BLACK WOMEN LEAD

WELCOME & MEET OUR 2020 Fellows | Iris Crawford | Patricia Foley | TaLynn Mitchell | Armonee Jackson

LEVERAGING OUR POWER THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY SERIES

Iris Crawford | SF Bay Area

Health Fellow 2020

Iris is a poet, journalist and social justice advocate hailing from New York City. Her journey has allowed her to empower communities through health care advocacy, education and environmental justice. In 2018, Iris was selected as a semi-finalist Fulbright Scholar for an English Teaching Assistantship in South Africa.  Currently, Iris is an independent journalist and credits her training from Oakland Voices out of Maynard Institute of Journalism Education. She is also a resident of the 2020 Shuffle Collective Literary Arts Residency where she is working to strengthen her creative work and process. She earned her BA in Political Philosophy and African American Studies from Syracuse University.

Patricia Foley | Davis 

Health Fellow 2020

Patricia Foley is a Californian who currently serves as a student advisor for adults with Autism. She brings her experience as a program manager and youth advocate to help support her staff and students. She has enjoyed traveling the world as a Gilman Scholar and currently serves as a board member for Lutheran Social Services in hopes of continuing to help bring visibility and equity within those realms. She is an avid reader and music lover who enjoys spending time traveling and learning through books, sharing laughs and experiences with friends. 

Armonee Jackson | Arizona

Civic Engagement Fellow 2020

Armonee Jackson, a recent Arizona State University grad, is a local activist and community organizer in Arizona who firmly advocates for those within her community and respective communities. Armonee currently serves as the State Conference Youth and College President for the NAACP in Arizona as well as the East Valley NAACP Women in NAACP Committee Chair. Since she can remember, Armonee has had a powerful voice that has never allowed for her concerns to be unheard. Her vision is to ensure that the voices of her people are heard because too often do the concerns within the black community go unheard and unrecognized.   

TaLynn Mitchell | Alameda County

Education Fellow 2020

Ta Lynn began her career in education as a Teach for America corps member in New Orleans and later went on to give students unique study abroad opportunities in places like Thailand through Thrival World Academies in Oakland. After serving as a Program Manager for Code nation in New York City for the past two years, to continue supporting youth in realizing their full potential by exposing them to new career pathways, she came back to the Bay Area to assume the role of Director of Programs. She holds a Bachelor's degree from American University. Ta Lynn is excited to be back in Oakland and in the culture and
community that taught her the value of diversity. 

Tatiana Neal | San Jose

Health/Science Fellow 2018

Tyffanie Wedding - Sacramento | Danielle Nicole Motley - Oakland | Danielle Driver Bellino - Oakland | Chasitie Neal - Fresno

Danielle Driver Bellino

Danielle currently works for the Alameda County Public Health Department’s Black Infant Health Program for nearly a year and is in process of obtaining a certification as a breastfeeding specialist. 

A magna cum laude graduate from Hampton University is where I learned that I valued advocacy and empathy above all.   It was these beliefs that led me into the teaching profession for five years.  Since I believe every child deserves a competent educator, and later obtained my masters degree in special education from Lehman College during my first two years in the classroom.

The birth of my first child maneuvered me down the path to work to empower women prenatally.  The foundations of a strong community are strong families and my goal is to facilitate the knowledge that they need to truly thrive.

Proudly born in Bronx NY, raised in New Jersey, I now live with my husband and daughter in Oakland, CA with the vision to make an indelible impact on Black women and their families.

Tyffanie Wedding

Tyffanie Wedding is currently a fulltime student and will be transferring to Sacramento State University in the fall of 2017.  Ms. Wedding plans to graduate in 2018 with a bachelor’s of arts in ethnic studies and immediately enter law school where she will receive her Juris Doctorate.

She has always been a resource and an advocate for her peers and has recently transitioned into a new role as a crisis response advocate for a local nonprofit based out of Sacramento California known as WEAVE, Inc which serves woman, children and men who are victims of domestic violence, sex trafficking and sexual assault.

 Danielle Motley

Danielle is a philanthropic and nonprofit professional with 10 years of cross-sectoral leadership experience and a strong commitment to social justice. She is dedicated to improving the quality of life for marginalized youth, families and persons impacted by the criminal justice system. Danielle’s personal life experiences and commitment to social justice has led to her dedication for improving their life outcomes through advocacy and the creation of constructive opportunities. Her talents are currently being used as Founder and Principal Consultant of The Motley Collective, a social impact consulting firm, where she works with organizations in the Bay Area and Metro Detroit on issues related to prisoner re-entry and public safety. 

