As a Certified Implicit/Explicit Trainer, Tekoa has trained over 10,000 individuals including judges, trial lawyers, and HR professionals on how to recognize and reduce bias when in the workforce.
She is committed to improving social and racial equity. Her extensive track record in bias training and philanthropy has helped improve the legal interactions with youth of color, create better law enforcement officers, position organizations to increase their knowledge of diversity and inclusion, as well provide monetary resources to communities in need.
Tekoa’s efforts to erase the lines of racial bias began while pursuing her Criminal Justice degree from the University of Central Florida in the early 2000s. As a student, Tekoa was astounded by the shocking criminal statistics and disproportion in sentences of youth of color. Wanting to bring awareness in hopes of lowering these disparities, she began her journey advocating for change by cold calling law enforcement offices, state departments, and local schools. She made it her personal mission to use her voice and background as a means to help others in need.
Her persistent efforts awarded her the opportunity to educate and train on Disproportionate Minority Contact for the Orange County Sheriff's Department and Orlando Police Department. Tekoa developed a unique blend of training that focused on empathy, historical facts, and criminal statistics. Using her own personal experiences as an African American child with parents and other family members incarcerated, she was able to educate law enforcement officers on how to identify their own biased opinions and ultimately change their way of thinking to better serve the local community.
Within a few years, she transitioned from a civil activist to a sought-after certified bias trainer. Tekoa has received the opportunity to speak on this subject matter to over 10,000 criminal justice professionals throughout the Nation. She has been awarded multiple grants totaling $700,000 from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice to provide training for law enforcement, judges, and youth program providers.
To date, Tekoa has trained and worked with the Department of Juvenile Justice, Governor’s State Advisory Committee, National Criminal Justice Training Center, Department of Children and Families, Florida’s Attorney General Office, Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. 92% of those surveyed stated that her training increased their knowledge as it relates to racial bias when serving black communities.