For over 32 years, the National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference has continued to provide quality, relevant training for all people interested in the well-being of youth, including but not limited to: Teachers at all levels, Principals and Assistant Principals, School Counselors and Psychologists, Health and Human Service Counselors and Personnel, Criminal Justice Professionals, Business and Community Leaders, Volunteer Service Providers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers.
Rajni Shankar-Brown, MA, M-MA, MBA, PhD Educator, Author, Human and Civil Rights Activist
Dr. Shankar-Brown is a leading expert on transformative systems change and sustainable educational practices to advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and a lifelong champion for ending and preventing poverty and homelessness. She is an award-winning professor and the JBD distinguished chair of social justice education at Stetson University. She serves as a strategic partner of the United Nations, the Equity Co-Lead for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a lead steering member of the National Environmental Justice Institute, and the Past President of the National Coalition for the Homeless Board, making history as the first woman of color to hold this position and to be elected for two consecutive terms. She founded a mentoring and arts program for youth experiencing homelessness, and the annual Ending Poverty and Homelessness Conference, a collaborative grassroots movement centering equity and youth with lived experience.
Dr. Shankar-Brown is also a published author of leading education articles and books, a racial and intersectional equity coach, a community organizer, a cultural strategist, a dancing poet and accomplished artist. Her poet stage name is “Rising Lotus” and she is ranked internationally in spoken word poetry. She is also a devoted Amma (Mom) who loves masala chai and sunflowers!
Monday Keynote Speaker | March 3, 2025
Cornelius Minor Educator, Author, and Trainer
Cornelius Minor is a Brooklyn-based educator and part-time Pokemon trainer. He works with teachers, school leaders, and leaders of community-based organizations to support equitable literacy reform in cities (and sometimes villages) across the globe. His latest book, We Got This, explores how the work of creating more equitable school spaces is embedded in our everyday choices — specifically in the choice to really listen to kids.
Cornelius has been featured in Education Week, Brooklyn Magazine, and Teaching Tolerance Magazine. He has partnered with The New York City Department of Education, The International Literacy Association, Scholastic, and Lesley University’s Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative. Out of Print, a documentary featuring Cornelius, made its way around the film festival circuit, and he has been a featured speaker at conferences all over the world. He is a dedicated Hip hop fan, and on some evenings, you can find him online saving the universe with his PlayStation or on paper saving the realm in Dungeons & Dragons.
Wednesday Keynote Speaker | March 5, 2025
Dr. Queinnise Miller Educator, Author, Public Speaker, Consultant
Dr. Queinnise Miller, affectionately known as Dr. Q, is a multifaceted bilingual educator, international speaker, published author, consultant, mentor, coach, and devoted mom. As an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis at the University of Houston – Clear Lake, she brings over 25 years of educational experience to her role. Dr. Miller’s passion for teaching, learning, and leading is fueled by her belief that all children deserve a world-class education, regardless of their cultural or economic background. Her life’s work is to inspire and encourage others to teach and lead with love, by putting humans first.
Known as the Heart-Centered Educator, Dr. Miller champions a leadership approach rooted in love, compassion, and human connection. She believes this approach can bridge the gap between emerging teachers & leaders and impactful teachers & leaders of today, fostering environments of mutual respect and productivity. Dr. Q’s mantra, “Love, Laugh, and Lead,” encapsulates her philosophy of prioritizing human connection in all interactions, making her a beacon of change in leadership education.
