Angel Gabriel Sanchez is a Tucson native living in Longmont, CO with his partner, Sonia Marquez, and their three children. A lifelong fan of Batman, sports, and film, Angel is passionate about storytelling, identity, and community. His professional journey has included roles in education, advising, and racial equity, and he actively serves on local boards such as The Learning Center and Longmont Latinx Voices. Today, he works as the Social Equity Coordinator in the Community and Neighborhood Services department for the City of Longmont.

Angel’s commitment to equity and justice reflects the first principle of nonviolence: courage. Nonviolence is not passive—it demands the bravery to confront injustice without resorting to harm. Courage means choosing love over fear, standing firm in truth even when it’s uncomfortable, and believing that transformation is possible through dialogue and action. In his work and community service, Angel embodies this principle by creating spaces where voices are heard, identities are honored, and solutions are rooted in compassion rather than conflict. Watch Angel Sanchez's session on Courage here.

Carmen Ramirez’s life embodies the power of building bridges and identifying the hidden assets within communities. Growing up as her family’s interpreter, Carmen learned early that this skill could open doors, help others navigate systems, and find help. As Longmont’s former Community and Neighborhood Resources Director, Carmen spent over two decades creating access, equity, and inclusion for all. Her leadership in initiatives like Resiliencia Para Todos after the 2013 flood and her work with the Latino Strategic Action Plan (now LMAC) and Boulder County Latino History Project reflect her commitment to dismantling barriers and fostering trust. Before her work with the city of Longmont, she worked with the City of Boulder for almost a decade in housing organizing communities, and ended her tenure as family resource coordinator in the schools. In the community, she was one of the co-founders of the Latino Taskforce that conducted a Latino quality of life assessment in 2001 and 2013.  A Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leadership Fellow, Carmen has engaged in national and global conversations on democracy and equity. Her story reminds us that nonviolence is not passive—it is active work to replace fear and division with friendship and understanding. Watch Carmen Ramirez's session on Understanding here.

Father Teri Harroun (she/her) brings a unique voice to the conversation on justice and compassion. As pastor of Light of Christ Church in Longmont, an inclusive Ecumenical Catholic community, Teri’s ministry centers on creating spaces where all are welcomed and valued. Her life story—woven with threads of faith, creativity, and resilience—reflects a deep commitment to listening to the Spirit and loving others with intention.  An ordained priest since 2009, Teri is also a poet, parent, and advocate for living authentically. Her journey reminds us that defeating injustice begins with courage and humility, not hostility. Through her leadership and her book A Woman Called Father, she challenges stereotypes and invites us to imagine a world where compassion triumphs over division.  Join Teri as she explores how nonviolence calls us to confront systems of harm without diminishing the humanity of those within them—because justice is about transformation, not destruction.  Watch Father Teri Harroun's session on Justice here.

Minister Glenda Robinson’s life reflects the power of sacrifice for justice. A longtime Longmont resident, she has received multiple achievement and community awards for decades of leadership and advocacy. She founded and chairs the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Programming Committee, ensuring his legacy continues to inspire future generations.  Glenda’s story began in the American South, where her family endured enslavement and segregation. As a college student in the 1960s, she became deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, marching for voting rights and equality. Most notably, she walked alongside Dr. King in his final march in Memphis, standing with striking sanitation workers just days before his assassination—a moment that shaped her lifelong commitment to justice and nonviolence. Glenda has embraced the principle that enduring injustice without retaliation can awaken hearts and transform societies. Her story reminds us that voluntary suffering for a just cause is not weakness—it is a force for education, empathy, and systemic change, echoing Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community. Watch Minister Robinson's session on Transformation here.

Dr. David Barker has served in ordained ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA) for over 25 years and is committed to building the Beloved Community in Longmont. As pastor, teacher, author, and leadership coach, his passion is helping people live like Jesus—thinking, loving, and acting with compassion. With advanced degrees in communication and theology, David combines scholarship and pastoral care to inspire communities toward justice and reconciliation. Before ministry, he taught at Texas Christian University and the University of Missouri and today leads Central Presbyterian Church with a vision of inclusion and community.  Dr. David Barker will speak on Dr. King’s fifth principle of nonviolence: choosing love over hate. King taught that love is a strong spiritual force that actively works for good, organizes itself into powerful direct action, and restores community. At the heart of this vision is agape—unconditional love that affirms humanity and serves as the catalyst for the Beloved Community. Dr. Barker's commitment reflects his deep belief that agape love is the force needed right now to overcome division and transform our world.  Watch Pastor David Barker's session on Love here.

Dr. Reiland Rabaka is a leading scholar and activist whose work embodies the conviction that justice ultimately prevails. As Professor of African, African American, and Caribbean Studies and Founder of the Center for African & African American Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Rabaka has dedicated his career to advancing equity and dismantling systems of oppression through education, research, and cultural engagement.  Author of 20 books and over 100 scholarly works, Dr. Rabaka’s contributions span Africana critical theory, civil rights history, and the cultural power of music—from the soundtracks of the Civil Rights Movement to the politics of hip hop. His scholarship and activism affirm Dr. King’s belief that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice, even when progress feels slow and hard-won. Through his teaching, writing, and leadership, Dr. Rabaka calls us to trust in that arc—and to help bend it. His message reminds us that nonviolence is rooted in hope: the hope that truth and justice will triumph, and that each of us has a role in creating the Beloved Community.  Watch Dr. Rabaka's session on Hope here.