Funmi Ogunro is a Nigerian-American Lonestar Emmy-nominated film director and editor. Funmi was a part of the editorial team for Phat Tuesdays, an Amazon original series. She recently edited an award-winning documentary titled Parker, which premiered at Sundance 2023. Funmi has over 10 years of experience in non-scripted and scripted film/televition, collaborating with major companies such as Amazon, PBS, Youtube (Youtube Originals), PopSugar, Quibi, and Bunim-Murray. She was awarded a National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) Award for her work on the national TV series, American Graduate, funded by the Corporation of Public Broadcasting and distributed on PBS. Funmi is currently developing a feature-length documentary about the history of Black freedom communities in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Tara A. Dudley is an Assistant Professor in The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. Her scholarship examines the contributions of African American craftspeople, builders, and architects to the American built environment, focusing on the antebellum and Reconstruction eras in the US South. Her work reflects an interdisciplinary approach to the study of cultural resources with a focus on nineteenth-century American design, African American architectural history, historic preservation, and material culture. She is the author of the multiple award-winning book Building Antebellum New Orleans: Free People of Color and Their Influence (University of Texas Press, 2021). She is currently writing a biography on African American architect John S. Chase, FAIA, NOMAC.

Dr. Dudley was a senior architectural historian for Austin-based preservation consulting firm HHM & Associates, Inc. for two decades and continues to lead and consult on preservation projects across the US. She obtained her master’s (historic preservation) and doctorate (architectural history) degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. 

Ron Collins is a retired teacher and proud descendant of a long lineage of Austinites, with deep roots in the historic freedom community of Pilot Knob. His family has stewarded land in the area for multiple generations, passing it down as a symbol of resilience and legacy. Located just eight miles from the Austin airport, Pilot Knob remains one of the city’s historically Black settlements, founded by formerly enslaved individuals seeking autonomy and opportunity.

Committed to preserving his family's heritage, Ron and his relatives continue to hold onto their land despite the pressures of urban expansion. His dedication reflects a broader effort to protect and honor the history of Black landownership in Austin, ensuring that the legacy of Pilot Knob endures for future generations.

Javier Wallace is an esteemed scholar, storyteller, and entrepreneur deeply committed to intertwining the rich tapestry of sports, history, and social justice. As the founder of Black Austin Tours and co-founder of AfroLatinx Travel, Javier has pioneered platforms that celebrate and elevate the narratives of Black diasporic communities in the fields of sports and beyond.

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Rooted in his own experience as a distinguished former Division 1 college athlete and an alumnus of a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Javier has a unique perspective on the significance of sports in cultural and social movements. He procured his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Florida A&M University, followed by a PhD from The University of Texas at Austin, where he delved into the intersections of race, culture, and athletics.

Floris Sorrells, affectionately known as Ms. Flo, was born in 1941 in Manchaca, Texas, as one of 14 children. She has spent her entire life in Manchaca, deeply rooted in the land and history of her family. After a dedicated career, she retired from Capital Metro, where she worked diligently to serve her community.

Her family’s legacy in Manchaca dates back generations. In the early 1900s, her grandfather purchased Brown Cemetery, a burial ground that predates his ownership and holds the remains of enslaved individuals, and indigenous tribes. Alongside the cemetery, he acquired over a hundred acres of land, where the family farmed, raised cattle, and lived off the land. Ms. Flo fondly recalls growing up without the need for grocery stores, as they cultivated everything from corn and beans to tomatoes, while also hunting wild turkeys and boars.

Caring for Brown Cemetery has been a lifelong commitment for Ms. Flo. She learned from her parents, who tended the grounds, and now, even in retirement, she continues to maintain the site.Ms. Flo remains committed to ensuring that Brown Cemetery and the stories of Manchaca’s Black community are honored and preserved. She invites others to support this mission, keeping the legacy alive for generations to come.

Stephanie L. Lang is a writer, organizer and community curator who uses the power of storytelling to explore concepts of home and resistance as a practice for social justice.  Stephanie is also the founder of RECLAIM, an organization that works to discover, recover, and ultimately showcase the narratives and histories of Black people throughout the diaspora and present those stories through a creative and thought-provoking lens. For over a decade, she proudly hosted Zumbi, a monthly radio show that amplified the works of scholars, artists, and community organizations centered around Black people in Austin, Texas. Stephanie is a member of the Travis County African American Heritage Council, the Travis County Historical Commission, TORCH Literary Art Board, and the Passon Historical Society. She has presented her work and writing at numerous events including the Black Communities Conference, the Texas State Historical Association Meeting, and Along the Water: A healing journey through the historic Freedom Colonies of Austin. Stephanie's work has also appeared in several online and print publications, among them, Southwest Catholic Journal, and the West Austin Studio Tour publication.  Stephanie has also consulted and has contributed to storytelling projects such as the East Link Trail Pillar Project at Rosewood Park and Reflection on a Legacy: East 12th Street Documentary.  Currently she is working with ArtisCool to complete a documentary on Freedom Communities in Austin and the surrounding area.

A mother, wife, community servant, philanthropist, and serial entrepreneur. Terry P. Mitchell prides herself in being the steer-head and foundation to E & Co Tech (software & mobile development) and Black Leaders Collective (social impact, DEI). She is also the co-owner of Austin Woman Magazine and co-chair of The Black Fund at Austin Community Foundation. Her faith, quick wit, and unwavering determination to succeed has propelled her to levels beyond her imagination. Very early on, Mitchell knew she would be an entrepreneur and community leader, as her family is filled with self-made successors, risk-takers, advocates, and activists. It only felt natural for Mitchell to slide into this multi-tasked position. As a native of 'the music capital of the world', Austin TX, and a 1st generation descendant of Trinidad & Tobago, Terry Mitchell has cultivated a sincere adoration for traveling, culture, and diversity. Mitchell graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, with a bachelor's degree in Corporate Communications and certification in Business Foundations. Directly after graduation, Mitchell was recruited to help boost several Fortune 500 companies. Now, she is expanding her very own empire, all the while, developing her expertise in the areas of strategic planning, business development, mentorship, marketing, management, and public affairs.

Mitchell's goal is to continue to empower and inspire those around her to harness their gifts and talents by becoming entrepreneurs. Mitchell is teaching aspiring and early stage business individuals her best practices through her consulting services.
In April 2021, Mitchell was appointed by former Council Member Gregario Casar as Commissioner of the MBE/WBE Small Business Procurement Office and reappointed by Council Member Chito Vela.