Symposium information
This year’s theme is Backstories: The Epidemic. Backstories are possibly the most important factors to consider when serving a hurting, disenfranchised, vulnerable, under-represented, misunderstood, or bullied youth. As providers we have become obsessed with providing quick fixes to our youth’s problems, rather than determining the pathology of their problems. The root causes and influences are at an all-time high lending to our youth living in a state of emergency. This year’s conference will expose participants to the epidemic known as Backstories and how they contribute to youth and gun violence. Our speakers are a diverse group of experts in their respective fields who will bring vast knowledge and effective skill sets to help participants circumvent and mitigate urban youth conflict by implementing substantive, socially, and culturally appropriate interventions. All presenters will present modern and aggressive approaches and interventions to meet and address the needs of our most vulnerable clients…our children and youth. This symposium will engage our professional audience, accelerate much needed dialogues, and most importantly provide tools and resources that can be utilized to facilitate impactful and lasting change.
Who: The primary target population for this conference are social service providers, educators, law enforcement officials (including lawyers and judges), healthcare providers, faith leaders, parents, college students majoring in Criminal Justice, Psychology, Social Work, Nursing, and Public Health are all invited to attend. Participants will benefit from the unfiltered truths that will be discussed throughout the conference. The symposium targets people who work with, want to work with, or are invested in urban at-risk youth ages 7-22 years old. Many professionals who work with urban at-risk youth do not know or understand the extent of the harsh reality these children/youth are living, which ultimately makes their programs, services, and interactions with the youth, ultimately unrelatable.
Accepting Sponsors for 2021


Gilbert graduated from Trinity College in Chicago, Illinois in 2002 with a double major in Business Management and Human Resources. Following his time in Chicago, he returned home and started his management career with Enterprise Rent A Car and later served as an educator with Miami Dade County Public Schools for 3 years; until he was recruited to work in the health and human services sector as a HR specialist in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to his roles at companies like Odyssey Health, Gentiva Health and Shelby Residential & Vocational Services, Gilbert acted as the human services specialist at start up agencies across the southern region of the US. During his time in Memphis, Gil co-founded Mi-Me Bath & Body, a beauty and skincare company that has had their products featured in Teen Vogue, The Huffington Post, Nylon and Refinery 29.
Gil currently serves as a Senior HR Compliance Specialist at Broward County Schools where he is one of only three specialists investigating discrimination and sexual harassment complaints for the 6th largest school district in the country. Additionally, Gil is the co-founder and creative director of Chrispin + Crane (C+C), a new media company focused on reframing dialogue and changing culture. In Chrispin + Crane's relative short existence, Gilbert and his co-founder developed a partnership with the City of Miramar to bring the city it's first outdoor winter film series. Additionally, his work at C+C lead to him writing and publishing the "My Kinda Sex Workbook", a tool specifically designed to help people of all ages better tap into and communicate their sexual needs and desires. This workbook served as the blueprint for C+C's reknowned "11 Things I can Learn From a Sex Worker" conference and workshop and subsequent follow up brunch held in the Fort Lauderdale area.






Nancy has undertaken work across multiple government agencies and nonprofit organizations - both domestically and internationally. She has brought long-term strategy expertise to programs seeking to improve environmental conditions, water, sanitation, and public health across vulnerable communities. She has been a staunch advocate for those impacted by water crises nationwide and worked extensively in response to devastating natural disasters such as Hurricane Irma (2017), Hurricane Michael (2018), and Hurricane Dorian (2019). Most recently, Nancy led a long-term strategic initiative, the Florida Disaster Preparedness Plan (FDPP), which focuses on building disaster and community resilience in vulnerable neighborhoods across the state of Florida. She is currently the Statewide Coalition Manager for NEO Philanthropy, where she supports efforts regarding reproductive and gender justice.