Danielle is very active in her community and serves on numerous boards, including Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (Detroit) and FIERCE, an organization that provides young women with tools and resources that encourages and empowers them to reach their full potential. Danielle received her bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Wayne State University (Detroit) in 2005 and a master's in Public Administration at The University of Michigan. 

Chasitie Neal

Born and raised on the westside of Chicago, Illinois, Chasitie currently resides in Fresno, Ca where she envisions creating sustainable collaborative future for African American business owners and organizations to close the opportunities gap.

Chasitie Neal is the Principal Project Manager for iCAN Business and Marketing Solutions, a project management and training firm she founded in 2016.  She is highly involved in the community and currently serves as Program Director for the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce, and holds leadership roles with the United Negro College Foundation, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Fresno/San Joaquin Valley Chapter.

Chasitie earned her Bachelor of Art’s degree in Mediated Communication and Technology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC/ Fighting Illini), and is currently working on her Master of Art’s from Concordia University Chicago in Sports Management with a concentration on Organizational Leadership.  After completing her BA, she attended the Illinois Media School expanding on her interest in communicating effectively through the use of technology and media, such as video and audio broadcasting.  She holds a Certificate of Completion in Video, Audio, and Web Production. After starting her career off in Education and Media Communications, concurrently. 

THANK YOU TO OUR 2016 DWJ Cohort:  Nicole Henderson - Oakland, CA | Samara Rivers- Oakland, CA | Abigail Mariam - Oakland, CA | Ashley Michelle Chambers - Oakland, CA |Brittinee Phillips - Oakland, CA | Ashley Winston - Hayward, CA | Alegra D Angelo, Hayward, CA |Terra Doby, Hayward, CA | Amelia Neal, San Leandro, CA | Chrystal Ellis, San Leandro, CA | Davu Nuru Asli, Sacramento, CA | Camile Duria, Sacramento, CA | Dr. Fatima Sierre Alleyne, Richmond, CA | Jeanetta Minix, Richmond, CA | Garbralle Conroe, Fresno, CA | Erica Duggan, Concord, CA | Tamisha Walker, Antioch, CA | Delthia Mckinney, San Francisco, CA | Brittani Daniels, Los Angeles, CA | Jesika Bethea, Bayonne, New Jersey | Rachel Benjamin, Portland, OR | Michelle C. Kogolo, Bronx, NYC |  SENIOR FELLOWS | Simone Thelemaque | Daisy Ozim | Aishatu Yusuf | Charlette Viney | Shahidah Lacy | Nikki Thompson, Esq.

Alegra Angelo

23-year-old, Bay Area native, Alegra graduated from the University of Miami with a BA in Political Science.  Her introduction to public policy began during college as a volunteer with the Obama for America campaign. After a few weeks of volunteering, she was appointed Housing Coordinator where she led voter registration drives with my team. She served as a tutor in a local Miami community where she worked with young people to improve their reading comprehension skills. Immediately after graduation, Alegra served as an administrative assistant at St. Mary's Medical Center and in the finance department of Golden State overnight.  Currently she is employed at TPS Aviation in Hayward. 

Alegra is civic minded and continually seeks opportunities to further nurture her interest in public policy and community organizing.  She is a member of the task force where she is charged with the duty of encouraging environmentally friendly practices and engage in cleanup efforts within the city of Hayward. She also works part-time as an Independent Living Skills instructor where she works with the developmentally challenged.  Alegra enjoys running, going to the beach, and spending time with her family and friends.

 Brittani Daniels, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Even as a young student, Brittani took an active leadership role in her community. She held offices in school government, worked in community development programs, and served in neighborhood organizations.

Throughout her life, Brittani has held to the conviction that being a citizen comes with responsibility, as well as privilege, and that the country’s continued greatness depends on the contributions and sacrifices of all its people.

Brittani Daniels earned her Bachelors Degree in Political Science and History from the University of California-Riverside. A former collegiate Track and Field athlete specializing in the throws events garnered All-American accolades and trained with Team USA. 

Brittani is currently working on an alumni outreach mentor program at her high school alma mater, Cajon in San Bernardino. Brittani is pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at Pepperdine University, School of Public Policy. Where she intends to further her understanding of civic engagement through research with the Davenport Institute. Brittani is a State Delegate for the CRP, a member of LA County Central Committee, and President of Christianity & Public Policy at Pepperdine.  Brittani is also a intern at UCLA Health in the Connected Health Strategic Technologies and Innovation department.

