State Senator Holly Mitchell
A third-generation native Angeleno, Sen. Holly J. Mitchell is the proud daughter of career public servants and the protégé of community leaders who instilled in her a passion for service. Mitchell, the mother of a 19-year-old son, has devoted her professional life to creating a California where ALL children thrive. She continued her family legacy of leadership when she was named the first African American to chair the powerful Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.
Marcela Howell- President
Marcela Howell is the founder and President of the In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, a national-state partnership with eight Black women’s Reproductive Justice organizations with a goal of lifting up the voices of Black leaders on reproductive rights, health and justice. An advocate and policy strategist, Ms. Howell is recognized for her expertise in strategic communications, leadership development, and policy forecasting. With over 35 years of experience advocating for women’s rights, reproductive justice and women’s empowerment, she is devoted to enhancing the role of Black women in national policy debates on issues that impact their lives.
Jess jacobs- Actress
Jess Jacobs is an actress, producer and advocate known for her work supporting women’s rights and in media and entertainment. She is co-founder of the New York-based, women-led creative development and production company, Invisible Pictures, with a focus on underrepresented stories and a mandate for authenticity defined as: "nothing about us without us." Invisible has premiered work at Cannes Film Festival and SXSW, among other festivals, and will release a film and a series this year. As an actress, Jess was award-nominated for her star turn in the indie film, BUTTERFLY CAUGHT and has two projects in development. Jess is one of Real Leader Magazine’s 100 Visionary Leaders (2018) and was the recipient of the Future is Female award at the International Conference on Family Planning, the largest global convening on family planning, for her work as an advocate and philanthropist. She is on the board of Rooftop Films and has been featured in Variety, Huffington Post, Teen Vogue, ImpactAlpha and Forbes, among others.
mike peters- director/writer
Mike Peters is a director, screenwriter, and producer. He studied under Screenwriter Robert Engels (Twin Peaks) at Cal State Fullerton. Mike started his screenwriting career by selling a screenplay fresh out of college named Killing Al Davis to Sweeting Independent Films. Mike has since been a finalist in various screenplay competitions including Screencraft's Comedy Screenplay Contest and Story Pros International Screenplay Contest.
Heather shumaker- senior counsel
Heather Shumaker is Senior Counsel for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women’s Law Center. She works to advance state laws and policies that protect reproductive rights and promote access to comprehensive health care. Prior to joining the Center, Heather was the State Policy Director at the National Abortion Federation and the Senior Public Affairs Director for Planned Parenthood Keystone. She is a graduate of Sweet Briar College and the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. She also holds an L.L.M. from the George Washington University School of Law, where she studied international human rights law, and an M.A. from King’s College of the University of London.
Ravina daphtary- Director of state strategies
Ravina Daphtary is the Director of State Strategies at All* Above All, a campaign that aims to lift bans on abortion coverage including the federal Hyde Amendment. She oversees the campaign’s state and local advocacy, working with partners to develop and launch innovative strategies for abortion coverage advocacy that include organizing, communications, and proactive policy advocacy. Prior to her time with the All* Above All campaign, Ravina helped advance reproductive rights, health, and justice in Arkansas and Mississippi, where she advocated against a number of threats to reproductive autonomy and organized youth in both states. She holds a B.S. in Economics from New York University and an M.A. in Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She lives in her hometown of Philadelphia and can show you all the good places to eat.
Molly Watson- senior development manager
Molly Watson is the daughter of a Haitian immigrant and a hippie from the South, but she grew up in Southern California. After seven years in Brooklyn, NY, Molly joined Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign) 2017 and is now the Senior Development Manager for fundraising and partner outreach. While in NY, she worked as an Advocate and Academic Coordinator at Harlem Children’s Zone and spent three years fundraising for an independent community hospital in downtown Brooklyn. Molly earned a BA in Afro-Ethnic Studies from CSU Fullerton and studied Urban Affairs at CUNY Hunter in Manhattan, NY. Molly is an Alum of Emerge California and a Board member for the Black Women's Democratic Club of California.
ajia munns- actress
Ajia Munns is known as a force on screen. The captivating actress was born in Cleveland, OH and raised in Dallas, TX, Ajia has the opportunity to explore deeper into the world of performing arts working as a model/actress. She studied at Second City School of improvisation in Hollywood, CA, and finished the two year Meisner conservatory program at the Ruskin School of Acting in Santa Monica, CA. Her performances have taught her the power of art & her responsibility to truth. In every project, Ajia strives to build strong relationships & learn new aspects of her craft. She has booked stage, web, film, and television projects since her move to Los Angeles. If there is one word to describe her, it would be passionate. The dynamic actress has taken the industry by storm.
Nourbese Flint - executive Director
Nourbese Flint serves as the Policy Director at Black Women for Wellness (BWW) and the Executive Director of Black Women for Wellness Action Project. Here she uses her skill set in policy, and civic engagement and her background in health to decrease systemic and institutional barriers that exasperate health disparities seen in women of color. Currently, Black Women for Wellness Action Project is the only black women’s reproductive justice 501c4 organization in the Country.
Before joining BWW, Nourbese studied women’s health in both Spain and Cuba and journalism in Scotland. Nourbese’s communication background includes serving as Communication Director for the Center of Women’s Health and Human Rights, as well as reporting for KPFK evening news. In addition, Nourbese has a Masters of Arts in Women’s Health from Suffolk University, where she specialized in health disparities as it relates to media influence.