Dr. Michelle Laws is a dynamic leader, teacher, and public speaker, most
known for her passionate and provocative messages advocating for social
justice, human rights, the poor, women, and children. A native of
Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. Laws holds a PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences from
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Department of Health
Behavior and Policy (Phi Kappa Phi); Master of Arts Degree in Sociology from
North Carolina Central University (Magna Cum Laude); and Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Laws is the CEO and Principal Consultant for Symbiotic Strategies, a full service public relations firm focused on helping clients to improve and advance engagement and services to historically marginalized populations and communities. Dr. Laws professional career includes serving as the first black woman on the executive leadership team for the North Carolina Medical Society as their Chief Experience Officer overseeing their Communications and Marketing, and Member Services teams; serving as the Assistant Director of Consumer Support
Services and Community Stakeholder Engagement and DEI Council Chair for the NC
Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse
Services. She is also a member NC
Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID19 response team where she served
as the original lead for the state’s COVID19 Historically Marginalized
Populations workgroup. Her distinguished professional career also
includes serving as the Assistant Director for the Community Health Coalition,
Inc., which focuses on eliminating health disparities impacting African
Americans and historically marginalized populations; former Executive Director
of the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, where she served alongside
Rev. William J. Barber; and a college adjunct professor where she taught
undergraduate courses in sociology and research methods at North Carolina
Central University, North Carolina State University and in federal and state
prisons.
Dr. Laws is also an ordained minister and an associate minister at Union
Baptist (Durham NC) where she serves under the leadership of her pastor Rev. Dr.
Prince Rainey Rivers. Dr. Laws stands firmly on her conviction that Jesus
Christ was a social justice minister who challenged us not to ignore the
sufferings of the marginalized or become complacent with injustice but to do as
the Prophet Micah instructed: “to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly
with the Lord our God.” At the heart of her teachings is the desire to inspire
women to live triumphantly fulfilling their purpose according to God’s word and
will for their lives.
Inspired, in large part by the profiles of courage of fierce Black women in
North Carolina including her grand and great grandmothers; her Godmother, the
late Senator Jeanne Lucas (the first Black woman to serve in the North Carolina
Senate); and Congresswoman Eva Clayton (the first Black woman from NC to serve
in Congress), Dr. Laws became the first African American woman to run for a
U.S. House of Representatives seat in the 4th Congressional district
in the May 2018 Democratic primary, challenging a 30-year incumbent. This run
for Congress also earned her the distinction of being the first Chapel Hill High
School graduate to run for Congress in the 4th Congressional
District. Dr. Laws also became the first woman to serve as
president of the Chapel Hill—Carrboro NAACP. Dr. Laws’ community activism and
advocacy for human rights and social justice dates back to her childhood
growing up in a public housing community in Chapel Hill, NC and as an
undergraduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill where she was among the student activists
advocating for a freestanding black cultural center at UNC in honor of a
beloved professor, the late Dr. Sonja Haynes Stone; and as a student community
organizer in support of UNC housekeepers fighting for humane treatment and a
living wage and to support UNC's first black female police officer, Keith
Edwards, in her lawsuit against the university for discrimination.
Dr. Laws’ skills as a community organizer and political strategist proved
useful when she relocated to Maryland during the mid-1990s and was introduced
to Maryland and Washington DC politics by landing a job as the campaign press
secretary for former Congressman Albert R. Wynn (Md-4th) and a
campaign organizer for Lafayette Barnes for DC City Council.
Dr. Laws is host of a podcast and radio show, Meaningful Conversations, a
Savage Bull Entertainment production.
Meaningful Conversations engages the listening audience in conversations
about social, cultural, and political issues that are chosen topics for
discussion to help inspire critical thinking and greater awareness and
understanding of diverse cultures, experiences, opinions, and beliefs.
Dr. Laws believes that one of the greatest tragedies of social progress is
for people to ascend the social and economic ladder and forget those who are
left behind by ignoring the plight of the poor and marginalized. Her life’s
guiding principles are lessons taught by the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in
moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge
and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige,
and even his life for the welfare of others. In dangerous valleys and hazardous
pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and nobler
life.” And Jesus Christ: “When I was hungry, you gave
Me food; thirsty, you gave Me drink; a stranger you took Me in; naked, you
clothed me; sick, you visited me; and in prison you came to Me…inasmuch as you
did it to one of the least of these My brethren you did it to Me.”
Dr. Laws’ service to the community has won her numerous awards and honors
however she says: “I firmly believe that ‘service is the price we pay for
occupying our space on this earth.’ Awards and recognition are nice but
victories in the fight for the protection and progress of women and girls,
social justice and human rights are much grander aspirations.” Dr.
Laws is happily married to Karl Laws and lives Durham County, NC.
You can also follow her social and political commentary on her blog at
www.michellelaws.blogspot.com
Twitter @michellelaws7 (Handle "Jesus Take the Wheel" or on
Instagram @michellelaws007
YouTube Dr. Michelle Laws
Contact Dr. Laws for speaking or presentation engagements at
mlawsengagements@gmail.com
