Angela L. Brown obtained her Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center.  As a student she participated in the development of the first secondary law journal at a Louisiana state university:  The Journal of Race, Gender, and Poverty. 

Ms. Brown attended Southeastern Louisiana University where she obtained her B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in English and Philosophy. She also has a minor in Spanish.  Prior to moving to Louisiana, Ms. Brown spent almost ten years working for the Los Angeles Police Department in a civilian capacity. Although Ms. Brown is a native of California, her roots run deep in the Gulf Coast spanning more than 100 years of history.

Nikki Demetria Thanos is a New Orleans-based Popular Educator and attorney who believes in building strong, base-level social movements to fight for racial and economic justice.  From 2000-2005, she lived in Latin America, working to strengthen cross-border organizing on drug and trade policies.  Nikki is the co-author of "Trouble in Paradise: Globalization and Environmental Crises in Latin America" and created the puppet-theater production, The Drug War Roadshow, in 2006.  She sits on the Boards of the New Orleans Food and Farm Network, the Louisiana Chapter of the National Lawyers' Guild, and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship.  Nikki also loves dancing, making art and experimenting in her garden. Nikki received her law degree from Loyola University Law School at New Orleans.

Hannah grew up in Portland Oregon and currently attends school at Pomona College where she majors in environmental analysis with a focus on environmental justice.

In 2010 she worked with the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice in Riverside, California organizing a faculty summit with universities in the area, compiling interviews with community members to document histories, and creating a feasibility report on incorporating art and Theater of the Oppressed with environmental justice goals.  In the summer of 2010 Hannah was awarded a Mellon fellowship to research the extent of public access to planning processes for underserved communities in Portland’s “River Plan,” and the environmental justice implications of the lack of community collaboration. 

Hannah just returned from six months in South Africa where she studied film and “globalization and the environment” at the University of Cape Town. While there, she researched and produced a report on the impact of city craft policies on local craft producers.  She is very excited to be joining the Moving Forward team this summer!

Knowledge Is Born January 6, 1989. Growing up in what some may consider the Mecca of modern day music New Orleans, LA. Former employee of Louisiana’s Recovery School District now President of Uplifting Entertainment, an entertainment company that specializes in events, live performances, musical & poetic recordings, youth organizing and stage plays. He also is a recording artist. Has been an active community organizer with organizations such as The Fyre Youth Squad, and Safe Streets Strong Communities.

August 1, 2009 he founded Artistry~N~Motion Inc. Artistry~N~Motion is a collective group of Artists in Motion creating images, media, songs and movements to inspire Positive Life Outcomes in young people from ages 10-25. Monthly participating Artist choose topics or issues and develop media pieces and performances that express their opinions and ideals about the issue. (Monthly Artistic instructors offer suggestions of possible topics but Artist have a choice to produce the pieces or performances they desire)

Lyndon David Jones, a writer, entrepreneur and community leader, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1979. At an early age, he was taught the value of service to his community, and the importance of self-actualization in overcoming the toxic beliefs of one’s past to rebuild stronger families and communities. 
 

As the son of a pastor and dedicated social worker, Lyndon’s mother and father instilled in him the value of spiritual growth and service to his community. His father, the late Reverend Dr. Eric Jones of the First African Baptist Church in New Orleans, provided spiritual guidance and inspiration to his family, friends, congregation, and the surrounding community. Lyndon was active in his father’s church and served as the Youth Department Leader for many years. He regularly participated in church conventions, events, and community service activities such as visiting local nursing homes. 

As a child and young adult, Lyndon witnessed firsthand the impact of abusive relationships, fatherless homes, and divided families. His mother, a devoted social worker for 30 years, advised, counseled and mentored individuals from broken homes that were victims of physical and/or mental abuse. He often visited homes with his mother and was able to see the hopelessness of individuals and families in disrepair. Through these experiences, Lyndon drew connections and revelations that would later shape and fuel his ideas about familial connections, relationships, and self-actualization. 
 

Lyndon attended college at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La where he majored in English. During his time there, he was a university staff writer and photographer, and was also a member of the Black Student Caucus and the Literary Club. While in college, Lyndon held various positions in the Hammond area. He worked at the Boys and Girls Club of Hammond, where he implemented academic and social development programs for students ages 6-17 and served as a news correspondent for the local paper. He also worked at Hammond Place where he was a Life Skills Technician, assisting with the rehabilitation of adults with brain injuries.