Gratitude for the Black women who came before us must live in our actions, not just in our memories. We honor them by building power, shifting systems, and creating the future they imagined.
As Managing Director of the Racial Equity Institute and a partner in the Groundwater Institute, Deena has spent decades advancing a clear, data-informed understanding of systemic racism and guiding leaders in dismantling structural inequities. In Guilford County, she serves as Chair of the School Board, Co-Chair of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, and Co-Founder of Black Wall Street, LLC—each role reflecting her unwavering commitment to community-driven change and institutional transformation.
Deena’s work with the Black Pearls Society uplifts the legacy and leadership of Black women while clarifying our shared humanity and pushing forward a vision of equity that strengthens all communities.
She is a senior leader with the Racial Equity Institute and a partner in the Groundwater Institute, where she facilitates transformative learning experiences for institutions across the country. Monica is widely recognized for her ability to lead critical dialogue and build collective analysis in ways that are deeply personal, spiritually grounded, and strategically powerful.
Her roots as a community organizer run deep—locally and nationally. She is one of the founders of the Commemoration of the MAAFA, a national movement that memorializes the trauma of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and examines its multigenerational impact on African Americans. Monica also served as the founding Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Guilford County Schools, retiring in 2017 after decades of public service.
An ordained minister, Monica approaches liberation as both a spiritual and political calling. She continues to serve on several boards and advisory committees that advance equity and justice across sectors.
Monica is most grounded in her role as a grandmother to JaElle Alexandria, Neema Grace, and Kanu Deon—the heartbeat behind her work and the promise of generations to come.
We were never meant to survive, and yet we did, with brilliance, strategy, and love. Now it’s our turn to lead, not out of charity, but out of purpose, responsibility, and ancestral strength.
