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BLAYD Board
Commitment to Our Movement
Jelani Hendrix
President
Jelani Hendrix was born and raised in Fresno, California. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue his degree in Pan-African studies at Cal State Los Angeles where he participated in student activism and organizing. Jelani is a community advocate who strives to bridge the gap between grassroots community advocacy, progressive policy, and electoral politics. He worked as a youth organizer at Community Coalition and also worked in their civic engagement component. At the Social Justice Learning Institute, Jelani became the director of the Policy & Advocacy Division and played a pivotal role in adopting a rent control ordinance for the City of Inglewood. Jelani also worked at SEIU Local 2015 as the Special Assistant to the President. He currently serves as President of the Black Los Angeles Young Democrats (BLAYD).
Shianne Winston
Vice President
Coming soon...
Kirk Samuels
Secretary
Kirk is a dedicated, committed, and deeply passionate community activist and organizer who serves as the Director of Civic Engagement for Community Coalition. He has led over 25 campaigns over his career, contacting over 200,000 Black and Brown voters in South Los Angeles. Kirk has also led teams of community members to advocate for legislative change in Sacramento. He has also led multiracial, County-wide alliances to advocate for Hard to County (HTC) Census Enumeration and Fair and Equitable Redistricting boundaries. Lastly, Kirk has trained hundreds upon hundreds of outreach workers and volunteers on how to phone bank, canvass, facilitate, publicly speak, and advocate for change on behalf of the interest of their community. Kirk is deeply convicted by his work and takes great passion in empowering his community to realize the power they possess as voters.
Sade Elhawary
Treasurer
Sade is a fun-loving free-spirit who loves new adventures– 38 countries and counting! When she’s not jetsetting around the world, Sade invests her energy in the fight for justice and liberation both in her career and in her personal life, having served as a femme-/mentor to countless young folks, foster mother in a time of crisis, college counselor at her alma mater, youth organizer in South Central, and educator in Brooklyn. Standing on the shoulders of generations before her, Sade is immensely proud of being Community Coalition’s Director of Strategic Initiatives where she is charged with establishing an unprecedented Center for Community Organizing in South Los Angeles to train and support activists for the social justice movement. Growing up in LA as the eldest daughter of Egyptian and Guatemalan immigrants from Muslim and Christian families, Sade is a multilingual Black Bruin and Harvard alum who never forgets where she came from.
Brandon Lamar
At Large (Pasadena)
Brandon D. Lamar is a proud native of Pasadena, California. He has developed strategies and advises brands and communities on innovative ways to educate, engage and activate organizations to solve social issues surrounding Millennials.
Diandre "Dr. Dee" Bremond
At Large (Leimert Park)
Dr. Diandra “Dee” Bremond is a gubernatorial appointee serving as the Panel Chair for the Cannabis Control Appeals Panel. Additionally, Dr. Dee is an adjunct lecturer in the MSW and DSW programs in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California. Additionally, Dr. Dee runs a consulting practice where she provides strategic planning, advisory counsel, curriculum development, outreach and development for non profits, government entities and startups.
Christian Green
At Large (Antelope Valley)
Born in a prison cell to an incarcerated mother and a father unknown, Christian D. Green has overcome many obstacles rare, atypical and uncommon to others. Christian David Green is a first generation, former foster youth, non-traditional graduate from the Antelope Valley, specifically Lancaster, California. Christian graduated spring 2016 from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in African American Studies. And then Graduated with his M.A. in African American Studies spring 2018. Currently serves as a national ambassador on the U.S. Truth Racial Healing and Transformation Coalition(US TRHT) and serves as the Campaign Coordinator for Cancel the Contract A.V. In 2018, he also released his first book - Uncovering Your Worth: From Legal Custody to UCLA which has allowed Christian to speak all over the nation about his own adventure within the child welfare system while advocating for the lives and legacies of future generations.
Kristin Nimmers
At Large (West L.A)
Kristin Nimmers currently serves as Policy and Campaign Manager for the California Black Power Network. She works with organizations across the state to engage in public advocacy on issues most impacting Black communities, provides policy and outreach training, and helps to coordinate civic engagement programs. Prior to joining the Network, Kristin worked with California Calls' Black Census & Redistricting Hub to engage Black communities in the Census and advocate on behalf of Black communities of interest in the redistricting process. Kristin is a Coro Fellow and has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Communication from Humboldt State University, as well as a Juris Doctor from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento with a concentration in Capital Lawyering and Public Policy.
LaQuisha Anderson
At Large (Compton/ Long Beach)
LaQuisha Anderson is an advocate for public education, children and families. LaQuisha is a small business owner and a dedicated volunteer to organizations like AYSO Soccer Region 1031 and the Precious Unique Women’s Foundation.
Maurice Johnson
Board Liaison (Carson)
Maurice Johnson is passionate about social justice, equity, community development and strives to change the political system from within. He currently serves as legislative deputy for Councilmember Harris-Dawson, and formerly, in the office of Sen. Kamala D. Harris.