and working alongside the incredible Overtown Community Champions. A heart-centered and insightful visionary, Nicole brings over 30 years of experience in advocacy, child development, and education. She is the Founder and Chief Protectress of Legacy, Joy, & Well-Being for the Indigo Butterfly Effect, a mindfulness education and well-being company devoted to uplifting women of African descent, their families, and their communities through healing-centered restorative practices. Nicole also consults with Share Our America. Passionate about promoting justice, belonging, and well-being, she is committed to ensuring that Historic Overtown’s evolution respects and honors its roots and people while embracing progress.

Stephanie Van Vark
President

Stephanie van Vark, owner of StephanieCreates, Inc., lives, works, and plays in Historic Overtown. Her passion for community was informed by a small town upbringing. She is a small town girl with big ideas rooted in the Magic City where she settled after graduating from Florida State University. As the owner of StephanieCreates, Inc., she produced GoingOvertown.org, outreach for and about one of Miami’s historic black neighborhoods, Just Talking Business, the Entrepreneur’s podcast; Jigsaw Parenting featuring parents of different races, cultures, economics, and professions un-puzzling parenting. Additional products include television series productions, IMDB recognized made-for-DVD documentary, film and video projects and writer credits.

Stichiz Casseus
Artisit

As seen on BET’s Hip Hop Series ‘One Shot’- A multi-lingual, tongue-twisting Hip-Hop Artist was born in Ottawa, Canada to parents of Haitian descent and raised in South Florida. Stichiz is known for her talents as a Lyricist, Songwriter,Voiceover Actress, well-known Radio Personality and more.The Stichzophrenic Experience! As a community leader she serves as an On-Air host, known as "The Mid Day Bae'' and official female voice of Miami’s Urban radio station-WMIB’s 103.5 The Beat FM weekdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm along with several sister stations within the iHeart Radio family across the world.