NOVEMBER9,2024
MISSISSIPPI
SPEAKERS
YOUTH COUNCILS TRACK
Henrycia Simmons
Miss Black Mississippi USA 2025
Henrycia Simmons is a Mississippi native, born in Clarksdale and raised in Jackson. She is a senior psychology major at Tougaloo College, where she is also a provost scholar She is actively participating in a Maternal Health Equity Research Collaborative with Morgan State University, and recently presented her research findings at the 2024 American Public Health Association Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Simmons earned the esteemed title of Miss Black Mississippi USA 2025. Her platform, It’z Pawsible!, aims to educate individuals about animal welfare while promoting rescuing, fostering, adopting, and volunteering. She has always had a deep love for animals and believes that animal welfare is also human welfare, contributing to her platform's motto that together “it is possible to make a change” within our communities. She successfully rescued two puppies that she calls the Oreo Twins and adopted a formally neglected puppy that she named Kaleidoscope. She is a proud volunteer for Webster Animal Shelter and plans to expand her platform nationwide.
Angela Brooks Natchez NAACP Branch
Brooks is a passionate, student-centered educator with a career spanning 29 years. Throughout her journey, she has taught a variety of subjects, including English, Spanish, Drama, Theater, ACT/SAT Prep, Journalism, and Writing, across junior high to collegiate levels. She has served as adjunct faculty at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and contributed significantly to Alcorn State University’s Upward Bound, Summer Development Program, and Alcorn Writing Project.
Beyond the classroom, Angela has dedicated herself to her community, especially through her leadership in organizations such as the Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs, and the NAACP, where she has held various influential roles, including her current role as Chairwoman of the Adams County Democratic Committee. Her impact extends to coaching students in competitive essay contests and sponsoring numerous service-oriented clubs, contributing countless community service hours in Adams, Amite, and Wilkinson counties.
As a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Angela combines her professional dedication with her personal commitment to service She is a devoted wife to Ronnie Brooks, Sr , mother to the late Ronnie Brooks, Jr , and Angel Brooks Thomas, and proud grandmother of Gabbie, Axen, and A’Siah
SPEAKERS
YOUTH COUNCILS TRACK
Mac Epps, MS M.O.V.E.
A native of Lexington, MS, Mac Epps was raised by his grandmother and uncles on an old share cropping farm that he now cares for. He is married to Jamarise Epps and they have one daughter. He wears many hats, including Executive Director for MS M O V E , CEO of The Epps Institute for Healthy Family and Community Living, LLC, Owner of HempWorldSouth and Therapeutic Lounge, and Director of Community Outreach, former Field Assistant for Ward 4 City Councilman De’Keither Stamps, Event Coordinator and Bartender. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tougaloo College and Masters of Social Work from JSU. He is also the former Social Action Director and current Special Event Coordinator for Mu Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Inc.
He began community organizing at the age of 16 in 1996 under the mentorship of Helen and Leroy Johnson, Derrick Johnson, Ellen Reddy and The Dean of MS Movement Hollis Watkins. He continues to use those skills to impact issues in the community, focusing on voter education, ending obesity, advocacy forums, Black economics, mental health awareness, and fighting homelessness. His motto “TOGETHER, WE CAN HEAL OUR COMMUNITY,” understanding the importance of working as a unit where people share a similar goal, and we respect each other opinion.
COLLEGE CHAPTERS TRACK
Khalilah Karriem
Jackson State University Youth & College NAACP Chapter
m is a junior Political Science major at Jackson State University, focusing on Legal Studies. olumbus, MS, she’s passionate about social justice and civic engagement. As Senate ProTempore of the Student Government Association and President of the NAACP chapter, Khalilah champions underrepresented voices and leads initiatives for equality and inclusion After graduation, she plans to attend law school to become a civil rights attorney, dedicated to advocating for marginalized communities and creating lasting change.
COLLEGE CHAPTERS TRACK SPEAKERS
Keturah Butler-Reed
Louisiana Black Women’s Roundtable Co-Convener
Keturah Butler-Reed, a community organizer, writer, and womanist, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from Albany State University (ASU) with a degree in English, where she led campus, state, and national campaigns and advocated for students at Capitol Hill through several leadership roles, such as ASU NAACP Chapter President, Georgia NAACP Youth and College Education Chair, and SGA Political Action Director.
During her senior year at ASU, Keturah moved back to Louisiana, where she made a significant impact working with Black Voters Matter as the Louisiana Regional Organizer Over three years, she organized and led statewide convenings and bus tours, built capacity in over 70 organizations and partners throughout the state, and led GOTV strategy training for numerous elections
Keturah's advocacy work extends beyond the United States She is experienced in global affairs and sustainable development, having studied foreign policies in Israel and Palestine, joined the HBCU Green Fund program in Senegal, focusing on eco-village communities, and completed two legal fellowships in Spain and Italy.
Recently, Keturah has been actively engaged as a Political Advisor with Sign1News, facilitating candidate forums for their global deaf and hard-of-hearing audience. She has led as the Building Power Node Leader at the Cancer Free Economy Network, focusing on reducing cancer rates in marginalized communities through grassroots-led solutions and webinars, keeping the audience connected and informed.
