BMEsTalk

Ayodele Harrison – Lead Facilitator

Ayodele is a leadership development coach and racial equity practitioner. He has over 20-years of experience, teaching and leading in public, private and international schools. Ayodele is currently the Senior Partner of Education at CommunityBuild Ventures (CBV) – a pro-Black solutions focused firm committed to eliminating racial disparities by developing powerful, impactful racial equity driven leaders and organizations. Ayodele’s primary role with CBV is leading their signature initiative entitled Black Male Educators Talk (BMEsTalk). This initiative offers a suite of culturally affirming in-person and virtual affinity spaces and leadership development programs to Black Male Educators living in the US and several international cities around the globe. Ayodele seeks to inspire and equip Black Male Educators to engage transformational action that improves the lives of students.

Anthony Lobban – Lead Facilitator

Anthony is a first-generation American who brings a multicultural perspective that puts equity and inclusion at the heart of his work. He is passionate about making space for the voices of marginalized populations to be heard and respected. Anthony attended Hillsborough Community College, and has been working in education for the past eighteen years, serving children from 18 months through 8th grade. Most recently, Anthony served as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coach and Associate Learning Specialist at Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School. Anthony successfully completed the Georgia State University CREATE Teacher Residency’s inaugural Equity Facilitation Fellowship, and regularly leads equity centered adult education. Additionally, Anthony has completed Emory University’s Cognitively Based Compassion Certified Instructor Training.

David Mitchem – Facilitator

David is a veteran educator with a passion for creating meaningful educational outcomes for black and brown students. David is a 2009 graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia and is currently enrolled in graduate school at Mercer University’s Tift College of Education. He has worked in urban education for over a decade and currently serves as an elementary school teacher in Atlanta. Outside of his work in the classroom, David works with educators to help explore their identity in order to maximize their impact in schools. He fiercely believes that all children are born with unlimited potential but unfortunately have disparate access to opportunity and resources. His life’s work is committed to ensuring that barriers and systems that limit access to education for black and brown students and their families are dismantled.

Dumaka Moultrie – Facilitator

Dumaka hails from literally the edge of America, the South Carolina coast. He is a descendant of the Gullah Geechee People and grew up minutes from large rice plantations. Raised by strong black women, education has always been a mainstay in his life graduating from Catholic Parochial school, an HBCU and Ivy League university. Dumaka has been serving in urban underserved schools in Metro-Atlanta since 2005. Starting as a substitute making it all the way to principal of an elementary school. Intersectionally, Dumaka is a husband, father of four (3 boys, 1 girl), eldest son and contributing member of the community. His grandfather was an A.M.E. minister and community activist. He instilled in Dumaka integrity and a respect for the community/village. His grandfather helped him understand that we all have a responsibility to contribute what we can for the greater good of our community/village.

James Price – Facilitator

James is currently serving as the Dean of Culture and Instruction at Kestrel Heights Charter School. James is a 2017 graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2022, James earned his Master’s in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University. James currently lives in Durham, North Carolina. He has worked in Title I schools his entire teaching career and dedicates his work to enhancing equitable and culturally responsive opportunities for scholars in all communities. James is a proud man of Kappa Alpha Psi. James was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia. Outside of working in education, he coachesv baseball in his community and mentors young black males in his neighboring Kappa League chapter. James finds joy in connecting with fellow educators and motivating black and brown children.

Stephen Smith – Facilitator

Stephen is an educator at Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School. For the past seven years, he has taught fifth grade, encouraging them to challenge euro-centric narratives and thinking, pushing them to become resisters and changemakers in the world. Stephen is passionate about education because he believes that knowledge is meant to be shared, and that education requires a deep commitment to the idea that youth have the power and potential to accomplish what their predecessors did not, furthering their goals.

In their spare time, Stephen enjoys writing fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Stephen currently lives in Muscogee/Creek territory (also known as Atlanta, Georgia).