Summit Schedule

Opening

Welcome to the Moment: Opening Remarks | 9:00 - 9:20 AM

An energizing kickoff to the inaugural Juneteenth Summit—welcoming attendees, setting the vision, and grounding the day in culture, history, and forward momentum. This moment brings together city leadership and cultural stewards to officially open the experience.

Location: Performance Hall

Speakers:

  • Quantia “Key” Fletcher, Director, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
  • Gina Gimberling, President & CEO, Little Rock Convention Bureau & Visitors Bureau
  • Frank Scott Jr., Mayor, City of Little Rock
  • Shea Lewis, Secretary, Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism
Quantia
Gina Gimberling, a woman in a black and white blazer and large pearl earrings with medium long brown hair smiling.
Frank Scott Jr., a man with dark colored glasses in a blue suit with a red tie smiling.
Shea Lewis, a man in a dark suit with a patterned tie smiling.

Lift Every Voice: The Opening Experience | 9:20 - 9:50 AM

A soul-stirring opening that sets the tone for the day—honoring legacy, culture, and collective power through music and reflection.

Location: Performance Hall

Keynote Sessions

Living History: The Legacy of the Little Rock Nine | 10:00 - 11:00 AM

An intimate and powerful conversation with living legends, the Little Rock Nine, whose courage reshaped America—connecting past sacrifice to present-day purpose.

Presented by: Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

Location: Performance Hall

Speakers:

  • Elizabeth Eckford
  • Carlotta Walls LaNier
  • Dr. Terrance Roberts

Moderated by: Dr. Sherece West

An older woman in a yellow blazer and white blouse seated with a microphone on a stage.
An older woman with short hair in a red blouse posing and smiling.
An older man dressed in a black suit with a yellow tie smiling.

From the Field to Real Life: Looking Health vs. Living Healthy | 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Join Darren McFadden and Fred Taylor for an honest conversation about how alcohol use, mental health, and overall well-being are connected in the lives of men. Drawing from their own lived experiences on and off the field, they will reflect on how drinking shows up in everyday life, how it can affect mental and physical health, and the pressures that often shape these patterns.

Presented by: Barbershop Talk – Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health: Center for Research, Health, and Society

Location: Performance Hall

Speakers:

  • Darren McFadden, Arkansas Native, Former Arkansas Razorback and NFL Player
  • Fred Taylor, Former NFL Player & Host of the Pivot Podcast
A man posing in a black shirt with a football held in his left hand.
A man in a black blazer and a gray hat holds a football in his right hand and points to it with his left.

Breakout Sessions

The Blueprint: Data, Dollars & the Future of Financial Empowerment | 11:00 - 11:50 AM

The City of Little Rock's Office of Financial Empowerment is creating its first-ever Financial Empowerment Blueprint. Funded by the CityStart Grant and powered by resident feedback, the Blueprint will detail economic boosts and blocks for residents in their money journey. This session will explore the data about what residents are saying about economic opportunity and financial security, but also what Little Rock can do to promote prosperity throughout the whole city.

Presented by: The City of Little Rock

Location: Hamilton Room

Speakers:

  • Marquise Willis, Chief Data Officer, City of Little Rock
  • James Owens, Special Projects Manager, City of Little Rock

Her Power, Her Way: Women Leading the Future | 11:00 - 11:50 AM

Bold women. Real stories. Unmatched impact. A powerful conversation on leadership, ownership, and building legacy on your own terms.

Location: Porter Room

Speakers: TBD

Motown of the South: The Legacy of Stax Records | 11:00 - 11:50 AM

This session explores the sound, soul, and cultural impact of Stax Records and its influence on Southern music, identity, and Black excellence. More than music, this is the story of a movement that shaped culture, created icons, and continues to inspire generations.

Location: Davis Room

Speakers:

  • Joe “Broadway Joe” Booker, Program Manager & DJ, KIPR Power 92
  • Al Bell, Former Executive & Co-Owner, Stax Records

Banking on Us: Wealth, Ownership & Access | 12:00 - 12:50 PM

A blueprint for building wealth in our communities—covering capital access, ownership strategies, and how to move from survival to scale.

Presented by: Southern Bancorp

Location: Hamilton Room

Speakers:

  • Kenya Gordon-Davenport, President, Southern Bancorp Community Partners
  • Charles Blake, Little Rock Market Executive, Southern Bancorp

Still I Rise: A Tribute of Maya Angelou | 12:00 - 12:50 PM

An immersive performance of poetry, music, and movement inspired by Maya Angelou. This live artistic tribute brings her words and legacy to life.

Presented by: Celebrate! Maya Project

Location: Davis Room

Speakers:

  • Janis Kearney, Celebrate! Maya Project

Turning Aura into Currency: The Arkansas Influencers Economy | 12:00 - 12:50 PM

Turn your presence into power. This session breaks down how creators, influencers, and entrepreneurs are monetizing culture and building real businesses.

Location: Porter Room

Speakers:

  • Jimmy Cunningham, Local Historian & Author
  • Jordan Harris, Content Creator & Influencer
  • Kaleb Ari, Faith & Fashion Influencer
  • Jasmine Hudson, CEO Black Paper Party & Black Owned NWA
  • Rochelle Johnson, Fashion Designer & Influencer

Philanthropic Power, Partnership and Possibility | 1:00 - 1:50 PM

Join the Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative as we explore how to use  collective resources to build power and mobilize communities toward economic prosperity and progress.

Presented by: Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative

Location: Hamilton Room

Speakers:

  • Keesa Smith-Brantley, Executive Director, Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families
  • Stacy McAdoo, Executive Director, Teach Plus AR
  • Osyrus Bolly, Arkansas Public Policy Panel

Moderated by:

  • Charity Hallman, Sr. Vice President of Community & Economic Development, Hope Credit Union

Southern Couture: Fashion, Style & Global Influence | 1:00 - 1:50 PM

Where culture meets couture. Designers and creatives break down how Southern style is influencing fashion, identity, and global trends.

Location: Davis Room

Speakers:

  • Bruce Brown, CEO, Tribe Aesthetic
  • Dani Evans, America’s Next Top Model Winner
  • Korto Momolu, Project Runway Finalist and Fan Favorite
  • Michelle Revere, Fashion & Home Designer, Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Honoree

Love You Some Little Rock: The Rise of the City | 1:00 - 1:50 PM

Little Rock is on the rise—and the world is starting to take notice. This session highlights the city’s growth, momentum, and emerging identity as a cultural and tourism destination. From major investments to cultural experiences and national visibility, this is a look at how Little Rock is positioning itself on the map—and what it means for the people, businesses, and communities shaping its future.

Location: Porter Room

Speakers:

  • Gina Gimberling, CEO, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Jay Chesshir, President & CEO, Little Rock Chamber of Commerce
  • Brenda Fickin, Director of Community Engagement, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau