I am building the operating system for the Neighborhood Economy. I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years ago in Silicon Valley, turning from a retail exec to a founder at 39.

My work sits at the intersection of economics, humanity, and community through Genesis Block, Newkirklytics, the Neighborhood Economy Index, and Newkirk Enterprises. I’m not talking about hypothetical frameworks or abstract policy theory. I’m designing and deploying real systems that make local economic activity visible, measurable, and investable, especially the micro-entrepreneurs, creators, informal workers, and neighborhood-level producers who have always powered our communities but rarely show up in the data.

I believe the future of prosperity isn’t top-down theories based on outdated economic models but rooted in local ownership, inclusive entrepreneurship, and circular capital systems that keep value circulating where people live. My work turns that belief into infrastructure. The Neighborhood Economy Index and our sector tools quantify what has long been unseen: the economic power of microbusinesses, shared kitchens, creatives, disabled entrepreneurs, local manufacturing ecosystems, and underserved communities across the U.S., the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa.

As a speaker, I bring together data, story, spirit, and strategy. I’ve lived this work for years, building entrepreneurial ecosystems, supporting founders who’ve been overlooked, creating pathways to upward mobility, and designing new economic systems that honor dignity and human possibility. My goal on every stage is simple: help leaders see the Neighborhood Economy differently, not as charity work or an “equity initiative,” but as a powerful engine of growth, resilience, and wealth creation that deserves real investment and serious strategy. It’s actually market inefficiency that needs to be corrected.

I’m here to shift the conversation from wealth extraction to community circulation, from scarcity to abundance, from invisibility to proof, from disconnected programs to systems that actually work. And I’m building alongside institutions, cities, universities, DFIs, foundations, and community leaders who believe, as I do, that the people closest to the problem are also closest to the solution; they need better tools, better data, and better support.

That is the work. That is the calling. And that is the Neighborhood Economy.

I am building the operating system for the Neighborhood Economy. I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years ago in Silicon Valley, turning from a retail exec to a founder at 39. My work sits at the intersection of economics, humanity, and comm... Show more

Dr. Pedro A. González, Jr., M.J., MAC, is a Cuban American exiled professor, Author, and Researcher who teaches the Theory of Communication in U.S. universities after retiring from a successful career as a Journalist and War Correspondent on TV.
He is a member of and participates in national and international professional journalism and academic organizations.
In total, he has published 20 books.

Dr. Pedro A. González, Jr., M.J., MAC, is a Cuban American exiled professor, Author, and Researcher who teaches the Theory of Communication in U.S. universities after retiring from a successful career as a Journalist and War Correspondent on TV. He... Show more

Lawrence I. Morris, author of the 'Unified Theory of Belief' postulate, is a best-selling & award-winning writer, engineer, technologist, and entrepreneur whose background in data analytics, product development, AI and theology intersect in a search for deeper human understanding. With academic roots in NYU Stern School of Business and Columbia Engineering, Morris explores belief, truth, and structure in both the spiritual and scientific domains. He lives in Brooklyn, NY and continues to examine how revision as well as interpretation - both intellectually and spiritually - shapes the way we live and believe.

Lawrence I. Morris, author of the 'Unified Theory of Belief' postulate, is a best-selling & award-winning writer, engineer, technologist, and entrepreneur whose background in data analytics, product development, AI and theology intersect in a search ... Show more

Andrea Civile is an L2 Italian researcher and language instructor whose work focuses on the development of pragmatic competence in adult learners, with attention to pragmalinguistic–sociopragmatic alignment, cultural shock, and intercultural adaptation in academic settings. His research—rooted in his doctoral project at the University for Foreigners of Perugia—adopts interlinguistic, intercultural, and cross-cultural perspectives and draws on data from Brazil, Japan, and Italy through a mixed-methods design. He is a member of the Pragmática (inter)linguística, cross-cultural e intercultural group at the University of São Paulo and contributes to research on online language teaching. Alongside his research, he has extensive teaching experience in Italy and abroad.

