The 47^th Annual MLK Luncheon

Angela Rye is an award-winning host, social justice advocate, lawyer, commentator, and self-described empowermenteur. She's been recognized for her thoughtful commentary and real talk about social justice, politics, and culture by our nation’s most prominent civil rights organizations including National Urban League, NAACP, and National Action Network.

She has been nominated for multiple NAACP Image Awards for her work on other networks and programs such as The Breakfast Club, The Daily Show, BET, HBO, TV One, CNN, ABC, NBC, NPR, and ESPN. She is also a partner on iHeartMedia’s new political podcast network Reasoned Choice Media. Rye co-hosts its flagship podcast, Native Land Pod, with Andrew Gillum and Tiffany D. Cross, where they discuss the global impact of politics, the behind the scenes of the cable news industry, and much more.  Angela has worked with every branch of government at the intersection of purpose, justice, and integrity. She is the Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, a political advocacy, social impact, and racial equity firm where she creates strategic partnerships and coalitions with Capitol Hill, third party organizations, and influencers to ensure societal change. She also served as the Executive Director and General Counsel to the Congressional Black Caucus for the 112th Congress and as the Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel for the House Committee on Homeland Security for four years.

On December 4, 1906 at the campus of Cornell University, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity earned the distinct honor of being the first Greek letter college fraternity to be founded by African American men. Nearly 60 years later, eight African-American men founded the Eta Sigma Lambda (ESL) chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in Palo Alto, California. The founders of the Eta Sigma Lambda chapter laid the foundation to what would become a socially and charitably vibrant chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

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‍Our Mission

‍Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.

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‍Our Goals

‍The Silicon Valley Alphas have affected the political, economical, and social standings of communities throughout the South Bay for over 60 years.Our goals are to continue to identify and address areas of inequity to ensure our communities are equipped to excel in any endeavor, including securing coveted careers in the San Jose – Silicon Valley area.

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‍Our Commitment

‍Our youth and especially African-American males need encouragement, guidance, and support to navigate the challenges of life through to adulthood. Likewise, our young college men face critical personal life choices, educational, career, and professional choices which can significantly affect their health, well-being, and livelihood and those around them for years to come. We need to guide and support them to reach their full potential and contribute to society; and challenge and guide them to ‘give back’ to those who come after them, by being role-models and setting the example ourselves.So, the presence of the Silicon Valley Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will continue to be a necessity in our community as a beacon of hope and enlightenment.

Born In Santa Clara California, and a proud Nigerian, DJQUAM started his DJ career in college during his years at San Jose State. Graduating with a degree in Business Marketing and a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and former on air personality for 106KMEL, DJQuam has become a Titan in the Bay Area DJ scene. You can catch him DJing in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and throughout California. Currently in the Tech field.

Dr. David M. Toston, Sr. was appointed by the Santa Clara County Board of Education as County Superintendent of Schools on April 16, 2025, and officially began his tenure on May 1, 2025. He has more than 25 years of experience in education, marked by progressive leadership roles and a vigorous commitment to equity and systems transformation.

Education & Early Career

Toston began his career as an eighth‑grade teacher, later serving as a school counselor, school psychologist, and special education director. He holds a master’s degree in school psychology from Azusa Pacific University, and recently completed a doctorate in organizational leadership at the University of La Verne, where his research explored the difference between inclusion and belonging in K–12 education.

Leadership Roles & Impact

Before taking on his current role, Dr. Toston was a Senior Advisor at the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), leading statewide initiatives around community engagement, school improvement, and equity. He has also served as Associate Superintendent at the El Dorado County Office of Education and Assistant Superintendent at the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools.

In 2017, he was appointed by the California State Senate to the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) and, in 2020, became its first African American chair.

Vision & Priorities

Dr. Toston has spoken passionately about equity-driven leadership. Upon his appointment as Superintendent of Schools at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, he stated:

“This role is both a privilege and a responsibility … Together, we will demonstrate what is possible through the strength of our diversity - ensuring every educator is supported in preparing students to achieve the hopes and dreams of their families and communities.”

Dr. Toston is a seasoned educational leader devoted to transforming systems for underserved students. With a blend of administrative, policy, and classroom experience, including leadership within special education and strategic statewide initiatives, he is guiding the Santa Clara County Office of Education toward a future where educators are empowered with the tools, support, and leadership they need to help every student succeed.

