Amberly has more than 15 successful years in the DEI and Social Justice space. Highlights about her career and personal story as a social justice educator were published in the Times Union: Women @ Work Magazine where Amberly was featured as a Capital Region expert in diversity and inclusion. Throughout her higher ed tenure, Amberly advised cultural groups and scholar leaders to promote and educate the campus community on diversity, access, equity and inclusion concepts, including philosophies and traditions of other cultures.
Amberly also happens to be a cousin of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of whistling at a White. His murders were acquitted and his death is said to have sparked the Civil Rights Movement. In 2016, Amberly assisted in the passing of The Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act of 2016 (S.2854/HR.5067). Amberly also advocated to get the Emmett Till Anti-lynching bill passed to make lynching a federal hate crime.
Amberly holds a Bachelors degree in English: Writing from Millikin University (Decatur, IL) and a Masters degree in Higher Education at the University of South Florida (Tampa, FL). Amberly is the author of Advance Your Legacy: Power Moves for Building Influence and Buried Alive: Remembering 7 Lessons Mamie Taught Me on Black Leadership. Amberly has presented both regionally and nationally at conferences and universities. She has written for prestigious publications such as Don King’s historical Call and Post Newspaper, Essence.com and Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Amberly has also been featured/published in The New York Times, Times Union: Women @ Work Magazine, Girlboss, Roll Out Magazine, Colorlines, Truthout, Towards Freedom and the Illinois Times.
“Your words were helpful reminders about my why for racial equity in higher education. Thank you!!!!” – Leah, Scholarly Practitioner
“The workshop was inspirational and full of wonderful information.” – Elaine, Activist
“You are answering so many questions for me thank you Queen. Very informative thank you so much you’re doing great work” – Marquell, Bridge to Success
“Your words were inspiring and encouraging and highlighted the critical need for inclusive crisis and prevention services in our community.” – Albany County Crime Victim & Sexual Violence Center
“We were deeply moved by your story about your cousin Emmett Till. Your speech was a powerful reminder to keep dreaming, take risks, and not shy away from difficult conversations. – Omicron Delta Kappa, Univ. at Albany Chapter
Justice Reimagined: How education continues to make justice possible for Emmett Till
Amberly talks about the challenges her family has faced in seeking justice for her cousin Emmett Till. With all of Emmett’s murders now being deceased, Amberly speaks about the work that must continue that can bring about change and justice outside of the courtroom.
Media and the Movement
It was the sight of Emmett Till’s brutalized body on the cover of Jet Magazine that caused an uprising when it pushed people from the sidelines to the streets to protest. Dylann Roof, who killed 9 Black people at a Bible study at the predominantly Black Emanuel AME Church, credits his “Racial Awakening” to a search for “Black on White” crime. This keynote sheds light on how search engines like Google, platforms like Facebook and popular media outlets have influenced the racial climate in America.
Fostering Inclusive Environments (workshop)
90-minute beginner’s introduction workshop to Diversity and Inclusion. Participants discover that we all have identities and how we understand those identities have been influenced by messages we’ve received from trusted voices.
Envisioning a Whole New World (workshop)
2 hour training which focuses on team building and program planning, diversity goal setting and assessment for groups. Perfect choice for student leaders!
Play Your Card: An Interactive Dialogue
Amberly facilitates an interactive card game with pop-up dialogues on a variety of identity-based topics and categories. Participants learn how to engage in intergroup dialogue about their most salient identities. This game inspired the show concept for Play Your Card: The Podcast.
Buried Alive: 7 Lessons Mamie Taught Me on Black Leadership (curated reading)
Buried Alive: 7 Lessons Mamie Taught Me on Black Leadership. A curated reading from the book and commentary. With a Q&A session.
- African Americans
- Civil Rights Movement
- Education
- Human Rights
- Leadership
- Multiculturalism
- Prisons/Prison Industrial Complex/Police
- Racism/Racial Justice
- Resiliency/Healing
- Women & Feminism
- Youth/Student Activism
- Wellness & Spirituality
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