“Finding Our Way Back to the Positive Aspects of Black Culture & Heritage”
Dianne Valentin is the mother of four, grandmother of ten, and has over thirty years of experience assisting small businesses and nonprofit organizations with their business needs and working directly within the community, private industry, and public education sectors. As a political scientist with training in the areas of international affairs and national defense, Dianne has used her training and education when advocating grassroots and progressive issues on Capitol Hill. She has had issues related articles published in a major news outlet.
Dianne is the founder and CEO of the Black Heritage Museum & Cultural Center, Inc. (BHMACC) Founded in 2005 and established as a nonprofit organization with federal tax-exempt status in 2006. Whose mission is to document and preserve Black heritage, culture, and scholarship and use it to encourage, empower, and uplift current and future generations through scholarly engagement, art, and artistic expression, while cultivating critical thought. Our vision is to find our way back to the positive aspects of Black heritage & culture.
Since its inception, the BHMACC has help over 3,000 marginalized and low-income students get into college. It does its work in the areas of arts, culture, education, social justice, environmental justice and stewardship.
Dianne works with national, state, and community nonprofit organizations providing strategic advice, technical assistance, program development, community outreach, and community organizing support.
During her corporate career working for an investment banking and accounting firm Dianne and her team managed the assets of twenty-six financial institutions with asset values ranging from $25 million to $10 billion, she managed the staff of asset managers, financial services and accounting representatives, researched and brought to resolution federal agency investigations, Congressional Inquiry and FOIA requests received directly from Congress related to those managed institutions, developed and initiated uniform training procedures for the handling of client issues. As a Senior Analyst for a government agency she was responsible for the analysis of negotiated contracts to insure commitment integrity and that the negotiated contracts fell within the guidelines for that financial product.
Dianne appeared before President Barack Obama’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future to present her views on nuclear weapons, nuclear waste, and how they impact environmental and racial injustice. Dianne acted as editor of a climate report that has been presented to and accepted by the U.N. and the Pope.
Dianne is serving as President of the board of directors of a statewide women-led peace, environmental justice, political empowerment nonprofit organization, is serving as Chair on a national, women led United Nations recognized NGO, formerly served as founding President of an Atlanta based legal advocacy nonprofit supporting girls and women dealing with sex discrimination and abuses in the education and workplace settings. Dianne is a former President of the board of directors of a women’s health center.
Dianne has been honored with a United Nations’ National Human Rights Award and a National Grassroots Activist Award by a national organization comprised of organizations from all over the country.
- Facilitator: Libby Ware
- Musician: Alan Dynin