Who We Are

Robin Mallison Alpern is a white cis-gender woman raised in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). She has a lifelong concern for racial justice and equity. She works with anti-racism organizations in her home community and among Quakers, including cross-racial groups and white caucus groups. Her anti-racist vision and practice have been informed and shaped by a multitude of mentors and leaders, both white and of color.

Bonnie Berman Cushing is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and an anti-racist organizer and educator. She has worked in the mental health field for over 25 years as a family-systems therapist.

Helen L. Davis (she/her), MBA, MPH, a seasoned Trainer and Facilitator in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has consulted with numerous corporations such as AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Coca-Cola Enterprises. She is passionate about her work as a non-profit executive in Child Welfare and is committed to creating open and constructive conversations about racial justice that impact awareness and create transformational change.

A former 3rd grade teacher in NYC public schools, Courtney (she/they) is now a public school parent and advocate. Currently, Courtney works with public school parents and teachers as Senior Equity Associate at NYU’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools (Metro Center), within the Education Justice Research and Organizing Collaborative (EJ-ROC). Within all of these roles, Courtney prioritizes an understanding of context, both current and historical, and future envisioning in relationship and in community.

Activist, educator, and scholar, Charley Flint is Professor of Sociology at William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey. Dr. Flint is also the Coordinator of Internships in Criminal Justice; has served as the Director of the Race and Gender Project; and was the founder of ALANA, a program of and for women of color in higher education in New Jersey.

Edie Grauer, BSW, MSW, is a seasoned non-profit executive and change agent whose career has focused on promoting empowerment, inclusion and self-determination of oppressed and disenfranchised persons.

Alvin Gray is a native of Benton Harbor Michigan, and has resided in Ashville NC, Macon, GA, southern California, and currently resides in Grand Rapids, MI. Mr. Gray’s journey in life has gifted him with the opportunity to work in management in the food service industry for 7 years; in non-profit organizational leadership for seventeen years, while sharpening his organizational development skills in the consulting business (Aza Time Wise Associates, LLC) for the past fourteen years.

Maya Grosz is a social justice lawyer, educator and activist. She facilitates conversations, consults with organizations, and writes about antiracism, equity, and inclusion.

Jordan Margolis (pronouns: he/him) is a cis-hetero white male father and husband who grew up on ancestral lands of the Pomo and is currently living on ancestral lands of the Weckqueesgeek. He received his foundational antiracist community organizing education from The People’s Institute for Survival & Beyond.

Orinthia Swindell (Black, she/her/hers) has centered the voices and experiences of youth and families as the focal point of her work as an educator for the past 30 years. She credits her mother for instilling in her the importance and value of education and of being connected to their community.

Chef Pearl Thompson is a true Jersey Girl, having been born, raised, and lived most of her life in New Jersey. Coming from a family of activists that engaged in everything from the civil rights movement to the black liberation movement, Pearl’s life’s work has been dedicated to ensuring the empowerment of underserved communities.

Milta Vega Cardona is the founder of Wisdom Strategy Innovation, LLC, and a seasoned Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Consultant, Coach, and Trainer. With over 45 years in human services and two decades of focused work on race and racism, she facilitates deep, transformative conversations across diverse communities. A 15-year Core Trainer with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, Milta's expertise spans substance abuse, HIV, and COVID-19 crises, addressing systemic disparities impacting marginalized communities. She is also a Priestess in the Lucumí/Santería tradition, committed to ancestral practices and spiritual service.

Robin Mallison Alpern is a white cis-gender woman raised in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). She has a lifelong concern for racial justice and equity. She works with anti-racism organizations in her home community and among Quakers, including cross-racial groups and white caucus groups. Her anti-racist vision and practice have been informed and shaped by a multitude of mentors and leaders, both white and of color.

Edie Grauer, BSW, MSW, is a seasoned non-profit executive and change agent whose career has focused on promoting empowerment, inclusion and self-determination of oppressed and disenfranchised persons.

Catherine Klebl is a teacher and community organizer inspired by the vision of a world that works for everyone.