Previously, she served in several positions including Chief Programs Officer and Vice President of Community Prosperity at Catalyst Miami. Santra has extensive experience working in nonprofits, including managing and developing budgets, overseeing programs and projects, writing and managing grants, and building and supporting partnerships.
Santra developed her own activism as an anti-racist community advocate and is committed to centering BIPOC community leadership and racial justice in our progressive movement. Santra has been very active in her community, founding and leading Avanse Ansanm, an organization that engages, connects, and builds power among Haitian-American Millennials and co-hosting a radio/Facebook Live show, The VSS Hour. Santra serves on several community boards, including the Community Advisory Board at Florida International University Research Center in Minority Institutions and Miami Dade County’s Office of New Americans. She is a New Leaders Council Fellow and a Sant La Fellow. She has been recognized by the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women as a Valiant Woman of the Vote; Ruth’s List Broward as a “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” Award Recipients; the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida as part of the Inaugural class of Leaders for the esteemed award of “20 Under 40 Young Professionals” as well as “40 under 40” Leaders of Today, among others. Santra graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s in health science, and from Florida International University with a Master of Public Health in Policy and Management.








A big believer in financial freedom, he supports the livelihood of entrepreneurship and actively creates lucrative income opportunities for individuals and families.
With a Master of Science in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University and a Masters in Higher Education from Purdue University Global, his 10-year career embodies work for a diverse range of organizations, including small business startups; large corporations; the private sector and non-profit agencies. He specializes in presentation coaching and leadership training and has successfully served a range of clients, including entrepreneurs, corporate professionals and nonprofit organizations.
Ismail helps individuals, families, students and professionals with career development and leadership training. Drawing on many years of experience in higher education, community development and youth advocacy, he now focuses mainly on financial freedom, entrepreneurship and hosting the “FAST-TRACK” WebTV Show; geared towards the personal and professional development of millennials.
He resides here in South Florida as a licensed and ordained Minister with his beautiful wife Loraine and 3 children. He faithfully believes in the life philosophy that “you don’t have to be great to get started but, you have to get started to become great”.


After establishing practice and completing her family, Dr. Lynn Labrousse attended The University of Science Art & Technology in Montserrat and also holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. She is the founder and CEO of Fey Essence ®TM, a line of natural products and services designed to support women’s wombs and reproductive health.
She is a two time Legacy Honoree, “As One of South Florida’s Most Powerful Black Business Leaders” and “As of Miami’s Most Influential and Powerful Black Women in Business and Industry”. Dr. Lynn Labrousse is a dedicated mother, doctor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and Serves God.




I am married to a wonderful, bear of a man, Gilbert Chrispin. We love to travel, banter and watch Pose and drug tv series on Netflix. It is more him than me that enjoys the drug series, but I watch.


Academically, Mr Dieuveille went on and received his AA from Miami Dade College and BA in Sports Management with a minor in business from Barry University. Also at Barry University, Ezra would receive his Masters in Public Administration from Barry University.
Towards the end of 2018, Mr. Dieuveille was called by God to take a leap of faith and start the path of an entrepreneur. He resigned from GA and started his company, Baton Youth Services, LLC. Baton is a youth and family financial empowerment organization. We want to help families understand and utilize financial tools to bring and build generational wealth into their household. Baton also will be mentoring youth through the School To CEO Pipeline program. School To CEO Pipeline is a message of hope and promise, fighting the narrative and harsh reality of school to prison pipeline. This movement and program aims to educate and build young leaders and entrepreneurs in the black and brown communities. We want our young people to become the CEO of their lives instead of being property of the state (prison).






Katina has conducted successful investigations and prosecutions involving Human Smuggling and Human Trafficking in which one of the Human Trafficking cases resulted in a life sentence. She has also participated in numerous Human Trafficking conferences and outreaches across South Florida educating the community on Human Trafficking. During her tenure as a Special Agent, Katina had the opportunity to participate in task force groups that included components in different Federal and State and Local agencies. Katina was awarded as an Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer in the year of 2016.






Dr. Coupet has received numerous awards and distinctions throughout his career. In 2005, he was awarded the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship which he used to develop and facilitate health workshops for previously incarcerated men in Pittsburgh, PA. In light of his various experiences, leadership and his commitment to the healthcare profession, he was awarded the Black Achievers Award in Medicine in 2008. Dr. Coupet was featured in South Florida Hospital News for his leadership in bringing the DPC model to Broward County and his practice was recognized in the Florida Sun Sentinel News as an alternative model to cost effective primary and preventative healthcare services. While Dr. Coupet is actively communicating and educating the public about the pandemic via social media, radio, and publications, he is also providing critical information to other community health clinics around the country in order to effectively participate in reducing and flattening the curve for the Coronavirus.
Dr. Coupet obtained his medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and received a Master of Public Health in Health Policy Management at the University of Pittsburgh. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. Dr. Coupet went on to do a fellowship at the University of Michigan as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar where he received a Master in Health Services. Dr. Coupet has delivered multiple presentations at local and national health conferences and published numerous peer-reviewed scholarly papers focusing on global health.


