Chair

Christopher Benson is co-author, with Mamie Till-Mobley, of The Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America. This definitive autobiographical account by Benson and Till-Mobley, recounts the story of the lynching of her son, Emmett Till, and her brave decision to let the world witness the true horror of racism. The book is a Pulitzer nominee, and the winner of the 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition.

Benson is currently an associate professor of journalism at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. He is former reporter on justice, race and media issues for Ebony magazine, WBMX-FM, The Chicago Reporter and has been featured in a number of national journals such as The Huffington Post, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune.

Vice-Chair, Development & Partnerships

Bertha Thomas is the granddaughter of Crosby Smith, Sr., the younger brother of Alma Spearman, Emmett’s Grandmother, and Uncle to Mamie Till Mobley.

She is a Senior Paralegal and Realtor with more than 30 years of experience working within the legal industry and/or community. Her central focus has been working with Real Estate Law, Immigration Law, Personal Injury and Workers Compensation Law.

Vice-Chair, Outreach & Engagement

Amberly Carter, M.Ed, CDE® (pronouns: she/her) is a Certified Diversity Executive with more than 15 successful years in the DEI and Social Justice space.

Amberly is the CEO of Hello Ambi, LLC., a digital business management company and creator of the Platform to Justice program where she helps families who have lost loved ones to violence and social justice organizations manage and optimize systems in their memorial foundations.

Amberly’s great-grandmother and Mamie’s Mother/Emmett’s grandmother, Alma Spearman were sisters.

Board Member

Ollie Gordon is a second cousin and surrogate daughter to the late Mamie Till-Mobley.

Gordon spent the majority of her childhood in the same home as Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till after Alma Spearman (Emmett’s grandmother) assisted with the relocation of her family from Mississippi. Till-Mobley and Gordon developed a special bond following the untimely death of Gordon’s mother.

Gordon’s first experience with death and the emotional effects of grief occurred at the tender age of eight when her cousin and playmate Emmett Till was murdered.

Gordon went on to receive her Master’s in Education and serve at Chicago Public Schools. Gordon is also co-founder, with her daughter, of The Mamie Till-Mobley Memorial Foundation She travels the country telling the story of her cousin, Emmett Till, and her hope for racial reconciliation.

Board Member

Mike Small and Mamie Till-Mobley became close friends and advocates in telling the Emmett Till story to junior high and high school students. As a high school teacher and administrator, Small has led student groups and taught the Emmett Till story in both Till’s hometown of Chicago and the location of his murder in Mississippi for over twenty years.

Small is a lifelong educator with a passion for social justice. He is committed to recounting his friend, Till-Mobley’s, brave story as part of his lectures on racial justice throughout the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Australia. He also serves on the board of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission and Museum Committee.

General Counsel

Lester Barclay, the CEO and founder of the Barclay Law Group and author of the infamous family law book “Divorce and Drama” (save money, time, and relieve stress by just getting along), is legendary in the field of family law and within other practices. His 36 years of practice and experience, coupled with his uncanny knack for stellar performance within the courtroom, makes him an ideal attorney for the more sophisticated cases related to family, estate law, real estate, and more.