Thursday: Reception & Opening Night
Opening Night features performances and short-form keynote conversations from Reimagine and Leimert Park all-stars: national healthcare leaders, community leaders, DEI experts, musicians, and comedians, setting the scene for a powerful dialogue on loss, life and love. Following the formal program, you can hang around to catch a late-night bonus program: The Loss, Life & Love Community Open-Mic Performances.
5:00-6:15pm Networking and Community Engagement
6:30-8:00pm Showcase of artists and performers
Confirmed Opening Night guests include:
Medusa is considered the godmother of west-coast hip hop
Ben Caldwell is an artist, director, educator, independent filmmaker, and mentor, offering professional advice and support through his KAOS Network media lab and open mic hip-hop workshops.
Ira Byock, M.D., FAAHPM is a leading medical authority and public advocate for improving care through the end of life. Dr. Byock is an acknowledged visionary and pioneer in palliative care who has made important contributions as a clinician, author and educator.
Rene Fisher-Mims is one of the lead artist organizers and co-founders of the Festival of Masks. She is a dancer, vocalist, hair stylist, master percussionist and founder/ director of S.H.I.N.E Muwasi, a women's drum circle. S.H.I.N.E. is an acronym for Sister's Healing, Inspiring, Nurturing, and Empowering in the Hands of God. Mama Nene teaches drum workshops every Thursday evening at The World Stage in Leimert Park Village.
Meesha Brown serves as President of PCI Media Impact. Meesha is an expert practitioner in the fields of learning, social and behavior change communication, and facilitation. Meesha is an award-winning producer whose work includes the #ISurvivedEbola campaign – a multi-media effort to spread life-saving health messages and combat stigma during the 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak.
Corey Kennard is Pastor of Amplify Christian Church, manager of Patient Experience at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and also serves as an activist in the field of healthcare.
Leon Ford is a survivor of police violence who, in a case of mistaken identity, was wrongly shot five times by police officers and is now paralyzed. Leon has devoted his life to galvanizing a movement for social change and training police on how to respond to questions of race through love and compassion.
Mazin Jamal is the founder of Holistic Underground, a leadership & organizational development agency for social movements & businesses.
