Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium

Shaka Senghor is a globally recognized resilience expert, bestselling author, and transformative thought leader whose journey from incarceration to inspiration has empowered executives, entrepreneurs, elite athletes, and audiences around the world. Born in Detroit amid economic hardship, Shaka overcame immense adversity—including 19 years in prison—to become a leading authority on resilience, grit, and personal transformation.

Since his release in 2010, Shaka has guided individuals and organizations to break free from their hidden emotional and psychological prisons, turning resilience from theory into actionable practice. As President and Creative Director of Shaka Senghor, Inc., and former Vice President of Corporate Communications at Navan (TripActions), he has advised and inspired leaders at global organizations including Apple, Google, Meta, Airbnb, Clio, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and Slauson & Co. Shaka’s acclaimed memoir, Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison, became a New York Times bestseller, followed by Letters to the Sons of Society, a two-time Porchlight bestseller. His book, How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons, offers powerful insights into achieving true freedom and personal success. His inspiring TED Talk has reached over 1.8 million viewers, further cementing his reputation as a dynamic communicator.

A sought-after speaker at universities, conferences, and summits worldwide, Shaka has received numerous honors, including Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul 100, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100, and the NAACP’s Great Expectations Award. His message resonates deeply with those committed to overcoming obstacles, unlocking potential, and achieving extraordinary results.

Maya Wiley is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalition, and The Leadership Conference Education Fund. A nationally respected civil rights attorney, she has been a litigator and a program creator and policy advocate in non-profits, government, philanthropy and higher education.

Prior to taking the helm of the Leadership Conference, Ms. Wiley ran for Mayor in the 2021 Democratic primary, garnering the second highest number of first choice votes in a rank choice vote election. In 2014, she became the first Black woman to be Counsel to a New York City Mayor, Bill deBlasio where she worked to protect and expand civil rights, Minority and Women-Owned Business contracts and broadband access. Wiley became a Senior Vice President for Social Justice at the New School University, where she also founded the Digital Equity Laboratory. While there, she chaired the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). As chair, she led the release of the “hold” on proceedings against Daniel Pantaleo whose illegal chokehold killed Eric Garner, and also Co-Chaired the Mayor’s School Diversity Advisory Group that authored two major reports on integrating New York City public schools.

Wiley has been a litigator at the ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. She helped create a criminal justice program for a major foundation in South Africa. Wiley co-founded and led a national policy advocacy organization, the Center for Social Inclusion, now a part of Race Forward, a national policy strategy organization working to end structural racism.

Wiley has received numerous awards, most recently in 2025 the prestigious American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice’s Thurgood Marshall Award. A public voice for rights, justice and democracy, through written opinion editorials and as a former legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, Wiley is also the author of the memoir, Remember You Are A Wiley.