Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race?

Keith Boykin is a TV and film producer, national political commentator, New York Times best-selling author, and a former White House aide to President Bill Clinton. His latest book is Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race? 25 Arguments That Won’t Go Away.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith has taught at American University in Washington, D.C., the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University, and City College of New York. He is a co-founder and first board president of the National Black Justice Coalition and a Lambda Literary Award-winning author of six books.

Keith was a co-host of the BET talk show “My Two Cents,” starred on the Showtime reality television series “American Candidate,” worked as an associate producer of the film “Dirty Laundry,” and has appeared on numerous TV shows, including BET’s “Being Mary Jane.”

Born in St. Louis, Keith has lived in 12 cities, visited 48 of the 50 United States, and traveled the world. He lives in Los Angeles.

Creating a Wealth Mindset

Beginning as a twenty-one year old with virtually no financial assets and very moderate income from working in the non-profit sector, she was able to achieve complete financial independence in her early forties.  

Ms. Holmes worked at New York University for over 20 years and eventually held the position of Director of Financial Operations. In the course of her work, she managed more than 30 million grant/institutional dollars. Her focus for the state and university sponsored programs was the improvement of the life outcomes of young people in under-served communities.  Inspired by her wish to help others, Ms. Holmes conducted numerous seminars on financial literacy and wealth building for university students, parents, and local groups.

Ms. Holmes was fortunate to have been coached early in life about the path to building wealth. The simple truth she learned at the outset was to move from the consumer mindset of spending to the investor mindset that starts with living below your means and ends with having your savings invested so that your money works for you.

Ms. Holmes now spends her time teaching women of color about building wealth and financial freedom to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families. Ms. Holmes strongly believes that the right money mindset with vital practical knowledge, and powerful intention will create financial freedom for woman and all those important to them.

What drives her to do this work is a commitment that women have power--choice, agency, and comfort--in their financial well-being. Her company, Journey to Wealth, helps women of color achieve financial freedom and live the lives of their dreams. If you want a partner in your personal journey to wealth visit her website journeytowealth.net.

Alicia has a unique focus on the game-changing benefits of investing in innovative technology, a passion that ignited back in the early '90s with personal computers and the internet. Her forward-thinking approach has led her to venture into the cryptocurrency marketplace in 2017, where she recognized the transformative potential of digital assets in wealth creation. Her passionate advocacy now educates women about the power of investing in cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, harnessing the boundless possibilities that the digital revolution has brought to the forefront of financial growth.

Advancing Health and Black Equity

Deborah Wafer is the Public Affairs Senior Director of US Virology, Community Engagement and Patient Advocacy at Gilead Sciences. During her time at Gilead, she has developed ongoing relationships with key decision makers at public health and community health organizations as well as academic institutions. She has also been a member of the HIV Medical Affairs and HCV marketing teams, developing innovative programming and tools designed to engage providers, patients, and communities.

She received her BS in Community Health Education from California State College at Northridge (CSUN) and completed the PA program at Charles Drew University in Los Angeles. She subsequently worked for the Department of Family Medicine at King- Drew and in the Department of OB-GYN. She graduated from West Los Angeles College, Registered Nursing Program and combined classes at the University of California, Los Angeles to become a Nurse Practitioner.

Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, she was a clinician at UCLA Medical Center in the Clinical AIDS Education and Research Center (CARE Center), where she provided primary care and coordinated clinical trials for people living with HIV. She was also instrumental in translating clinical research to the community and patients. One of her career highlights was helping to develop and implement protocols that dramatically decreased HIV transmission from mothers to infants. Other significant contributions include creating a unique program at Gilead, “Beyond the Diagnosis,” that addresses HIV testing, treatment and stigma, and spearheading the development of Mujeres Como Tu! (Women Like You), a DVD and discussion guide designed to start a conversation in the Latino community in order to increase awareness and education. Currently she serves as Board Chair of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and the Chair of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.