DOWNTOWN CHICAGO | FAIRMONT CHICAGO MILLENNIUM PARK HOTEL | OCTOBER 16–17, 2026
Team
Meet our incredible team who make everything happen behind the scenes of this powerful Courageous Access Black Women's Conference (CABWC) 2026. Nothing happens without them!
Event
SANA'A
Event Coordinator
Makayla-Ayasha Haynes, known and acknowledged as “Sana'a,” is an artist listening to, learning from, and moving in sacred conversation with the arts and an emerging systems leader whose presence consistently reshapes rooms far beyond measured years. Through poetry, voice, visual art, and fashion, Sana'a has been naming harm, illuminating truth, and affirming Black women and girls since childhood—grounded in lived wisdom shaped by a personal journey of surviving and freedom from childhood sexual violence, and a deep commitment to safety, honesty, and collective care.
A performer with SAY Poetry and a recurring force in Courageous Access' Empowerment through The Arts Showcase (the prequel to the Courageous Access Black Women’s Conference), Sana'a now serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for Courageous Access and as the conference event coordinator. Sana'a continues to take steps where every move is toward the future of activism and becoming a vocal vessel for the needs of the Black diaspora worldwide.
Unbound by age and uninterested in hierarchy, Sana'a embodies what is possible when truth is honored early, creativity is trusted as wisdom, and Black girls are allowed to grow into exactly who they already are.
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For more info, email her at: sanaachan0@gmail.com
CRAIG FARLEY, JR
Videographic Storyteller
Craig Anthony Farley Jr. is the founder of Cignature Productions LLC (est. 2016) and a videographic storyteller known for capturing powerful stories with precision, care, and integrity. His work spans major community events, public health initiatives, documentaries, brand storytelling, and legacy films—including statewide conferences, Juneteenth celebrations, national trainings, and multi-decade organizational milestones. Craig has a rare ability to translate qualitative outcomes into cinematic narratives that make impact visible and human—allowing sponsors to see results conveyed accurately while deepening emotional connection and engagement. In Black women’s healing spaces, he captures the most intimate, transformative moments without disrupting safety or atmosphere, preserving the full story while honoring boundaries. Visual storytelling that is truthful, beautiful, and protective of the sacred space it documents.
Support
SANYAOLU OLAMIDE JAMES
Short-Form Video Editor
James is a passionate video editor, motion designer, and creative storyteller. With a flair for blending motion graphics and sound design, he specializes in creating high-impact videos and animations for brands, creators, and businesses. From cinematic intros to high-conversion social media edits, his focus is on bringing your vision to life with every frame.
Whether you're in finance, fitness, education, or real estate, he crafts visuals that engage and convert while working closely with you to ensure your project tells a unique story and maintains your brand's essence. Collaborate with James to create something that stands out!
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For more info, email him at: Jameskred11@gmail.com
JANELLE A. JONES
Relationship Broker
Janelle A. Jones is the founder of Infusion Enterprises, a fractional CMO consultancy she's run since 2011, helping EdTech founders, education companies, and mission-driven businesses build marketing strategy without a full-time hire. She's also the founder of 4kiddos, a family events marketplace, and a world-schooling mother who has traveled with her children across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Her writing has appeared in Business Insider, Parents.com, Apartment Therapy, and Home Business Magazine, and her short story "Santa Finds Us Everywhere" was selected for Chicken Soup for the Soul: That Christmas Feeling (on sale September 29, 2026).
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To contact Janelle, click here.
Health
HEATHER 'BYRD' | BYRD'S WORLD
Author of Liberation
Heather 'Byrd' is the Founder and CEO of Byrd’s World Publishing, most recently named one of Chicago’s 35 Writers to Watch by the Guild Literary Complex and a Living Legacy by Brooks Permissions, is an ancestrally guided, international award-winning poet and esteemed writing coach, and a catalyst of voice, story, and badassery. She is a giver of giggles and hugs, the queen of quirky, and the editor of the forthcoming anthology all about our LIBERATION, author of the guided journal Igniting Ink: 30-Day Writing Journey and her chapbook, Mahogany: A Love Letter To Black.
Byrd’s accomplishments extend far and wide, including being celebrated in numerous festivals and publications, including Cagibi, Expressions from Englewood, Hope
Ignited, and Trouble The Waters: Tales from the Deep Blue - a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and Locus Award. She has been recognized for her editorial and
curation of the diversity, equity, and inclusion edition of the “I See You” issue of the Cornell Report, earning her the International Anthem Award alongside industry giants
like Google, HBO Max, BBC, National Geographic, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. In a world that needs amplification for the voices of women of color, Byrd
ensures each person is heard, celebrated, and seen. Her favorite words are balloon and bubble.
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​To book a call with Heather, click here
BREZZEY
Herbal Practitioner
Brezzey, Founder of Soul Tribe Search Party. She shares that its mission is to provide tangible tools, intentional spaces, and community experiences that help people feel supported, prepared, and connected to themselves through life’s transitions — physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially.
Brezzey is a community wellness entrepreneur and experience curator passionate about making wellness feel approachable, intentional, and connected. Through her work, she brings people together through herbal hydration, movement, community experiences, and meaningful partnerships. Known for both her creativity and behind-the-scenes vision, Brezzey enjoys creating spaces where people can slow down, reconnect with themselves, and discover practical ways to prioritize their well-being.
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To contact Brezzey, email them at: soiltosoulxo@gmail.com
DANIELLE GUILLORY
Wellness Practitioner
Danielle Guillory is a trauma-informed speaker, wellness coach, somatic practitioner and doula with a background in electrical engineering. She helps Black women heal from chronic stress and trauma so they can move from surviving to thriving - living with rest, freedom, and authenticity. Through private coaching, movement practices, and transformative retreats, Danielle guides clients toward whole health: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual.
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Her journey into this healing work began with profound personal loss - that of her one-year-old son, Chase, in 2013. In her debut book, Joy in the Mourning, Danielle shares reflections from her first decade in the school of grief—a season that shaped her calling to support others through stress, trauma, and life’s most difficult transitions. With a deep belief in the body’s wisdom, she facilitates restorative breath and body practices that promote nervous system care, regulation, and embodied healing. A mom of four, graduate of Rice University, and self-proclaimed gummy bear snob, Danielle lives in Dallas, TX. When she’s not speaking or coaching, she’s likely reading a good book, watching a movie, or enjoying time outdoors.
​To join Danielle and her sister on their signature Rest Retreat, click here.
ROSIE DANIELS
Natural Haircare Practitioner
Rosie Daniels is a mother, wife and entrepreneur is the founder and CEO of LuLit's Hair Essence, an all-natural hair and scalp care brand created from purpose, perseverance, and personal experience. Raised in Greenwood Mississippi, and now proudly calling Evansdale, Iowa home, Rosie transformed her lifelong journey with Alopecia into a mission to help others restore not only healthy hair but also confidence and hope.
After witnessing her daughter experience the emotional effects of Areata Alopecia at a young age, Rosie committed herself to researching natural ingredients and holistic haircare solutions. In July 2019, she launched LuLit's Hair Essence to provide gentle, effective products for women, men, and children experiencing hair thinning, hair loss, dry scalp, and other hair and scalp concerns.
Today, LuLit's Hair Essence is more than a haircare brand—it's a testimony of faith, resilience, and purpose. Rosie's message reminds every woman that healing begins within, and when purpose meets passion, lives can be transformed.
​To contact Rosie, email her at: rclaybon1020@gmail.com.