The Ella Baker Center & The Ella Baker Center Acton Fund are proud to sponsor the Civic Leader Hub Program. A 6-week program focused on building power with those most impacted by the system. We are working to build political power with and among low-propensity voters who are generally left out of voter engagement efforts. We believe the people closest to the issues are also the closest to the solutions.
2026 Civic Leaders
Awura Amani Dzidzornu
I am Awura Amani Dzidzornu, raised in Richmond, California. I am a mother of three, a grandmother, a certified dental assistant, and a proud graduate of the Richard Boyd Fellowship Class of 2023. I also serve on the Participant Advisory Board at Rubicon Programs, where I use my voice and experiences to support and uplift others in my community.
As a formerly incarcerated woman, my journey has come with many challenges, but I refuse to let my past define my future. From my perspective, every obstacle I have faced has strengthened my determination to grow, succeed, and lead by example. My goal is to become a respected pillar in my career and community while helping break the stigma and barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals.
Princess Modupe Alli
Princess Modupe Alli is an Oakland native, artist, environmental advocate, and community organizer who founded SNE Cares in 2021 at the age of 24 after witnessing the impact COVID-19 had on youth and families in her community. What began as gardening with neighborhood youth in her low-income apartment complex grew into a youth-led nonprofit rooted in healing, creativity, and access.
SNE Cares is proudly youth-led, with many programs shaped directly by the voices and needs of participating youth. Princess is committed to being the kind of supportive adult she did not always have growing up, creating opportunities, resources, and safe spaces for communities that are often overlooked and underserved.
She is also the founder of Second Nature Elements, a Certified Green Business focused on sustainability, self-healing, and artistic expression. Through culturally responsive arts education, mutual aid, and healing-centered programming, Princess creates spaces where everyone’s voices are centered and communities can grow, connect, and thrive.
Clinton Moore
Clinton Moore, 38, is a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor (CATC-II), Workforce Development Specialist, 40×40 People’s Advisory Council member, Reentry Ambassador with Excel Network, community activist, recovery advocate, and life coach. He brings extensive
experience in individual and group counseling, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, and comprehensive treatment planning.
With more than 10 years of experience serving diverse populations in institutional settings, Clinton has worked primarily with individuals facing co-occurring disorders. His professional approach is grounded in empathy, trust-building, and person-centered care, enabling him to connect effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences.
Clinton holds an Associate Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and is currently pursuing
a B.A. in Psychology at San Francisco State University. He is also the recipient of the 2025 Love
Does academic scholarship and the founder of the Critical Engagement Book Club. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience , Clinton is deeply committed to advancing recovery, reentry, and community empowerment. After spending 14 years incarcerated within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, he has dedicated his life to transforming that experience into meaningful service and systems impact.
Through his work, he seeks to uplift individuals, families, and communities
EJ Jordan
EJ Jordan is a Richmond, California native and CEO of DBM (DATBOYMEDIA Productions). Since 2012, EJ has been using media as a platform to amplify community voices through broadcasting, radio, documentaries, and storytelling. He has produced shows for two Bay Area radio stations, blending meaningful conversations with comedy, music from both mainstream and independent artists, and positive commentary that informs and uplifts listeners.
EJ is actively involved in community advocacy and leadership initiatives, including Safe Return Richmond, Re-Imagine Richmond, BCLI (Boards, Commissions, Leadership Institute), and PAB/Rubicon Richmond’s Participant Advisory Board. His passion is centered on using media, short films, documentaries, and storytelling to create authentic and accurate narratives that uplift Black and Brown communities while inspiring social awareness, empowerment, and change.
Brenda Bowers
My name is Brenda Bowers, and I am 38 years old. I am formerly incarcerated, having spent the last 18 years of my life in prison. I grew up in Los Angeles, California, where poverty did not ask for permission, gangs were prevalent, and violence was normalized. As a youth, I struggled deeply and was repeatedly in and out of juvenile hall and camp. I was the young girl who believed the gang lifestyle would protect me and give me a sense of belonging.
Throughout my incarceration, I found my voice, my purpose, and my reason to evolve. I began to confront the trauma I had kept hidden for most of my life and started the process of transforming myself into the woman I am today. My experiences taught me accountability, resilience, and the importance of healing.
Since reintegrating back into society, I have worked hard to become a productive member of my community. For the first time in my life, I have worked for the things I want and have dedicated myself to making amends and creating a better future. I am currently a registered counselor and working toward becoming a certified SUD (Substance Use Disorder) counselor.
My passion is helping others who feel voiceless, unheard, or trapped by their circumstances. Because of my own lived experiences, I hope to work with at-risk youth and women returning home from incarceration, offering support, guidance, and hope. I want to be the voice and example that I once needed myself — proof that transformation, healing, and redemption are possible.