The time for intentional activism and advocacy was yesterday, help us catch up.
Travis L. Williams, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Sociology, University of California Santa Cruz, 2013
tlwilliams3@vcu.edu
(804) 828-6358
Founders Hall Education
Dr. Travis L. Williams is a brilliant educator, writer, advocate and activist. A Professor of Sociology at VCU, Dr.Williams created an annual enviornmental justice centered event called Racialized Ecologies in an attempt to bring to the surface the egregious acts on continued injustices within governmental sectors and nonprofits. Dr. Williams is very intentional in his efforts to break down barriers in a myriad of social justice areas such as gebder and sexuality, race, political economy, labor and social class and social policy. Dr.. Williams is no stranger to discrimination and is being very intentional in being instrumental in vocalizing the harms of modern day slavery and racism.
Chioma Adaku-Griffin
Social Change Agent
Chioma Adaku-Griffin is a social change agent and Black History Preservationist. She founded and directs Traffik Stops, a Organization that raises awareness about human trafficking. She also owns and operates a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math franchise, Engineering for Kids. As a international social change agent, she has championed campaigns regarding implanting a Living Wage in Tennessee and solidarity Fair Trade and Globalization. She taught a course on the Contraband Slaves at Hampton University. She also founded an organization Philanthropy Partners, where she connects Celebrities to their Communities. This organization is currently being managed by her son. As an author and inspirational speaker, she has written books on politics, surviving domestic violence, and the impact on the Jim Crow Era in the Black community. . Her work is intentional because it empowers people through raising awareness or educating the masses about issues that are not commonly known or addressed.
Queen Zakia Shabazz
United Parents Against Lead and Other Environmental Hazards
https://www.upal.org/
Revolutionary, Mother, Queen
Queen Shabazz, an educator and Founder and President of United Parents Against Lead and other Environmental Hazards (UPAL),has single handedly spearheaded the charge on lead in the state of Virginia. Queen began her advocacy after she discovered that her son had been poisoned by lead. Immediately she took an aggressive role on fighting the lead epidemic in the state. Educating parents, testing paint and water she wanted to do all that she could to ensure that another child would not have to suffer from the effects of lead poison which is 100% preventable. Her advocacy would later cost her profession in 2017 after testing water fountains in Richmond Public Schools that water was found to have elevated levels of lead. In 2018 Queen was hired on to be the Coordinator of the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative, where she has helped grow the membership to well over 26 environmental organizations who are charged with doing intentional work on environmental justice and policy.
Nneka H. Bartlett, QMHP-A
TIDEWATER COUNSELING GROUP, LLC
12695 MCMANUS BLVD BLDG 7B
NEWPORT NEWS, VA 23602-4476
Phone: 757-753-6399
Walking in her authoritive purpose.
A NATURAL BORN LEADER is known to walk within his or her own authority with INTEGRITY, FAITH IN A HIGHER POWER & WITHOUT FEAR. She who is a LEADER does not fret with Buffoons, fear STANDING ALONE nor BATTLING for what her CORE VALUES salutes as: FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS while acknowledging PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS. One who knowingly stands amongst those engaging in DEVIANT behaviors/activities with a silent disposition is one of a puppeteer nature (WEAK). I STAND ALONE, I FEAR NO MAN, I AM SELF-MADE. The aforementioned has governed my Mental Tenacity to have ABSOLUTELY NO REGARDS for the opinions of those who does not know: me, my life driven purpose or my fundamental values/principles. Politics have taught me that: there is no permanent associate or enemy. In 1999, Maxine Waters showed me how to be a Proud Woman of Color who EXUDES HER EXCELLENCE THROUGH HELPING OTHER; and not through WHAT THE OTHER-SIDE BELIEVES. I was taught that your presence should command the attention of a room and not your voice. I was shown how to lead through actions and not verbiage. I am the one that the: Brave, Intellectual, Evolutionist and COMMUNITY SERVANTS call to the table when it is time for: Transparency, Accountability, Behavior Modification, Critical Thinking & FACT BASED ADVOCACY.
MY PRESENCE IS SUMMONED, I DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN AUDITIONS. I am the truth and I have never begged to belong or fit in. I DON’T join cliques, if I needed to belong I would have became a LOS ANGELES CRIP in the 1990’s. People of character love me. Weak people despise me. I can only be me.
Lorraine Wright
I VOTE FOR ME
“Change starts with being truthful—with ourselves, with others—about the actual state of things.”
Lorraine Wright is a native New Yorker and the CEO / Executive Director of I Vote For Me, a Richmond-based Non Profit. IVFM focuses on Self-Advocacy in the spaces of Social Justice and the protection of Human Rights. Lorraine earned her Masters Certificate in Project Management from the George Washington University, School of Business in 2005. I Vote For Me sits on the Coordinating Committee of and is an organizational member of the national Dignity in Schools Campaign. Lorraine is a Certified Facilitator with the Virginia Center for Restorative Justice. Lastly and most importantly, she is the parent of 2 AMAZINGLY AWESOME children, who are on the path to becoming conscientious Freedom Fighters just like their mom!
Kandise Lucas aka Ethiopian Epiphany
Advocates for Equity in Schools
https://www.facebook.com/AdvocatesForEquityInSchools/
www.schedulicity.com/scheduling/AFEEBY
https://www.facebook.com/Kandise-Lucas-For-School-Board-Varina-District-2319509248316224/
A modern-day abolitionist agitator, that fights oppression, injustice, and corruption.
Kandise Lucas, a former chemist for Phillip Morris is now the founder of Advocates for Equity in Schools. Advocates For Equity In Schools is a grassroots organization that seeks to encourage, educate, and empower stakeholders in our communities and the save children from the egregious policies that prevent access to IEP's and 504 components. Kandise is a modern day herione who constantly puts herself on the line for our most precious commodity, our children. Jailed severl times for fearlessly refusing to be bullied by school officials she stood her ground to protect our children and their families. Kandise is currently running for school board in the Varina district and has been endorsed by One City One Voice and #WeAreNotDividedVa.
Mr.Paul Taylor aka Taylor Paul
Founder S.A.N.I.T.Y. Project
Co-Founder RVA League for Safer Streets
In 1994 Paul Taylor was sentenced to life plus 26 years in prison in which he served 23 consecutive years before being released on parloe in 2017. While on the inside he co-facilitated all of the Virginia Department of Corrections state mandated programs in Re-Entry. He created his own program called the S.A.N.I.T.Y Project and co-founded RVA League for safer streets with partner Jawad Abdu. This unorthodox urban city basketball league was geared towards high crime areas in Richmond, Va., has been credited with reducing violence and crime and bringing harmony between communities that stood at odds for years prior. Taylor states "Unconventional behaviorisms cause for unconventional strategies." Before every game there are workshops on conflict resolution, problem solving and criitical thinking giving these ment the tools they need to be positive, productive citizens in their communities.