Andrea Civile is an L2 Italian researcher and language instructor whose work focuses on the development of pragmatic competence in adult learners, with attention to pragmalinguistic–sociopragmatic alignment, cultural shock, and intercultural adaptati... Show more

Srebrenka Peregrin pripovijeda po knjižnicama, školama i vrtićima, na različitim kulturno-turističkim događanjima i SF&F konvencijama. Prevodi beletristku i piše kratke priče, od kojih je nekolicina nagrađena (metaFORA, Fairytalez, Sfera). Su-autorica je zbirki "Bajkarice", "Bajkari" i "Bajkarenje" te autorica romana o Frini, kurtizani u usponu.

Srebrenka Peregrin pripovijeda po knjižnicama, školama i vrtićima, na različitim kulturno-turističkim događanjima i SF&F konvencijama. Prevodi beletristku i piše kratke priče, od kojih je nekolicina nagrađena (metaFORA, Fairytalez, Sfera). Su-autoric... Show more

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guided by a central question: How does the body remember, and what stories does it insist on carrying?

Drawing from Southern African oral traditions, queer lived experience, and a deep commitment to dignity and presence, Frank creates narrative spaces where memory becomes a form of knowledge. His solo works, including Stories of My Bones and The Chaos of Belonging, have toured internationally, inviting audiences into intimate encounters with ancestry, identity, and the quiet rituals that shape us.

As a photographer, Frank documents everyday rituals and marginalised lives with tenderness and clarity. His 2025 exhibition Rituals opened in Cape Town to critical acclaim, and his ongoing project I Met a Mermaid explores African water spirituality, homelessness, and the ocean as a site of survival and myth.

He is also the founder and curator of Uncovered: Stories in Oslo (Avdekket: Fortellinger i Oslo), a live storytelling platform centred on true, lived narratives. His facilitation practice blends embodiment, listening, and community building, creating spaces where people can speak from the truth of their lived experience.

Across all mediums, Frank works from the belief that storytelling is not performance, it is presence, witness, and a return to the body as archive.

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guide... Show more

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter der Akademie für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung an der Technischen Hochschule Köln
B.A. Philosophie-Neurowissenschaften-Kognition
M.A. Philosophie (laufend)

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter der Akademie für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung an der Technischen Hochschule Köln B.A. Philosophie-Neurowissenschaften-Kognition M.A. Philosophie (laufend) Show more

Joshua Rumbaoa Jerome Garcia is a Ph.D. candidate at The Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley studying Asian American theologies and religions, specializing in hermeneutics. His dissertation project, entitled "Peril! In the House of Omri: The Asiatic Racial Form and Biblical Hermeneutics," engages critical theory from Asian American literary criticism and cultural studies, to rearticulate an Asian American theology that allies with the material, political, and intellectual commitments of ethnic studies.

Joshua holds master’s degrees in religion and theology from Yale University and Boston University, respectively, as well as dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biblical studies from George Fox University.

Joshua Rumbaoa Jerome Garcia is a Ph.D. candidate at The Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley studying Asian American theologies and religions, specializing in hermeneutics. His dissertation project, entitled "Peril! In the House of Omri: The Asiat... Show more

Chinenye Ikwuemesi is the founder of the Afrodeities Institute and architect of Afromantasy™ — a framework that treats African mythologies as operating systems for history, governance, AI, and storytelling. She helps organisations and conferences rethink AI ethics, itechnology transformation, nstitutional design, and “future of X” conversations by bringing in African civilisational logics that have been systematically excluded from Western narratives. Her work spans a 40+ volume Afrodeities Codex and The Shadow Storm, a 50‑chapter speculative epic that turns decolonial theory into vivid, accessible story. On stage, she translates complex histories and mythic systems into practical tools for leaders, technologists, and creatives who want to build futures answerable to more than markets alone.

Chinenye Ikwuemesi is the founder of the Afrodeities Institute and architect of Afromantasy™ — a framework that treats African mythologies as operating systems for history, governance, AI, and storytelling. She helps organisations and conferences ret... Show more

Renee Hamilton is a lecturer at Nagoya University of the Arts working at the intersection of AI, visual culture, and identity. Her work explores how artificial intelligence can be used as a creative and symbolic medium to examine race, perception, and digital identity.

