Red Emma’s

Albert Phillips Jr. is a Baltimore-born writer, educator, and youth advocate whose work lives at the intersection of creative writing, education, and youth development. A product of Baltimore City Public Schools, he brings both lived experience and academic training to his work, holding degrees from Baltimore City Community College, Morgan State University, and Johns Hopkins University. He is currently an MFA candidate in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts at the University of Baltimore.

Albert is the Program Director at CHARM: Voices of Baltimore Youth, where he leads initiatives that help young writers amplify their voices through publication, writing training, and leadership opportunities.

As the Founder & CEO of Free Black Mind Educational Group, Albert designs culturally relevant resources and experiences that equip Black youth with the skills, confidence, and critical awareness needed to navigate education and the workforce. His work has reached hundreds of young people nationwide.

An acclaimed author, Albert’s debut book, Y’all Hiring? The Black Teen’s Guide to Navigating Employment, is now used by thousands of youth and youth-serving programs across the country as a trusted resource for workforce readiness. His second book, Where You From? Tales of Sandtown, was released in October 2025 and continues his exploration of place, identity, and coming of age in Baltimore. In recognition of his impact, Albert received a Certificate of Recognition from Mayor Brandon Scott for his commitment to authentic storytelling and uplifting Baltimore’s communities. Known for his ability to connect across generations, Albert frequently facilitates workshops, speaks at schools and community events, and collaborates with local and national partners to elevate youth voices.

Outside of his professional work, he enjoys building community through storytelling, supporting local creatives, and continuing to document the stories that shaped him. Albert’s writing has been featured in Black Enterprise, Grub Street, The Afro, Baltimore Fishbowl, and various other online and print publications.

Destinii Williams is a self-published author, educator, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience in writing, communications, and publishing. She also brings expertise from her background as a university constituent engagement and philanthropic officer, and as an administrative partner in the tech banking industry.

Destinii is the Chief Operating Officer and lead editor of Silent Books Publishing (SBP), where she helps amplify underrepresented voices and foster literary excellence. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Coppin State University.

Her professional experience includes serving as a writer and editor for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine development office. She specializes in children’s literature, self-help, poetry, strategic corporate communications, curriculum development, and both fiction and nonfiction editing.

Destinii brings a sharp editorial lens to her work, with strengths in evaluating voice, tone, clarity, sensitivity, grammar, story structure, and cultural relevance. At SBP, she is deeply committed to helping clients realize their creative visions, while building meaningful literary engagement within the Baltimore community.