Tamisha Walker, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

TAMISHA WALKER, PICO Live Free Organizer and Spokesperson for the Safe Return Project. Walker is a Richmond based community organizer and known advocate on issues related to mass incarceration and racial disparity in the criminal justice system. Tamisha organizes and coordinates The Safe Return Project under the umbrella of CCISCO (Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community) one of the East Bay PICO affiliates. Tamisha was formerly incarcerated and shares a powerful personal story about the journey to healing and successful re-entry. She has five years of community organizing experience in a city impacted by trauma and economic inequality, including her own personal experience with trauma and poverty growing up in Richmond California. Her educational experience includes professional training in research and advocacy for the formerly incarcerated and their families, violence prevention strategies and conflict mediation to reduce urban gun violence. 

Samara Rivers, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow

 Samara Rivers is an independent consultant and event planner with over 10 years of non-profit fundraising  and event logistics experience. She holds a BA in Art History and Criticism and an MA in Arts Administration from The Florida State University. Rivers is also a wife and mother of two, and is invested in her community through her involvement with the local chapters of Jack & Jill of America, Inc and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Camile Duria, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Camile Duria is a Program Assistant at PICO California (a faith- based non-profit under the umbrella of PICO National Network).  Prior to PICO California, Camile was a Program Support Specialist for the Center of Multicultural Development at the California Institute for Mental Health (CiMH). At CiMH she was involved in the Stigma, Discrimination and Reductions Consortium, Public Safety Realignment Project, and the California Mental Health and Spirituality Initiative.  

Camile has a Bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies, from California State University Fresno. She plans on finishing her Master’s in Health Care/ Business Administration with an emphasis on Project Management in Fall 2017 and then wants to pursue her PhD in African American Studies.

Garbralle Conroe, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Garbralle Conroe was born and raised in Fresno Ca. Throughout her life she understood the importance of obtaining an education by getting a Master’s degree in Counseling and Rehabilitation from California State University Fresno. She currently works full time at California Health Collaborative as a projector coordinator for Fresno County child abuse prevention program and also teaches part time graduate courses at California State University Fresno.

Garbralle has a passion for inspiring youth and giving back to her community. She currently mentors several students as well as volunteer’s her time speaking at different high school’s  about peer pressure, making smart choices, leadership, and the importance of education. Garbralle hobbies include shopping, traveling, and spending time with her family. She thrives on the model “each one teach one”

Brittinee Phillips, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow

For over six years Brittinee has fine-tuned her talents in marketing and technology. Most recently, she has focused her energy towards entrepreneurship and encouraging such among women of color. By using her knowledge from professional experience and personal pursuits, Brittinee hopes to provide strategic planning advice for economic security through this fellowship and her consulting firm, Articulate You.

Ashley Chambers, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Ashley Chambers is an Oakland, California native, proud mother and passionate journalist. Ashley's love for journalism began while attending McClymonds High School as an editor of the school newspaper. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and later worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for the Oakland Post. Ashley is empowered to use her voice as a tool to advocate for her community and expand opportunities for young people.

Amelia Neal, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow

Currently, Chrystal is a member of the National Association of Professional Women and National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.  Recently, she was awarded a Fellowship in the Dezie Woods Jones Public Policy Fellowship Program where she and her colleagues explore and address political issues, such as advocating for adequate representation in the community, as well as, address various aspects of leadership including; power and self- empowerment. Chrystal resides in the Bay Area where she enjoys the great outdoors and spending time with friends and family. 

Abigail Mariam, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Abigail Mariam is a public servant and advocate committed to finding solutions to major issues that affect Black communities, such as homelessness and poverty. A native of Southern California, she currently lives and works in Oakland. A recent graduate of Harvard University, Abigail has done community empowerment and advocacy as a student, including the Itooamharvard campaign which mobilized students around racial discrimination on college campuses around the world. Abigail is currently the Communications Coordinator for Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, shaping the office's housing policy approach as a part of her responsibilities. As a 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow, Abigail will focus on finding solutions for economic empowerment of Black women, in particular as it relates to housing and affordability in the Bay Area.

Erica Duggan, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Erica Duggan is a Core Platform Project Manager/Reentry Case Coordinator Lead at Rubicon Programs in Contra Costa County, serving previously incarcerated and homeless adults towards economic empowerment. She has also worked with a non-profit at San Quentin State Prison for 8 years assisting incarcerating men prepare for release. She has a Masters in Social Psychology from San Francisco State University. She is committed to assisting underserved populations, especially populations impacted by the criminal justice system.

