Our Healing Partners
Our national partners have dedicated years of service and commitment to people of African descent, focusing on equity and justice. As change agents, they have improved the lives of thousands of individuals, families, and communities; and they have extensive experience achieving successful outcomes. Read about the organizations below.
Syda Taylor
Executive Director
Syda Taylor is founder and Executive
director of Organic Oneness and has 25 years working with Black and Latinx communities in Chicago. Syda received an M.A. in Community Development and Social Justice and a B.S. in Kinesiology.
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Organic Oneness
Organic Oneness is a grassroots social justice organization in Chicago that mobilizes communities to pursue systemic change, healing, and wellness, foregrounding Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
Chicago, Illinois
Dr. Bahia Overton
Executive Director
Bahia Overton, PhD has 17 years of experience in mental health and education policy. She is recognized for her work in amplifying the voices of Black/African American people and children in foster care.
Black Parent Initiative
The Black Parent Initiative mission is to educate and mobilize the parents and caregivers of African, African American and African American multi-cultural children to ensure they achieve success.
Portland, Oregon
Mario Rolle
Director
Mario Rolle is the Director of HAAC, promoting health and wellness for persons of African Ancestry living in Nova Scotia. He has degrees in Criminology and Sociology from St. Mary's University. He also has a Bachelors and Masters in Social Work from Delahousie University.
Health Association of African Canadians
Health Association of African Canadians addresses African Canadian health issues and the system inequities affecting their health
Nova Scotia, Canada
Jerome Underwood
President and CEO
Jerome Underwood is an activist and leader. He employs over 400 staff whom work with the communityto achieve self-sufficiency. He holds an MBA in Finance from Rochester Institute of Technology and a BS in Accounting from St. John Fisher College.
Action for a Better Community
Rochester, New York
Action for a Better Community is a Community Action Agency that promotes and provides opportunities for low-income individuals and families to become self-sufficient.
Jamico Elder
Executive Director
Jamico Elder earned degrees from Tuskeegee University and Harvard University. Under his leadership, Avalon Carver has doubled its size and expanded programs including an on-site Youth Build High School and transitional age youth shelter with 150 beds.
Avalon Carver
Avalon Carver works to care got the metal, physical, and spiritual needs of individuals and families through education, community outreach, and empowerment.
Los Angeles, California
Dr. Monique LaSarre
Executive Director
Dr. Monique LeSarre has over 20+ years of higher education, clinical and non-profit experience
and believes that in order to create individual and community healing, it is most effective to work on multiple levels of the system, beginning with individuals, families, and groups, and on academic, training, research, advocacy, and policy levels.
Rafiki Coalition
San Francisco, California
Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness
works to reduce health inequities and increase wellness in San Francisco’s Black/African American and marginalized communities.
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