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Dr. Omékongo Dibinga  

Professor, Author, Rapper, Passionate International Speaker on Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion

Dr. Omékongo Dibinga is the UPstander. His life’s mission is to inspire all across the globe to take a stand when they witness an injustice, no matter how small or large. A John Maxwell Team “Top 30 speaker," he is an international speaker, trilingual poet, TV talk show host, rapper, and Senior Professorial Lecturer of Inter-cultural Communication at American University, where he also serves as a faculty affiliate to the Antiracist Research & Policy Center. Dibinga has published and produced 7 books, 8-fusion music and motivational CDs, and one independent DVD. He's also a weekly contributor for the national TV news show “Roland Martin Unfiltered” and contributes to i24News in Israel.

Dibinga's motivational book, "G.R.O.W. Towards Your Greatness! 10 Steps to Living Your Best Life," has received praise from great motivational speakers such as Les Brown and Willie Jolley. His book “The UPstander’s Guide to an Outstanding Life” is a life balance book for students. His latest book, "Lies about Black People: How to Combat Racist Stereotypes and Why It Matters," will be published in 2023.

Speech Topics

Finding Common Ground In Uncommon Times

The purpose of this keynote/breakout is for participants to explore what unites them as opposed to what divides them. We live in a society that is becoming increasingly polarized but even in our darkest moments, there are areas where we can all shine. Participants will learn how to have difficult conversations, how to challenge implicit biases, and how to build a community where differences are not just tolerated but celebrated!

G.R.OW. Towards Your Greatness!

This keynote/breakout will provide you with the steps needed to bounce back from any setback, be it personal or professional. This is an interactive session where participants will be able to first probe into the circumstances that led to their setback, and then embark on 4-step reinvention road map that will keep them focused and ready to adapt to new challenges. As the saying goes, either you expand or you are expendable so come learn how to expand and G.R.O.W. towards your greatness!

Leveraging and Embracing Diversity in the Workplace

This keynote/breakout explores the importance of achieving true cultural diversity and appreciation in a corporate or governmental environment. Research has shown that companies that value diversity are more productive and profitable. Participants will probe deeply into the challenges that prevent employees and leaders from having a truly inclusive work environment. By acknowledging their truths as it relates to experiences of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, and more, participants will feel empowered to carry the dialogue back to their colleagues and beyond.

Antiracism & YOU!

Antiracism is a term that has been utilized across every stratum of American society and even beyond our shores. The goal of this session is to go beyond the articles and books and do a deep dive into two simple questions. The first question is: how antiracist are you really? The goal of this question is to conduct a deep dive into your personal journey of becoming an antiracist. The second question is: how antiracist is your school or company? The goal of this question is to analyze the work your organization has conducted on its path to becoming truly antiracist. By the end of this session, participants will be able to understand if their antiracist work, personally or professionally, is really a moment or a movement and craft out an action plan to continue on the antiracist path regardless of where they currently are in the process.

Be An UPstander, Not A BYstander!

This keynote/breakout uses spoken word poetry and hip-hop to speak on the importance of how participants can create social change. Participants build their cultural self-confidence and respect for other cultural, religious and racial groups through critical analysis to understand the root causes of misconceptions that exist across different groups. It challenges cultural paradigms in an effort to create greater appreciation for differences. Participants emerge from this keynote/breakout empowered to not only make a change in their own lives but in their communities and throughout the globe.

Elevating the Black Male

This keynote/breakout focuses on cultural competence as well as issues of black male achievement. Educators focus on strategies to decrease the educational gaps that exist in our current educational environment. Using long term data which indicate that young black males are under-represented in rigorous instruction, gifted and talented programs, honors/AP courses and International Baccalaureate programs and over-represented in discipline referrals and suspension/expulsion rates, this keynote/breakout examines the societal perceptions of young black males that perpetuate racial disparities in education. Participants build their cultural competence to develop a learning environment that fosters academic success for young black males. The premise for the workshop is that if a teacher can gain the cultural competence requisite to reach her black male students, she develops the competencies needed to reach all of her students.

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S.E.E.D.S. Students Engaged on Every Day Success

The goal of the S.E.E.D.S. program is for students to have powerful and consistent engagement focused on overcoming obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through regularly scheduled meetings via an online platform, students will work with Dr. Omekongo Dibinga. Specifically, they will:

  • Share their current challenges and triumphs during the COVID-19 crisis;
  • Engage in goal setting practices focused on college preparation, service projects, or social justice initiatives;
  • Use this space as a sounding board for real challenges they are experiencing today;
  • Create an action plan for an eventual return to school and beyond.

The duration of the program will be set by the schools to meet the needs of students.

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