She began her career in Tallahassee as a Clinical Coordinator, then advanced her career as a Therapist, Program Developer, and a Non-profit Executive in Miami-Dade County. Eventually, Ms. Cadet further developed her skills in Non-profit Management, and Fund Development while serving as the Assistant Director for the North Miami Beach Gang Reduction Program. She later served as the Chief Operations Officer for Gang Alternative, Inc. for 11 years. In 2014, Rep. Frederica Wilson of the 24th District recognized Ms. Cadet in the Congressional Records as woman of the year for her hard-work and dedication to her community. She continues to develop new professionals in the field as an Adjunct Professor and trainer for FIU and as a Surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). She also serves as a Director of Program for the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County where she oversees the Professional Development Department.


Harold excelled both academically and athletically in high school, and he was invited to play football for the University of Florida Gators Football team. While at the University of Florida, he was awarded the Department of Political Science’s Multi-Cultural Scholar of the Year. Due to his exemplary service in Student Government and involvement with the Center for Leadership & Development, Harold was inducted into Florida Blue Key, the State of Florida’s most prestigious leadership honorarium. Harold attended and graduated from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law where he was a member of the Nova Trial Association and Junior Staff Editor for the ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law, and was chosen by his fellow classmates to deliver the graduation commencement address.
Harold served as an Assistant State Attorney with the Office of the State Attorney in and for the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida, prosecuting serious criminal offenses in the Felony Trial Unit. There, he developed a reputation for being a tough, fair, and skilled trial lawyer, and was often lauded for his compassion for victims and his constant quest for truth and fairness through every stage of the prosecutorial process. Harold strongly believes that as a prosecutor, securing guilty verdicts should never be a prosecutor’s primary goal; but rather the pursuit of truth and justice throughout the process should be paramount.


Krystina is a first generation Haitian-American who is driven by the desire to create opportunities for immigrants and BIPOC femmes to have a voice. Krystina’s devotion to human rights and social justice began at a young age while attending The United Nations International School in New York City. As a freshman in high school she moved to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, where anti-government protests and political instability gave her valuable perspective on the conditions that force many immigrants to seek refuge in the U.S.
Krystina holds a bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and History from CUNY-Hunter College. In her previous roles she served as Florida New Americans Program Director at the Florida Immigrant Coalition and Co-Director of Law for Black Lives. Krystina is also the founder of KMD Consultant Group, where she leads clients through program development, cross-sector collaboration and non-profit innovation. In her spare time, she volunteers with several organizations committed to improving the status of women and people of color including the Black Collective and the Junior League of Miami. She has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Miami Herald, NBC6, Bustle, WLRN and NPR. She is the recipient of the 2019 Rebecca Harndeon Bush Award from the Junior League of Miami and the 2020 Top “20 Under 40” YoPro Award by the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida.


Sidney’s long-term commitment and passion for service driven work for over 12 years as a trauma informed mental health therapist has helped him impact children and adolescents in group home, addiction, juvenile, and non-profit settings. His recent activities include partnering with schools in the Miami-Dade county area to increase attendance with troubled youth and frequently speaking at leadership retreats aimed in cultivating future leaders of tomorrow.
In addition to his work full-time as a mental health counselor, Sidney is devoted to his work on promoting healthy families and thriving marriages. He has a podcast titled “The Couples Club” and facilitates marriage workshops quarterly.
Sidney is a first generation Haitian-American male, has two siblings and lives in Lauderhill, Florida. He is married to his beloved wife of 6 years, Jidlyne Remy Cherelus and has one daughter, Aubrey R. Cherelus age 5. He is interested in cycling, attending religious gatherings, playing chess, and learning to fix things at his new home.