International Ota Benga Committee

a clarion call to increase human dignity and social progress

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Membership

  • Ms. Ann Van de Graaf, Core Leadership Team; Founder and Chair; Artist; Activist; Member, St. John’s Episcopal Church
  • Dr. Myra Gordon, Core Leadership Team; Co-Chair and International Spokesperson; Clinical Psychologist; retired Associate Provost, Kansas State University; Entrepreneur, Amazing Africa LLC; Member, Diamond Hill Baptist Church
  • Ms. Annabelle Tweedy, Core Leadership Team; Trustee of White Rock Cemetery, Jackson Street United Methodist Church
  • Mr. Henry Fleming, Core Leadership Team; Veteran; Historian; Deacon of Diamond Hill Baptist Church
  • Ms. Kitty Brew; Core Leadership Team; Director of Operations and Facilities Manager; Secretary to the Budget Committee, Diamond Hill Baptist Church
  • Mr. Hunter Hayes, Great Grandson of Gregory Willis Hayes; Emmy-award winning songwriter; Delaware
  • Mr. Ronnie Shoultz, Entrepreneur, Heritage Connection, LLC; Vocalist
  • Dr. Carl Hutcherson, Jr., Pastor; 2nd Black mayor of Lynchburg, VA 
  • Mrs. Grace H. Dean, Trustee and Christian Education Chairperson, Jackson Street United Methodist Church
  • Ms. Francine Baruti, Congolese American; Entrepreneur, ABLE Group Home
  • Ms. Gloria Simon, Assistant Director of Admissions; University of Lynchburg; Actor
  • Dr. Lindsay Michie, History Professor Emerita and former Department Head, University of Lynchburg
  • Mr. Magus Magnum, Poet and Spoken Word Artist; Washington, D.C.
  • Mr. Jacques Miango, Congolese American; Pastor and Director, Congolese Diaspora Network; Washington, D.C.
  • Mr. Ngimbi Kalumvueziko, Congolese American; Author; Washington, D.C.
  • Ms. Glenda Cash, retired Professor of French Language Studies, University of Lynchburg 
  • Mr. Kenton Martin, Project Manager
  • Ms. Tolear Walton, Member, Jackson Street United Methodist Church

Ex-Officio

  • Ms. Catherine Bemba, Cultural Attache, Embassy of the DRC in Washington, D.C.
  • Ms. Charleta Mason, Entrepreneur/Co-Owner, Community Funeral Home, Inc.
  • Mr. Ron Smith, Entrepreneur; Men’s Ministry and Trustee, Diamond Hill Baptist Church
  • Mr. Donald Preston, Men’s Ministry and Deacon, Diamond Hill Baptist Church 
  • Mr. Ted Delaney, Historian; Director of Lynchburg Museums

Consultants

  • Dr. Cathy McElderry, retired Professor of Social Work, Middle Tennessee State University
  • Ms. Kenniss Henry, Leadership of COBRA

Team Ota in Congo

  • Dr. Willy Loyombo, Professor of Anthropology, Mbandaka University; Founder of DGPA, one of two national umbrella Pygmy activist organizations
  • Mr. Keddy Mosulu, Co-Founder of REPALEF, the other national umbrella Pygmy activist organization
  • Ms. Celinemoka, President, Pygmy Women’s Association, Kinshasa
  • Mpia, Lead Dancer, Traditional Pygmy Dance Troupe, Kinshasa
  • Mr. Roger Kadsby, Acting-President, National Council of Traditional Chiefs and Elders
  • Prophet Gedeon Ngongo, Pastor, L’Eglise Mera in Changu
  • Mr. Danny Kalambay, 2nd year student in Business, National Pedagogical University; OBIC Coordinator of University Student Ambassadors for Ota
  • Mr.  A. Chrimess, OBIC Technology Expert

In Memoriam

  • Dr. Owen Cardwell, Jr., Director of the Center for Leadership Studies, University of Lynchburg; Pastor, Diamond Hill Baptist Church (committee service 2022 – 2025)
  • Pastor Chris Rousell, Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church (committee service 2023 -2025)