Angella is originally from Jamaica and spent her formative years there and in Brooklyn, NY. Being ‘directed’ by her parents to study the sciences and engineering (she holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Pennsylvania and MS in Computer Info Systems from City University of NY) never fully quieted her interest in the relevance of hair in the connections, love, power and pain of Black people. She ended a 30 yr career in IT at Fortune 500 Banking & Tech firms where she used every opportunity to champion more inclusive corporate cultures, became a Licensed Natural Haircare Specialist and a full-time entrepreneur. Angella founded HeadSpace NC, a beauty & advocacy company in 2017  and developed a boutique line of curly wigs to address the needs of Black women over 40.  She hosts The Hair Stories Project to explore the stories of Black women where hair plays a central role and is a wig designer for film and theatre. 

Leslie Osei-Tutu is an anesthesiologist by profession but she is also a wife, a mom, a grandmother, an auntie, a sister and a daughter.  When Dr. Leslie walks into a patient’s room, she carries with her, in addition to her stethoscope, an air of exuberance and joy. Ask her why and she’ll not hesitate to let you know from Whom her joy flows.  All who know her or who have received her care, can see that her career is an answer to a calling that God placed on her life. Leslie is a native of Brooklyn and a humanitarian with a heart for service. Her gift of adventure has led her to volunteer as a medical missionary who has travelled around the globe to provide surgical care to patients with limited access to health services. Leslie has also donated her time as a Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate working for survivors of sexual assault and violence.