Also, as Co-Convener of the Louisiana Black Women's Roundtable and former Representative of Black Youth Vote for Georgia and Louisiana, Keturah has been a strong advocate for voting rights, successfully lobbying from Capitol Hill to the Department of Justice to influence critical policy discussions around civil rights and equity
Overall, Butler-Reed specializes in the mass mobilization of Black voters nationwide, with a focus on Southern states She believes the pathway to true liberation begins by educating and empowering youth, demonstrating that their history, resources, and opportunities are limitless, regardless of socioeconomic background. Keturah takes pride in amplifying the work and voices of young people, by equipping them with the tools and resources needed to bring Love, Joy, and Power to their communities.
COLLEGE CHAPTERS TRACK SPEAKERS
Bonnita Jones
MS NAACP Communications Director
Bonnita BeBe Jones began her journey in the communications field soon after graduating from Jackson State University (C/O 2004) with her Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism, and her passion for fashion guiding the way with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Merchandise Management from the International Academy of Design & Technology - Chicago. The Chicago native utilized the powerful duo of journalism + fashion to write for well-known print and online publications.
In 2014, her philanthropic spirit led her to launch her first entrepreneurial endeavor, Row A Seat 1, a platform for emerging and established Black creatives in the fashion and beauty industry. In 2020, BeBe and her contributions to the fashion world were recognized as the ‘Best Stylist and Fashion Influencer’ in New City Magazine’s Best of Chicago edition. While BeBe continued to thrive in the fashion and journalism spaces, she had the opportunity to work with notable clientele such as Nike, Jordan Women, Puma, NBA, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy's, Alex and Ani, Roots Canada, Nikon, Condé Nast, Ford Models Chicago, and more She soon began utilizing social media to amplify her canvas and pivot into Social Media Management to help other businesses and brands like ORS Olive Oil and Thank God It's Natural (TGIN) develop their style, create an organic community by storytelling, build healthy and reciprocal engagement among consumers, and maintain a strong brand image
It was soon after that she co-founded her second entrepreneurial venture, The L E G A C Y Organization (Leading Each Generation Across the Challenges of Yesterday), a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resources and a support network to HBCU students. In a full circle moment of true alignment, her educational foundation, diverse skillsets, and professional experiences combined with her passion for paying it forward, Bonnita BeBe Jones has recently stepped into the role of Communications Director for the MS State Conference NAACP where she will continue to illuminate the vibrant stories, advocacy works of local, student, and national leaders, and the legacy of our community throughout the state of Mississippi with a style and grace that is uniquely her own.
COLLEGE CHAPTERS TRACK SPEAKERS
Morgan Authement
MS NAACP Communications Manager
Morgan Authement is the Communications Manager for the Mississippi State Conference NAACP. A graduate of the University of New Orleans with both a bachelor's and a master's degree in Sociology, Morgan brings a deep understanding of social dynamics and a strategic approach to communication. In her current role, she oversee the execution of communication plans that align with the NAACP's strategic goals, managing various social media platforms with a focus on content creation, audience engagement, and impactful storytelling.
With a background as a marketing and business development analyst, she developed targeted social media content and crafted proposals in alignment with buisness's identity Additionally, her experience as a project manager with Digitally Detailed has honed her skills in developing and executing social media and marketing campaigns for organizations and businesses across Mississippi Passionate about advocacy and community engagement, Morgan is dedicated to advancing the mission of the NAACP through effective, resonant communication
PRESIDING
NSOMBILAMBRIGHT-HAYNES
MISSISSIPPISTATECONFERENCENAACPCRIMINALJUSTICECHAIR
JACKSONCITYNAACPPRESIDENT
MIRIAMGRAY
MISSISSIPPISTATECONFERENCENAACPYOUTH&COLLEGEADVISOR
JACKSONCITYNAACPSECRETARY
JudgeCarlynHicks
Judge Carlyn Hicks serves as Hinds County Court Judge for Subdistrict One, presiding over the Hinds County Youth Court, where she serves the children, youth, and families of Hinds County. Through collaborations and partnerships, Hicks has forged relationships with agencies, service organizations, and other providers across the county to better meet needs, including the implementation of several new programs, initiatives, and juvenile justice interventions to assist young people who have behavioral and mental health challenges and find themselves in need of services Her innovative approach to this work has facilitated systemic changes in the youth court system
NSOMBI LAMBRIGHT-HAYNES & MIRIAM GRAY
SHERIFF TRAVIS PATTEN
Adams County
HENRYCIA SIMMONS
Miss Black Mississippi 2025
TYSON MCLAURIN
MS NAACP Youth & College Vice President
KHALILAH KARRIEM
MS NAACP Youth & College Treasurer & Partnership
REV. DWIGHT GREENE
Living Word Worship Center | Natchez, MS /Blessing of the Food
LUNCHBUFFET
SHYRIE MAZIQUE
Mississippi ACT-SO Gold Winner
MARKYEL PITTMAN
State President of MS Youth & College
JUDGE CARLYN HICKS
Hinds County Court, Subdistrict 1
REVEREND DR. ROBERT JAMES
MS NAACP President & Benediction
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