Through her visual project “Lady Gorilla,” Hamilton experiments with AI-generated imagery to study audience reactions, symbolism, and the psychology of online engagement. She also incorporates these visuals into lectures to explore how emerging technologies influence cultural narratives and representation.

Her work sits between art, technology, and academic inquiry, examining how AI reshapes the way we construct and interpret identity in the digital era.

Renee Hamilton is a lecturer at Nagoya University of the Arts working at the intersection of AI, visual culture, and identity. Her work explores how artificial intelligence can be used as a creative and symbolic medium to examine race, perception, an... Show more

Secondary school teacher (mathematics & physics), Ph.D. in mathematics (with specialization in the teaching of mathematics at the university level)

Research Interests: instructional design of mathematics courses, mathematical sophistication & enculturation, mathematical beliefs, fostering giftedness, future skills, AI & data literacy

Secondary school teacher (mathematics & physics), Ph.D. in mathematics (with specialization in the teaching of mathematics at the university level) Research Interests: instructional design of mathematics courses, mathematical sophistication & encu... Show more

Studium der Psychologie mit Nebenfach Erziehungswissenschaft in Kiel, Lund (Schweden) und Freiburg i. Brsg.
Post doc an der ETH Zürich (Schweiz) und an der Universität Freiburg
seit 2009 Juniorprofessorin für Bildungspsychologie an der Universität Bielefeld
seit 2011 Professorin für Bildungspsychologie an der Universität Bielefeld

Studium der Psychologie mit Nebenfach Erziehungswissenschaft in Kiel, Lund (Schweden) und Freiburg i. Brsg. Post doc an der ETH Zürich (Schweiz) und an der Universität Freiburg seit 2009 Juniorprofessorin für Bildungspsychologie an der Universität ... Show more

Master’s graduate with skills in digital communication, artificial intelligence, and data management. I have experience in public administration, focusing on document management and process automation, as well as in social media and content creation.
I am currently developing a thesis project involving AI, OCR, and digitization, combining analytical skills, precision, and creativity. I am proactive, well-organized, and results-oriented.

Master’s graduate with skills in digital communication, artificial intelligence, and data management. I have experience in public administration, focusing on document management and process automation, as well as in social media and content creation.... Show more

Russian literature lover, wannabe writer, rock climber.
Former Google Developers Expert and Microsoft MVP, founder of great communities.

Russian literature lover, wannabe writer, rock climber. Former Google Developers Expert and Microsoft MVP, founder of great communities. Show more

Dr. Catherine Ma is an accomplished and influential figure in psychology and academia. Her role as the first Chinese full professor of psychology at Kingsborough Community College is a testament to her accomplishments, and she acknowledges the invaluable support of her loving husband, three children, parents, mother-in-law, and pug in her success. Dr. Ma is a highly accomplished and dedicated professor whose work encompasses a wide range of essential topics such as antiracism pedagogy, Chinese immigrant experiences, and the impact of race and class in various settings. Her commitment to education and community involvement shines through in her significant contributions to teaching, scholarship, and service, particularly in areas related to antiracism pedagogy, Chinese immigrant experiences, and the impact of Chinese mothers. Dr. Ma's dedication to supporting students is exemplified in her decade-long mentorship of students of color, her ongoing mentoring of junior faculty at Kingsborough’s HURFS-RC (Historically Underrepresented Faculty and Staff Resource Center), and the creation of the Yuet Chun & Tai Yee Ma Memorial Endowment Fund which offers an annual scholarship to a hardworking Kingsborough student in perpetuity.

