Race Unity in America

Kim Wu was born in 1988 in New York City, where she grew up. Multiple generations of her Taiwanese family lived under one roof – and in their neighborhood they were one of just a few Asian-American families. Kim became a Baha’i in college and today is active in community-building work.

Wilma Ellis Kazemzadeh was born in 1929 in Altamont, Illinois, in the town’s only black family. Wilma grew up between Baptism and Methodism – her parents became Baha'is when she was still a child. Wilma later worked on racial harmony, education and on human rights in the US and around the world.

Antonio Smith, 27, grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, lived in 15 homes and attended 10 schools, met his biological father at the age of 17, was twice hit by a car and nearly lost his hearing, before finding Christ, winning a scholarship to Brown and discovering the Baha'i faith.

Eric Dozer was born in Bakewell, Tennessee in 1969, and grew up as the son of two pastors and the grandson of a deacon. He was a Baptist minister and music director at his church in Durham, North Carolina, when he became a Baha'i 25 years ago. Today Eric is an activist, educator and blues preacher.

Carol Mansour was born in 1957 in Indianapolis, IN, in a religious Christian household and had little interaction with white Americans throughout her childhood. She worked as a broadcast journalist and met the

Karen Streets Anderson, born in 1960, grew up in a Baha’i family. Her paternal grandparents were African-Americans, but could have "passed" as white; their choice to identify as African-Americans shaped Karen's own life. Today she lives in Nashville, TN, and is active in race unity work.

Sue St. Clair, born in 1947 in South Bend, Indiana, was raised under difficult conditions before moving to Chicago and becoming a Baha'i as an adult. She later trained as a nurse, lived in Liberia, and had four sons.

Jack Guillebeaux, born in North Carolina in 1936, and Farzaneh Rabani Guillebeaux, born in Iran in 1942, were married in 1965 at the height of American Segregation.

Masud Olufani was born in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, and raised in New York City. He became a Baha'i at university. Masud lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is an actor and artist.

Louis Venters was born in eastern South Carolina. He is an associate professor of history at Francis Marion University and the author of several books on Baha'i history in South Carolina.

Bill Tucker, an optometrist, was born in Greenville, North Carolina, and became a Baha'i as a young man after watching newsreels from the Second World War.

Bob James, a licensed psychologist with a PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, was born in 1949 in Nashville, TN. Bob's uncle became a Baha'i in 1934 – leading to more than 40 other members of the family also joining the Faith.

Barbara Talley became a Baha'i as a young woman. She is a mother of six is and is the author of six books; today she lives in the Washington, DC area, where she hosts monthly gatherings to promote race amity.

Faith Holmes was born in California, in 1972, and grew up in Florida. Her mother became a Baha'i when Faith was three years old. Faith's coffee shop in Washington, DC was a venue for race unity discussions and sold nitrogen ice cream.

Anthony Vance is a lawyer and currently serves as Director of Public Affairs for the Baha’is of the United States.

Michael Penn became a Baha'i as a student at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Franklin & Marshall College.

Makeena Rivers was born in St. Paul, MN, and today lives in New York City. She recently graduated from Columbia University's School of Social Work, where she focused on race, incarceration, education, and class. She currently works on community activities that use creativity for justice and healing.

Jan Mauras was born in Tulsa, OK, in 1943 and grew up around few people of color. Her world changed when she became a Baha'i in 1972 and later moved to Harlem, New York City, where she has lived for several decades. Today she is involved in race unity and community-building activities in New York.

Hussein Ahdieh was born and raised in Iran but emigrated to the US as a young man. He is a sixth-generation Baha’i and his family were persecuted in Iran because of their beliefs.

Tavoria Kellam, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, became a Baha'i in the Washington DC area. She later moved to New York, where she became an interpreter, and where she lives today.

Billy Roberts was born in 1951 in Boston, MA before moving to Los Angeles. He attended the University of Massachusetts, where he became a Baha'i, and later trained as a therapist. In 1987, Billy started the Baha’i “Black Men’s Gatherings” to encourage Baha’i men of African descent.

Robin Chandler was born in Boston, Massachusetts became a Baha’i at university. Her family background includes African-American, Cherokee and Scottish ancestry. Robin is an artist, sociologist, author and speaker and is active in race unity work across the United States.

Nancy Wong was born in 1969 in Minnesota and became a Baha’i through a childhood friend. Her parents had emigrated from Hong Kong. Nancy first became aware of race in the US because of racist customers at her family’s Chinese restaurant. Today she works as a photographer and youth worker in Chicago.

Larry McGhee was born in 1952, became a Baha'i as a young man and worked as an academic counsellor. He introduced the Baha'i faith to Lurenza when they met. Lurenza Wesley McGhee was born in 1972 and has worked in behavioral sciences research and education administration.