2025 Speaker

With over 30  years of experience as a community leader, he is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Reclaiming the Land, Inc., (RTL) a corporation that promotes progressive policies,  including equality and justice, strategic public-private partnerships and re enfranchisement of the formerly incarcerated; He is also the Founding Senior Pastor of  Life Church International Center, founded in 2010. While God had distinguished Pastor  James at age 17 as “the boy preacher” and since has allowed him to attain great  accomplishments, it is noteworthy while serving as Senior Pastor in the 1980’s to one of  the largest churches in the Northwest Florida region, he was convicted and sentenced to  Life+40 years in Federal Prison. His conviction nationally televised, was divinely ordained  and divinely overturned after he served 13.5 years in Federal Prison. His divine release  thrusted him into the civil rights fight to turn the power of dissent and protest toward the  formerly incarcerated into tangible legislation impacting the lives of the formerly  incarcerated locally and statewide. Years later, his outspoken, and his oratorical demand  “Give us our ballot, we want to live free,” emerged him once again into the national  spotlight, but this time as an outspoken advocate for the re-enfranchisement of the non-violent formerly incarcerated. His high visibility in this controversial protest of the  disenfranchisement of the formerly incarcerated, has gained wide coverage in the national  media and has precipitated confrontation and intimate debate with local, state and  national governmental officials. He has been one of the leading grassroot organizers for the successful efforts to have Amendment 4 placed on the Florida ballot. This amendment when passed would give automatic restoration of rights to the formerly incarcerated.  Defying the Democratic Party protest in 2018, Pastor James took a theocratic bold non partisan stand and made the controversial decision to accept the assignment under the  Trump Administration to contribute to their plan for prison reform and to improve reentry  initiatives; this plan is now manifesting by the way of the “First Step Act,” legislation. James believes the first step is always the determining step to progress. In his first step,  he also serves as the State Director of Florida, for Urban Revitalization for the White  House. 

Gregory James commitment to remain transparent has birthed two books: NAKED, which  gives a peek at his tumultuous journey to and from prison; and his most recent  publication LEVERAGE, which is an autobiographic-coaching tool, which addresses  getting your greatest value from your lowest point. James recently began the Leverage  Institute, partnering with those who desire to attain divine inheritance. He is the host on iHeart Radio/Cumulus Broadcast Radio show; The Greg James Community Show, which  informs, empowers and re-engages communities civically at all levels, thereby improving  their quality of life. 

As a follower of Christ, he continues to declare unapologetically his eternal commitment to his life work for the Lord, while integrating and leveraging his para-legal law training  from Blackstone School of Law to assist the downtrodden and disenfranchised through  out the nation. 

2025 Event Details

Wednesday 05.14.2025

VIP Auction Reception | 5:30 PM-6:30 PM EST

Ceremony & Awards | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM EST

Red Cross Center | 115 Easterwood Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32311

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