Dr. Leah Austin is an accomplished, multi-faceted and visionary leader who has been working on behalf of Black children and their families for over two decades. Leah began her career as a public school teacher in southeast DC teaching kindergarten and first grade. More than “just” a teacher, she found herself working with parents to ensure their children received the resources they were due while butting up against a system that wanted to prematurely label them. Forever the educator and advocate she went on to work for several nonprofit and philanthropic organizations over her career. In fact, Leah credits the summers she spent outside of the classroom interning at the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) as both giving her a solid grounding in the intersections of policy, practice and programs and an unwavering commitment to asset-based framing of Black children and their families. She is honored to now lead NBCDI as its President & CEO.

Leah has enjoyed a dynamic career that has included teaching, grantmaking, organizing, research and evaluation. She is an educator, an advocate and a futurist working to create conditions that allow people to imagine and plan better futures. Her professional trajectory includes leadership positions with the United Way of Greater Atlanta, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Southern Education Foundation, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs and most recently the Schott Foundation for Public Education.

In each of these organizations she helped to accomplish great things by overseeing efforts to advance educational equity in the South, managing an investment portfolio designed to increase the education achievement of students in Atlanta, GA, providing language and literacy resources to teachers and families, establishing a national literacy campaign encouraging reading between boys and men, working on grassroots organizing efforts to successfully advocate for universal prekindergarten legislation in Washington DC and strengthening the education justice movement by providing research, policy analysis and funding as well advocating within philanthropy to increase investments that support racial justice in education.

Leah is also passionate about her own learning, she holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Fisk University, a Master’s degree in School Psychology from Howard University and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She recently obtained a certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Houston. Lastly but far from least she is the mother of an energetic and insightful son.

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NeurocardAspiring io Surgeon • STEM Advocate • Youth Motivator

Over 1.8M followers across all platforms (1.4M on Instagram alone)

● Featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Good Morning America, ABC News, CNN, and multiple top podcasts

● Interviews conducted with global icons including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Rihanna, and more

● Podcast appearance with Adam Grant, New York Times #1 best-selling author and organizational psychologist

● Recipient of the 2025 Youth STEM Leader Award from STEM for All Academy

● 2025 Rising In Community Excellence (RICE) Youth Achiever of the Year

● Named to Junior Achievement of Georgia’s “19 Under 19” Class of 2025

● Youth Ambassador for the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons

● Recipient of the 2025 “Future Award” from the Black Stars Awards

At just 11 years old, Sean Atitsogbe—widely known as Sean the Science Kid, is redefining what it means to be a young innovator. A member of American MENSA since the age of 4, Sean has captured the hearts of millions through his brilliance, charm, and boundless curiosity. He aspires to become the world’s first Neurocardio Surgeon, a term he coined himself by combining “neurologist” and “cardiologist.”

Sean is not just a science enthusiast; he’s a STEM educator, youth advocate, and motivator who believes that learning should be accessible, joyful, and inspiring for all. His mission is to show that science isn’t complex, it’s part of everything we do. Through hands-on experiments, storytelling, and real-world connections, Sean sparks curiosity and instills a lifelong love of learning in audiences worldwide.

Mission Projects

● Expand visibility and grow into a household name through strategic collaborations, brand partnerships, and inspiring content.

● Launch a high-quality YouTube series (currently in development), with aspirations for a larger streaming or network platform adaptation.

● Align with brands in STEM, sports, fashion, and lifestyle that embody innovation, education, and creativity for long-term ambassador partnerships.

● Launch his foundation, SciReach, dedicated to providing underdeveloped communities with access to quality science education, equipment, libraries, and science museums.

Jennifer joined FIRST 5 Santa Clara County as the Executive Director in 2022. Prior to joining FIRST 5, Ms. Cloyd served as the Chief Program Officer for the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, where she expanded the Legal Advocates for Children and Youth (LACY) program. Ms. Cloyd led the development and management of a multidisciplinary team of attorneys, social workers, and support staff to provide comprehensive and responsive services to children and families in Santa Clara County.

Ms. Cloyd’s focus on the well-being, advocacy, and education of young children combined with her work across social justice, child welfare, and health systems have molded her into a strong leader who understands and appreciates the nature of FIRST 5’s intersectional and community-driven work.

Ms. Cloyd is currently a member of the Governing Board of the Santa Clara Family Health Plan,  the Vice President of the First 5 Association Board of Directors, and serves as the chair of the Board of Directors of Razing the Bar, a nonprofit that provides comprehensive mentorship and housing support services to current and former foster youth across the Silicon Valley region. She has previously served on a variety of other local and regional boards, councils, and working groups. She has focused on systems change work that creates client-centered, equitable and responsive transformation.

Ms. Cloyd is a mom to two school-age children and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also received her Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she held several internships, jobs, and clerkships focused on civil rights and child advocacy.

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