Speakers

As Vice President / COO, Odell is responsible for the implementation of the organization's operational plan, management of the organization, and leads communication efforts with corrections facilities and other nonprofits.

Rose McGee is a facilitator, author, Creator of Sweet Potato Comfort Pie: a catalyst for caring and building community is a recent Bush Fellow, a Minnesota 50 Over 50, featured in the PBS documentary A Few Good Pie Places, and has a TEDx Talk The Power of Pie. She works as a Program Officer with Minnesota Humanities, is author of Story Circle Stories, Kumbayah the Juneteenth Story, and Sleep With a Virgin a Perspective on AIDS. In 2021 Minnesota Historical Society Press will release her children’s book, Can’t Nobody Make a Sweet Potato Pie Like Our Mama. She resides in Golden Valley where she was recently recognized as Citizen of the Year.

She is a well-known facilitator, one of Minnesota’s 50 Over 50, a member of Women Who Really Cook, the Women’s Business Development Center, Golden Valley League of Women Voters, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and works as a Humanities Officer for Minnesota Humanities Center. She is the former president of the NAACP in Rochester, MN and now resides in Golden Valley, Minnesota where she was named “Citizen of The Year,” and was presented the “Bill Hobbs Human Rights Award” twice. She was a 2019 recipient of the prestigious Bush Fellowship, and has been featured in the national PBS documentary, “A Few Good Pie Places.” Rose is the author of the book, Story Circle Stories, as well as a children’s book, Can’t Nobody Make a Sweet Potato Pie Like Our Mama, which was published in 2021 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. She is also the author of a play, Kumbayah The Juneteenth Story, which tells the story and history behind Juneteenth, and has been performed in multiple venues in the MN metro area as well as Duluth, MN. Rose also delivered a TEDx Talk, The Power of Pie. Other recognition includes: The Lorraine Hansberry Award for Outstanding Black Women in Minnesota, NAACP Outstanding Service Awards, Stairstep Foundation’s African Immersion to Ghana, West Africa, Jerome Foundation Travel Grant to Ghana, West Africa, and Minnesota Social Impact Center Change Maker Award.

Rose earned degrees from Lane College Jackson, Tennessee and Lesley University Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Moses Mwaura, his uncle David Waithaka and partner Subira

Mayte Garcia/Gilbert Davidson/Kirk Johnson (Prince's Charities)