Author and Scholar Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and Actor Cynthia Kaye Mcwilliams to Speak on Social Media and Community Impact at Downriver Campus

TAYLOR, Mich. – Oct. 30, 2026 – Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) will welcome author and scholar Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and actor and voiceover artist Cynthia Kaye McWilliams to the WCCCD Speaker Series for a conversation about building deep community connection and positive change. The event will take place Friday, November 6, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Heinz C. Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center (EPAC) at the WCCCD Downriver Campus, located at 21000 Northline Road in Taylor. The event is open to the public at no cost.

During the program, Dyson and McWilliams will discuss social media and community impact, including how individuals can use their voices and platforms to strengthen community connection and create positive change. Drawing on their experiences in higher education, publishing, media and entertainment, they will share perspectives with students and community members on using their platforms thoughtfully and purposefully.

Dyson is a Distinguished University Professor at Vanderbilt University and has taught at Princeton, Brown and Georgetown universities. A leading public intellectual known for his commentary on race, social justice and contemporary culture, he has authored more than 25 books, including seven New York Times bestsellers, among them Tears We Cannot Stop, What Truth Sounds Like and Long Time Coming. His honors include the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal, the American Book Award and two NAACP Image Awards.

McWilliams, who was raised in Kansas City, Kansas, and graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University, began her career in Chicago with roles in Warner Bros.’ The Lake House and FOX’s Prison Break before moving to Los Angeles. She is known for her five-season series regular role opposite Kevin Hart on the NAACP Image Award-winning comedy Real Husbands of Hollywood, as well as roles on Amazon’s Bosch, ABC’s Nashville, Netflix’s Prince of Peoria and Apple TV+’s The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, opposite Samuel L. Jackson. An accomplished voiceover artist, she voices Gamora in Marvel’s What If…? and characters in Disney’s Hailey’s On It! and Netflix’s animated The Witcher series. She has also lent her voice to popular video games, including League of Legends and Cyberpunk 2077.

For more information about the event, visit www.wcccd.edu.

About Wayne County Community College District
WCCCD, one of the largest urban-suburban community colleges in Michigan, is a multi-campus district with six campus locations and educational centers, including the Mary Ellen Stempfle University Center, the Heinz C. Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center, the Michigan Institute for Public Safety Education (MIPSE), the Curtis L. Ivery Health and Wellness Education Center and the Outdoor Careers Training Center.  The District serves students across 32 cities and townships, and more than 500 square miles. WCCCD is committed to the continued development of innovative programs, workforce transformation, hosting community-based training sessions, and improving student facilities and services. www.wcccd.edu.