Meet the Fellows
Join us in celebrating the 2023-24 Black to the Future Public Policy Institute Fellows! Get to know the newest cohort joining Black to the Future Lab’s powerful network of more than 90 Institute alumni committed to building independent, Black political power.
The cohort brings together a wealth of experience in the areas of democracy and voting rights; the economy and economic security; families, public health and healthcare; structural barriers; and the criminal-legal system.
Every year, we ask fellows to reflect upon the following question: “What does your Black Future look like?”
*Illustrations by Alixa Garcia. Follow Alixa Garcia here.
Young Women’s Freedom Center
California
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/California-Davis-Dominique-300x300.jpg)
Dominique Davis
My Black future looks like freedom for Black people.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/California-Eboney-Ellis-300x300.jpg)
Eboney Ellis
My Black future looks like success!
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/California-LaQuisha-Johnson-300x300.jpg)
Laquisha Johnson
My Black future embodies true freedom, justice, and empowerment for generations to come.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/California-De-Anna-Pittman-300x300.jpg)
De Anna Pittman
My Black future will be full of life affirming institutions, practices, and people.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/California-Abigail-Richards-300x300.jpg)
Abigail Richards
My Black future is the global liberation of Black women and trans folks of all genders, where we are all truly free as defined by us.
New Georgia Project
Georgia
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Georgia-Grace-Elijah-300x300.jpg)
Elijah Grace
My Black future looks like higher Black participation in the voting process and more Black YOUTH engagement in community programs.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Georgia-James-Mays-300x300.jpg)
James Mays
My Black future looks like economic freedom.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Georgia-Sean-Mims-300x300.jpg)
Sean Mims
My Black future is a Georgia where people are financially healthy, working and providing for themselves without worry.
Change Today, Change Tomorrow
Kentucky
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Kentuky-Clarke-Julianna-300x300.jpg)
Julianna Clarke
My Black future looks like everyone having access to the resources they need and thriving.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Kentuky-Icyreen-Ford-300x300.jpg)
Icyreen Ford
My Black future is full of peace.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Kentuky-Taylor-Ryan-300x300.jpg)
Taylor Ryan
My Black future is safe, self sustaining and rich in community.
Mississippi Votes
Mississippi
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mississippi-Tiara-James-2--300x300.jpg)
Tiara James
My Black future looks like being in a world where all Black communities are heard and treated fairly in this political world.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mississippi-Karanja-Matory-300x300.jpg)
Karanja Matory
My Black Future looks like everyone around me elevating and striving in their endeavors.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/mississippi-Williams-Hannah--300x300.jpg)
Hannah Williams
My Black future looks equitable, in housing, economics, education, and electorally.
One Voice
Mississippi
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mississippi-Christin-Calloway-300x300.jpg)
Christin Calloway
My Black future is limitless!
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/mississippi-Griffin-Anastasia--300x300.jpg)
Anastasia Griffin
My Black future is eliminating social and economic injustice to empower voices that have been traditionally silenced and to place more Black people in positions of power to invoke change throughout their communities and beyond.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mississippi-Catherine-Robinson--300x300.jpg)
Catherine Robinson
My Black future looks like opportunities that are abundant and I’m thriving for my children.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/mississippi-Roby-Kyra--300x300.jpg)
Kyra Roby
My Black future is freedom, opportunity, and abundance from generation to generation.
Emancipate NC
North Carolina
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/North-Carolina-Blagrove-Dawn-300x300.jpg)
Dawn Blagrove
My Black future is unobstructed self actualization for ALL Black people.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/North-Carolina-Cobb-Cierra--300x300.jpg)
Cierra Cobb
My Black future looks like a future of hope and opportunity.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/North-CArolina-Kerwin-Pittman-300x300.jpg)
Kerwin Pittman
My Black future looks like Black Excellence thriving to its fullest capacity in every space, absent of confusion.
Salvation and Social Justice
New Jersey
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/New-Jersey-Charley-Crystal--300x300.jpg)
Crystal Charley
My Black future is the realization of full liberation, particularly in Black maternal health, having eradicated anti-Blackness in healthcare delivery, restoring our Afro-indigenous birthing culture of care, yielding safe, equitable birthing spaces, and favorable outcomes for Black mothers and babies to thrive.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/New-Jersey-Jared-Hunter-300x300.jpg)
Jared Hunter
My Black future looks like protection and provision for all of our people by all of our people.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/New-Jersey-Lee-Shadura-300x300.jpg)
Shadura Lee
My Black future looks like acknowledging my humanity holistically, without colonization.
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/New-Jersey-Romans-Henry-Raquel-300x300.jpg)
Racquel Romans-Henry
My Black future is unapologetically bold, bright and brilliant.
Black to the Future Public Policy Institute Trainers
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/BPI-Alicia-Garza-BPI--300x300.jpg)
Alicia Garza
Charleston Area Justice Ministry
South Carolina
![New Jersey- Romans-Henry, Raquel](https://blackfutureslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/BPI-Katherine-Grainger--300x300.jpg)