Tonia McMillian is a child care advocate and a retired child care provider with 30 years of experience. She has been on the front lines fighting for early educators to win their union and secure the right to bargain with the state. She currently serves as the Governor-appointed Chair of the Early Childhood Policy Council for California. "Tonyetta MoBetta", on the other hand, is a poet who has mastered the art of touching her listeners' hearts and souls through her poetry. She will see the release of her first poetry book, “Paper Dolls, Lipstick, and Leather,” on January 21, 2026, and was voted “Student of the Year” in her Community Literature Initiative Poetry Publishing Class - Season 12 at USC. She has been called a poet’s poet and teaches Black history, Black empowerment, and self-reflection through poetry and ancestral recognition. Last, but certainly not least, she danced on Soul Train from 1979 until 1983. She continues to perform with the Soul Train Alumni, opening for events such as the Gardena Jazz Festival and more.