Meet the Presenters

The African American Research Library & Cultural Center of Palm Beach County, Inc., aims to preserve the rich heritage of Palm Beach County’s African American communities and provide support and educational assistance for future generations. 

The Coalition for Black Student Achievement is a coalition of local leaders passionate about affecting change in Palm Beach County’s education system. The coalition is dedicated to ensuring that Black students have an equitable education experience in order to succeed.

Black Student Union from Atlantic Community High School. BSU's are designed to inspire and uplift, creating opportunities for learning, growth, advocacy, and fellowship among Black students in Palm Beach County. BSUs aim to develop leadership skills, enhance student achievement, and foster community, providing a platform for sharing unique ideas, cultures, traditions, and experiences. They amplify the voices of historically marginalized students, highlighting how their perspectives on academic experiences influence their actions and attitudes. By allowing students to express their lived experiences, administrators can make informed decisions to better address their educational and life skill needs.

Samantha Cyprian, founder of Soul Movement, LLC, is a native of West Palm Beach, FL. She began her dance training at The Academy of Ballet Florida under the Artistic Direction of Marie Hale. While in the Academy, she worked closely with Ballet Florida's professional company, where she was allowed to take classes and perform alongside them in Marie Hale's depiction of The Nutcracker. Samantha attended dance programs at the North Carolina School of the Arts and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She obtained her Lester Horton Pedagogy certification from Ana Marie Forsythe, Chair of the Horton department at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She also plans to get a certification in the Katherine Dunham technique and has taken preliminary classes. Samantha has been fortunate to work with students within the Palm Beach County School District and various dance studios in Palm Beach County.

Boaz Dvir, a filmmaker known for his storytelling prowess, teaches writing and production within the Department of Journalism. Dvir's documentaries showcase the remarkable journeys of ordinary individuals thrust into extraordinary circumstances, such as an inner-city schoolteacher turned disruptor (Discovering Gloria), a WWII flight engineer leading a covert mission (A Wing and a Prayer), and a truck driver turned child-protection activist (Jessie’s Dad). His films have garnered acclaim and been featured on major platforms like PBS, Hulu, and Netflix, with segments integrated into Lifetime and Investigation Discovery programming. Dvir's work has received extensive media coverage and numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Beyond filmmaking, he leads innovative initiatives in education, partnering with institutions like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation to revolutionize teaching on critical subjects. With a background in journalism and extensive writing experience for various publications, including Newsday and The Miami Herald, Dvir's impact extends beyond the film industry, encompassing education, advocacy, and research on topics like spirituality in the Holocaust.

Charlene Farrington is the executive director of Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, Inc., a Delray Beach non-profit organization that preserves and shares black history through educational programming and exhibitions. 

Charlene has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mercer University and recently received 21st Century Innovative Leader certification from Carolina Christian College.

Charlene holds leadership positions in the South Florida Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and the local Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. chapter. She is also a member of the Palm Beach County Public Art Committee and the Palm Beach County Community Remembrance Project Coalition. 

Caleb Wesco is the keynote speaker known for some of the most energetic, educational, and inspiring presentations. With ten years of public speaking experience, Caleb Wesco has traveled to speak in 45 states and internationally, including London and Zimbabwe, has been featured five times in Teachers Matter Magazine, and completed a philanthropy project where he donated funds to feed over 34,000 people by partnering with Houston Food Bank. His motto is “Let’s Get Motivated.” He encourages individuals, teams, and organizations to get the M.O.S.T. out of their lives. M.O.S.T is his acronym. He assists audiences in getting Motivated, Organized, and Started toward their goals and hitting the Target.

Alisha R. Winn, Ph.D. is an applied cultural anthropologist who received her PhD. in Applied Anthropology from the University of South Florida. She is the founder and owner of Consider the Culture, an educational and community engagement firm specializing in community outreach and cultural education. Dr. Winn has worked as a consultant and director for various community, preservation, and education projects, such as the City of West Palm Beach's Community Redevelopment Agency's preservation and planning efforts of the Historic Sunset Jazz Lounge in the Historic Northwest District, the Osborne School Oral History Project, the Palm Beach County African American Virtual Oral History Project, the Palm Beach County African Diaspora Historical and Cultural Society Oral History Project, the African American Research Library and Cultural Center of PBC, and the Storm of '28 Memorial Park Coalition, Inc. Dr. Winn has paired youth with elders to share their experiences of growing up in Palm Beach County and has worked with the Palm Beach County School System's African and African American Summer Institute. She is also an adjunct professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University's School of Ministry in Intercultural Studies.