Dr. Dayanara Marte (also known as Dr. Dee) is a human rights activist who has been actively involved in the sexual assault, domestic violence, mental and reproductive health and immigrant movement for over 15 years. Upcoming author of a transformational memoir, Dayanara works globally with a wide array of community-based institutions, cultural and social justice organizations, executive directors, service providers and first responders providing holistic trainings focused on preventative and post trauma healing to achieve extraordinary breakthrough results in personal and organizational trauma, resiliency and sustainability. She began her career in 1998 in the South Bronx creating programs that support young and adult women and the LGBTQ community reclaim their voice, mind, body, and spirit from the impact of oppression, trauma, violence, poverty and neglect towards empowerment, healing & transformation.

She is nationally known for her work as a trauma prevention specialist, internalized oppression healer, trainer & facilitator in emotional release to let go of the dis-ease of oppression and violence that manifest in our bodies as a result of institutional racism, homophobia, xenophobia, classism, & sexism. Dayanara envisions a world where women powerfully exist in the face of war, injustice, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, incest, rape, relationship/partner abuse, & domestic violence within our homes, our organizations & within movements.

Dayanara is working on her Doctorate of Social Work at the University of Southern California. Her work is focused the impact gender based violence has on women in leadership positions of social service and social justice organizations. She is also creating The Global Center on Healing, Trauma, and Social Justice (GCHTSJ) focusing specifically on the individual impact that gender-based violence has on women of color in leadership positions and the organizational culture of trauma it creates.

Utilizing a holistic, culturally specific and trauma-informed model, Dr. Dee will build the emotional and spiritual intelligence of those most at risk of gender-based violence, women of color, on the frontlines and their health and well-being needs related to their experiences of abuse and neglect and as a result build organizational sustainability.

Dayanara has joined the United Nations 2030 agenda, and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare 12 Grand Challenges. Their combined goal is to eradicate one of the greatest public health and human rights violations of women and girls all over the world. Also, ending gender-based violence, as it is the most impactful injustice that follows girls and women throughout their lifetime.

About The Traveling Healer

Kalimah Johnson, LMSW is a past Assistant Professor of Social Work at Marygrove College and Founder/Executive Director of SASHA Center in Detroit, Michigan. She is also a consultant to the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and the National Football League on matters of relationship safety and management. She has been an advocate and counselor to survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence for 20+ years and is an industry expert on topics related to culturally specific programming for sexual assault survivors, healthy relationships, domestic/sexual violence, emotional intelligence, mental health and well-being. Most recently, she completed the Athlete Development Professional Certification Program at the University of Pennsylvania-The Wharton School/Aresty Institute of Executive Education to increase her skills and capacity of working with and on behalf of professional athletes and continues to create culturally specific services/training and workshops for DV and SA programs nationally and abroad. Her interests include writing and performing poetry and she owns a natural hair care studio in her home-town Detroit.

Dr. Ebony Speakes-Hall is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is also the founder of Dr. Ebony Speakes-Hall and Associates, where she offers clinical services and individual and corporate coaching. Dr. Ebony consults with businesses and nonprofits in diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Dr. Ebony is a tenure-track Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Cincinnati. She serves as the President for the ACLU of Ohio.  She is also the Vice-President of the National Association of Social Workers. Dr. Ebony is an advocate for LGBT rights, youth in foster care, human trafficking victims, and impacted communities. She is a sought-out motivational speaker for her candid talks on the relationship dynamics and issues facing Black women in America.

Dr. Speakes-Hall earned her Doctor of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University and a Master of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.