2023 Fellows
Abdoulaye Ba
Fellow, New York
He/Him
Abdoulaye Ba is a Senegalese-born organizer and writer. Throughout his career, he’s worked for non-profits, academic research centers, Congress members, state legislators, and now manages the institutional giving program at United We Dream, the nation's largest immigrant youth network.
Courtney Body
Fellow, Mississippi
She/Her
A native of Carthage, Mississippi, Courtney N. Body is a social justice advocate and organizer fighting for equity and justice in Mississippi. Beginning advocacy work in 2015 with Better Schools Better Jobs, she has continued her activism by volunteering with the NAACP and working at One Voice where she serves as the Advocacy Coordinator.
Caressa Bossa
Fellow, Oklahoma
She/Her
Caressa was born into a Ugandan family in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She studied biology and psychology at Oklahoma State University before working with organizations such as Reading Partners, Kids Against Hunger, and the Tulsa Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. She is currently serving as the community outreach associate for Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, where she focuses on criminal justice reform and mental health reform.
Dynasty Davidson
Fellow, Kentucky
She/Her
Dynasty "Dy” Davidson began organizing on May 28, 2020 to protest the unjust and tragic death of Breonna Taylor. Since then, she’s worked on political campaigns (Charles Booker/Hood to the Holler), sat on boards (Kentucky Alliance, AOUON KY), and started her own grassroots organization, Justice4Louisville to achieve collective justice.
Marcus Jackson
Fellow, Kentucky
He/Him
Marcus Jackson is a formerly incarcerated Kentuckian and long-time criminal justice reform advocate. He worked for the ACLU of Kentucky and Louisville Urban League’s Reily Expungement Clinic before founding his own organization, Advocacy Based on Lived Experience (ABLE), and becoming vice chair of the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
Jarret Luter
Fellow, Louisiana
He/Him
Jarret Luter is a graduate of the Southern University and A&M College, where he currently works as a professor of history. He serves as the NAACP Baton Rouge (LA) branch's Political Action Chair, where he actively participates in voter registration drives and hosts local candidate forums.
Sharon Mcclure
Fellow, Alabama
She/Her
Sharon McClure was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and she worked in the healthcare field for over 30 years until becoming deputy director of Faith and Works Collective. She is passionate about voter registration, building Black political power, and expanding the (re)Vote Black Church Community Voter Project, which would help create 300 Civic Engagement Ministries in Black Churches across Alabama.
Melissa Overton
Fellow, Mississippi
She/Her
Melissa Overton is the special projects and community outreach coordinator for the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable. Prior to working with MS Black Women’s Roundtable, Melissa worked as an assistant director of a childcare center, supervising agents in the customer service industry, and as an administrative assistant.
Sergio Ruben Martinez
Fellow, Oklahoma
He/Him
Sergio Ruben Martinez was born to Mexican parents in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Having served as the president of the Student Government Association at Oklahoma City Community College and regional field director for Kendra Horn’s 2022 senatorial campaign, Sergio has a passion for reaching marginalized communities through targeted and timely outreach and expanding representation for Latinos in the Oklahoma state government.