Her newest venture addresses the lack of mentorship among AAPI faculty and staff. Dr. Ma cofounded AAMPOWER (Asian American Mentorship Providing Opportunities to Women for Empowerment and Resilience) CUNY with her distinguished colleagues Dr. Trang Le-Chan, Dr. Payal Doctor, and Dean Sandie Han. This role in this organization highlights her commitment to fostering mentorship, empowerment, and resilience among Asian women in higher education. By creating a supportive community for sharing experiences and addressing critical issues, AAMPOWER CUNY represents a significant endeavor in championing diversity, inclusion, and support for future generations of Asian women at CUNY. Dr. Ma's collaborative efforts in establishing this initiative reflect her dedication to advocacy and empowerment within the academic community.

Dr. Ma's impressive achievements are reflected in her receipt of several prestigious awards, including Kingsborough's Fostering Teaching Excellence and Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Works Awards, and her dedication to teaching and mentoring excellence in the academic community was recognized with the SPSSI Two-Year College Teaching and Mentoring Excellence Award in 2022. Dr. Ma's numerous awards and accolades speak to the quality and impact of her work. Her passion for empowering others and addressing systemic injustices makes her a valuable asset in academia and beyond.

Dr. Catherine Ma is an accomplished and influential figure in psychology and academia. Her role as the first Chinese full professor of psychology at Kingsborough Community College is a testament to her accomplishments, and she acknowledges the invalu... Show more

Chief of Staff at the startup Fabriq, my expertise lies in management, structure, and work organization.
I host the podcast Zéro Virgule, which gives a voice to researchers in social sciences.

Chief of Staff at the startup Fabriq, my expertise lies in management, structure, and work organization. I host the podcast Zéro Virgule, which gives a voice to researchers in social sciences. Show more

Steve is a frequent and engaging keynoter, speaker, and trainer at over 150 events across North America, speaking to diverse audiences including families and individuals, business leaders, healthcare professionals, and the United States Military. Steve is passionate about the human sciences and wellbeing. He is currently writing a book. Having spent over 20 years as a passionate technologist, he also speaks about cognitive accessibility.

Steve is a frequent and engaging keynoter, speaker, and trainer at over 150 events across North America, speaking to diverse audiences including families and individuals, business leaders, healthcare professionals, and the United States Military. Ste... Show more

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Justice in the Department of Teacher Education and core faculty in the Asian Pacific American Studies and Muslim Studies Programs at Michigan State University. Her current research, funded by the Spencer Foundation, examines the implementation of Asian American Studies in K-12 classrooms across the U.S. She has published over fifty peer-reviewed book chapters and articles in scholarly and practitioner journals such as Harvard Educational Review, Curriculum Inquiry, and Journal of Children's Literature, and is co-author of Social Studies for a Better World: An Anti-Oppressive Approach for Elementary Educators with Katy Swalwell and Teaching Asian America in Elementary Classrooms with Sohyun An and Esther Kim. Before becoming an award-winning researcher and teacher educator, Noreen was a bilingual elementary teacher in Austin, Texas for nine years.

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Justice in the Department of Teacher Education and core faculty in the Asian Pacific American Studies and Muslim Studies Programs at Michigan State University. ... Show more

Sebastian Lang arbeitet als interdisziplinärer Researcher mit Künstler:innen, Wissenschaftler:innen und Philosoph:innen an den Beziehungen zwischen zeitgenössischen Gesellschaften, dem Individuum und digitalen Räumen. Er ist Absolvent des Studiengangs Cross-Disciplinary Strategies (BA) an der Universität für Angewandte Kunst Wien, und studiert aktuell Theorie und Geschichte der Wissenschaft und Technik (MA) an der TU Berlin. Sein besonderes Forschungsinteresse gilt der Frage, wie digitale Technologien unseren Alltag prägen und wie Individuen und Gemeinschaften mit den Anforderungen einer postdigitalen Welt umgehen.