Dr. Fatima Alleyne, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Dr. Fatima Alleyne is a New York native and community college graduate who relocated to California to pursue higher education at the University of California, Berkeley. From this institution, she earned both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering.Currently, Dr. Alleyne is a Research General Engineer at the USDA investigating thermal storage and renewable energy sources for agricultural communities. She has served in a myriad of leadership roles in her community and non-profit boards including, but not limited to, Outreach, Diversity and Equal Opportunity Committee (ODEO), School Site Council (SSC), Community Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC), Black Graduate Engineering and Science Students Association (BGESS), and CalGirlS. She is also a wife and mother of four children. When she is not working, spending time with her family, and volunteering at her church, Dr. Alleyne is actively engaged in her community as an Education Advocate, advocating for education equity and empowering parents and students to pursue quality public education.

Terra Doby, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Senior Fellow 

Terra Doby, a Bay Area Native, has contributed the last decade to training, teaching, and promoting underrepresented people in the Eden, and county seat of Alameda County (San Leandro, Hayward, and Oakland). Her earliest work was spent advocating for workforce opportunities for urban youth endorsed by Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley. She too spent this time collaborating with agencies throughout Alameda County to provide services to students in the foster care system. Four years ago, she transitioned from non-for-profit work to the educational sector. Doby currently is employed as a Response to Interventionist (RtI) and SST Coordinator for a needy elementary school within the Oakland Unified School District.

Her freshmen year of college, as an intern for Ninth District House of Representative, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, she gained greater insight on the laborious, but rewarding task of politics. Now, years later she is undoubtedly excited to continue this effort. She will do so by merging her love of education and advocacy within a policy making framework. 

T. Doby holds a BA in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential, and is diligently finishing her M.Ed in Urban Education from Holy Names University.

Nicole Henderson, 2016 DWJ Public Policy Fellow 

Nicole Henderson received her B.A. in Political Science and M.A. and credential  i​n Special Education ​from San Francisco State University. With a passion for public service, Nicole currently works for San Francisco Unified School District as an Education Specialist, serving students in grades K-12 with Mild/Moderate disabilities.  Nicole has a special interest in  Education Policy reform especially as it concerns working with children and families in foster care and how to manage the system to better serves students of color.​

Simone Thelemaque, inaugural 2015 cohort & 2016 Senior Fellow

Serving as the new BWOPA Oakland / Berkeley Chapter Vice President, Simone has over 10 years of experience in community engagement, self-love, advocacy and policy analysis, with emphasis around housing and development in Oakland, CA.

In November of 2015, she founded “Table 4 All” which is a food redistribution company fighting hunger in Alameda County. Table 4 All delivers unconsumed and edible food from events and meetings to local agencies assisting people without a place to call home. Food is NOT waste!  Since November, Table 4 All has fed over 1,500 people and hope to triple the number by 2017.

Currently, she is in working toward earning her Bachelor's in two areas of discipline: Organizational Psychology and Women's Studies at Cal State East Bay transferring in the Fall 2016 from Merritt College.  Her academic goal include earning her Masters in Public Policy.  I am an OUT AND PROUD nontraditional student, LGBTQ activist and lovingly intentionally enjoying the responsibilities of parenting her seven year old daughter.   She loves her job as studio coordinator at Gensler and enjoy the intersections of art, architecture, responsibility to the community, responsibility to myself and all the many steps in between. 

 Daisy Ozim, Inaugural 2015 cohort & 2016 DWJ Public Policy Senior Fellow

Daisy Ozim, is the Community Engagement Coordinator at TAYSF and the creator of Resilient Wellness, a health education programmed designed to end the cycles of multi-generational trauma in communities of color and the owner of 13th Goddess, a professional clothing line made from AfroLatina patterns. She has been involved in community based outreach and advocacy and civic youth engagement, since her late teens. As a seasoned health advocate, based in San Francisco bay area, she's a fierce proponent of health and wellness as well as decolonizing all aspects of the public sector. She has studied and obtained degree's in Human Biology and Behavioral and Social sciences as well as Public Health.  On top of that, she has dedicated time outside of her advocacy life to train in holistic health. She has worked on several issues including, health care quality for young women, public health implications of police violence, increasing visibility of self-care for social justice advocates and political empowerment for young women.

Nikki Thompson, Esq.  2016 DWJ Public Policy Senior Fellow

Nikki Thompson, Esq. is currently the Special Adviser to the Executive Director and President of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where she assists on issues regarding voting rights, criminal justice reform, fair housing, education, and judicial diversity. Prior to, Nikki was a Congressional Aide for Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD-8), where she worked on similar issues. She serves on the Social Justice Committee for the National Bar Association's Young Lawyers' Division and was named one of "2016 DMV Top 30 under 30." She is a 2015 graduate of Howard University School of Law and received her B.S. in Journalism from the University of Florida in 2012. Nikki is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.