Sebastian Lang arbeitet als interdisziplinärer Researcher mit Künstler:innen, Wissenschaftler:innen und Philosoph:innen an den Beziehungen zwischen zeitgenössischen Gesellschaften, dem Individuum und digitalen Räumen. Er ist Absolvent des Studiengang... Show more

FRANK ABE is co-editor with Floyd Cheung of a new anthology, THE LITERATURE OF JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION, (Penguin Classics). He is lead author of a graphic novel, WE HEREBY REFUSE: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration (Chin Music Press), and with collaborators Tamiko Nimura, Ross Ishikawa, and Matt Sasaki was named a Finalist in Creative Nonfiction for the Washington State Book Award. He won an American Book Award with Cheung and Greg Robinson as co-editor of JOHN OKADA: The Life & Rediscovered Work of the Author of No-No Boy (University of Washington Press), in which he authored the first-ever biography of Okada and traced the origins of his novel. He is currently developing a new stage adaptation of NO-NO BOY in partnership with Seattle Rep.

Abe wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning PBS documentary CONSCIENCE AND THE CONSTITUTION on the largest organized resistance in the camps, and with writer Frank Chin helped organize the first-ever “Day of Remembrance” in Seattle in 1978. He was an original member of Chin’s Asian American Theater Workshop in San Francisco and studied at the American Conservatory Theater.

FRANK ABE is co-editor with Floyd Cheung of a new anthology, THE LITERATURE OF JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION, (Penguin Classics). He is lead author of a graphic novel, WE HEREBY REFUSE: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration (Chin Mu... Show more

I'm a psychologist & Gestalt psychotherapist that likes to spend her time between the world of business and technology.
I like to get creative about the human element in organisations and create value by boosting the value of others.

I was born by the sea in Croatia and found myself thriving in an international environment from a young age studying in English, working in DACH, Nordic and Central EU markets.

I'm a psychologist & Gestalt psychotherapist that likes to spend her time between the world of business and technology. I like to get creative about the human element in organisations and create value by boosting the value of others. I was born b... Show more

Hannah Sari ist Sozialarbeiterin, Sexualpädagogin und studiert den Master "Gesellschaftlicher Wandel als Gestaltungsaufgabe" an der Hochschule München. Sie arbeitet vor allem zu den Themen Konsens und Awareness.

Hannah Sari ist Sozialarbeiterin, Sexualpädagogin und studiert den Master "Gesellschaftlicher Wandel als Gestaltungsaufgabe" an der Hochschule München. Sie arbeitet vor allem zu den Themen Konsens und Awareness. Show more

Ji-Yeon Yuh received her Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania and is the founding faculty member of the Asian American Studies Program at Northwestern University, where she teaches Asian American history, Asian diasporas, US militarism and war, race and gender, and oral history. Her book, Beyond the Shadow of Camptown: Korean Military Brides in America, was the first substantive work to examine the consequences of U.S. militarism for Korean migration and diaspora. Her current projects include a digital oral history repository focused on Asian diasporas, an oral history project on the Midwest as an Asian American space, a book on Korean diaspora in China, Japan, and the United States, and a study of reunification and Korea peace activism in the Korean diaspora. She has been a consultant for numerous public history, media, and education projects, including Still Presents Pasts, an exhibit on Korean Americans and the Korean War, Crossing East, a radio documentary on Asian Americans, and Pollyanna’s high school racial literacy curriculum. As a longtime advocate for Korea peace and reunification, she occasionally publishes op-eds in places like the Chicago Tribune and the National Interest. She serves as the board chair of Women Cross DMZ, an associate (and former board member) of the Korea Policy Institute, and an advisor for Action for One Korea. She is a co-founder and the emeritus board president of the Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago and a former board president of KAN-WIN, an Asian American women’s anti-gender-violence organization. A native of Seoul and Chicago, she is a fan of pungmul, a taekwondo black belt, a science fiction reader, and the mother of three children.

Ji-Yeon Yuh received her Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania and is the founding faculty member of the Asian American Studies Program at Northwestern University, where she teaches Asian American history, Asian diasporas, US militaris... Show more

Maggie Ivanova is pursuing a Ph.D. in Theatre, Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative and World Literature (Drama) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.F.A. in Directing - Asian Performance, from UHM. Maggie is a multi-lingual teaching artist: a dramaturg, theatre director, and researcher, working with the performance traditions of Ireland, Britain, Sweden, Norway, Japan, and Russia. Since 2020, Maggie has been affiliated with the East-West Center as Student Affiliate and Foundation Scholar. Currently, Maggie is serving as a co-dramaturg and stage manager for "Panji and the Last Princess," a Balinese wayang listrik show which opens in April 2026 at Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Maggie Ivanova is pursuing a Ph.D. in Theatre, Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative and World Literature (Drama) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an ... Show more

Hi! My name is Arin Kimmel. I struggled for years to make friends, win over audiences and express myself in conversations. I didn't have the right words or the right mindset and it was continuously sabotaging my life. Before I got to University I knew something had to change. I read as much as I could about Persuasion, Psychology and People. When I walked onto campus I realized with a shock that I'd gone from the worst communicator I knew to the best! I was making friends left and right. People wanted to hear what I had to say and even crazier…people actually liked listening to me (can you believe it)! But, I didn't stop there... I did Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Philosophy and anything else that could improve my communication. I graduated from University of Waterloo with a degree in Speech Communication and today I specialize in helping individuals just like yourself better express themselves. Anyone can become a better communicator, I'm living proof. You have a story to tell and I'm here to help you share it!

Hi! My name is Arin Kimmel. I struggled for years to make friends, win over audiences and express myself in conversations. I didn't have the right words or the right mindset and it was continuously sabotaging my life. Before I got to University I kne... Show more

Khadyajah Jenkins, M.A.T is a scholar-practitioner, cultural strategist, and doctoral candidate whose work examines the future of education, leadership, and relational labor in the age of artificial intelligence. Her research centers African-American executives and early-career professionals to understand how cultural conformity, emotional expression, respectability politics, and algorithmic bias shape leadership trajectories and mentorship opportunities in tech and media ecosystems. Through narrative inquiry and critical pedagogy, Jenkins studies how care, love, and cultural memory can serve as legitimate frameworks for leadership development and equitable system design.

Positioned at the intersection of higher education, innovation, and community infrastructure, Jenkins develops programs and pilots that translate academic knowledge into workforce outcomes. Her initiatives include college and career advising systems, city-aligned book fairs and literacy programs, AI literacy pathways for students and families, and archival storytelling series that reframe education as a cultural, relational, and economic project. Her platforms span LinkedIn, TikTok, Substack, and Patreon, where she produces research-informed content on education equity, postsecondary transitions, hidden industries, and love as a leadership practice.

Jenkins partners with civic, philanthropic, and educational stakeholders to design models that increase economic mobility, expand access to labor market information, and prepare communities for AI-mediated professional environments. Her work emphasizes that the future of work requires both technical and emotional infrastructure: knowledge, skills, networks, and care.

Her long-term vision is to build a research and learning firm with three pillars education, leadership , and economic justice—that integrates archival research, AI-enabled instructional design, and culturally situated learning systems. Through this interdisciplinary lens, she aims to reimagine how communities learn, lead, and love, and to create academic, civic, and digital ecosystems where Black intellectual and emotional labor are centered rather than extracted.

Khadyajah Jenkins, M.A.T is a scholar-practitioner, cultural strategist, and doctoral candidate whose work examines the future of education, leadership, and relational labor in the age of artificial intelligence. Her research centers African-American... Show more

Gina Maiellaro is a Teaching Professor and Associate Director for Curriculum and Instruction at the World Languages Center at Northeastern University. Her academic research explores second language acquisition, with a focus on language testing and assessment, curriculum development, Intercultural Competence, and Actor-Network Theory in language teaching. She is also the director of the AATI National Italian Exam.

 

Gina Maiellaro is a Teaching Professor and Associate Director for Curriculum and Instruction at the World Languages Center at Northeastern University. Her academic research explores second language acquisition, with a focus on language testing and as... Show more

Nyla Numan is a doctoral candidate in the English Department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research focuses on how twenty-first century Asian American fiction experiments with historical representation to imagine alternative temporalities, futures, and inter- & intra-racial relationalities.

Nyla Numan is a doctoral candidate in the English Department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research focuses on how twenty-first century Asian American fiction experiments with historical representation to imagine alternative tempor... Show more

ANTHONY JULIAN TAMBURRI is Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and Distinguished Professor of European Languages and Literatures. He is co-founder and co-director of Bordighera Press, with Fred Gardaphé and Paolo Giordano, which is now an official entity of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute. Tamburri served as president of the Italian American Studies Association and o fthe American Association of Teachers of Italian.
Concentrating on semiotics, the literature and cinema of Italy and its diaspora, and interpretation theory, he has authored twenty-two books, long and short, in both English and Italian, and more than 140 peer-reviewed essays and book chapters. Some of his books of the past thirty-five years include Of Saltimbanchi and Incendiari: Aldo Palazzeschi and Avant-Gardism in Italy. (1990); To Hyphenate or not to Hyphenate: the Italian/American Writer: Or, An Other American? (1991); A Semiotic of Ethnicity: In (Re)cognition of the Italian/American Writer (1998); Italian/American Short Films & Music Videos: A Semiotic Reading (2002); Una semiotica della ri-lettura: Guido Gozzano, Aldo Palazzeschi, e Italo Calvino (2003); Narrare altrove: diverse segnalature letterarie (2007); Re-reading Italian Americana: Generalities and Specificities on Literature and Criticism (2014); Un biculturalismo negato: La letteratura “italiana” negli Stati Uniti (2018); The Columbus Affair: Imperatives for an Italian/American Agenda (2021); Signing Italian/American Cinema: A More Focused Look (2021); A Politics of [Self-]Omission: The Italian/American Challenge in A Post-George Floyd Age (2022); Expanding Diasporic Identity: A Multi-directional Path to the New Italian Writer (2025); and Knowledge, What Is It Good For? Italian/American Leadership in the Twenty-first Century (2025).
Tamburri has been acknowledged by several organizations over the years for his work; some recognitions include Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Southern Connecticut State University (2000); Cavaliere dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (2010); “Frank Stella Person of the Year Award,” ILICA (2010); “The Lehman-LaGuardia Award for Civic Achievement,” OSDIA & B’nai B'rith International (2012); AATI Award for Distinguished Service for Colleges and Universities (2013); The Joseph Coccia Jr. Heritage, Language and Culture Award (2016); Italian American Leadership Award, Italian Charities (2023). In 2025 the A Colorni-Hershman International Institute published a selection of his essays in Italian in its series “Culture Mediterranee,” entitled Gli americani italiani: cultura e società, Nicoletta Stame and Sabrina Vellucci, eds.
When not directing two book series (one in English, “Italian Series” [Fairleigh Dickinson University Press]; the other in Italian, “Americana” [Franco Cesati Editore]), he is executive producer and host of the Calandra Institute’s TV program, Italics.
Tamburri’s degrees are from Southern Connecticut State University (B.S., Italian), Middlebury College (M.A., Italian), and University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D., Italian & Spanish). In addition to teaching at Smith College, Middlebury College, and Auburn University, he spent thirteen years at Purdue University before moving to Florida Atlantic where, from 2000 to 2006, he served as Chair of Languages and Linguistics and, subsequently, Associate Dean for Research, Graduate, and Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as director of the Ph.D. in Comparative Studies.

ANTHONY JULIAN TAMBURRI is Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and Distinguished Professor of European Languages and Literatures. He is co-founder and co-director of Bordighera Press, with Fred Gardaphé and Paolo Giordano, which i... Show more

Dr. Patrick Smyth is Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Chainguard, where he shows developers how to deploy AI and other applications with 0 CVEs using Chainguard Images. Patrick has a PhD in the digital humanities and in a previous life led technical bootcamps for researchers at Columbia University. In his free time you can find Patrick swimming in a frozen lake or hanging out with his six-month-old baby.

Dr. Patrick Smyth is Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Chainguard, where he shows developers how to deploy AI and other applications with 0 CVEs using Chainguard Images. Patrick has a PhD in the digital humanities and in a previous life led tech... Show more