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Rukiya is a native and current resident of Detroit, MI who has a deep-rooted passion for creating equity in her community. She’s currently a masters urban planning student at Wayne State University, who has a concentration in housing and community development. Outside of being a mom and engaging in her professional career, she enjoys reading and discussing books and assisting with mutual aid efforts in her city.
Rodney S. Archable a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Educated in the Baltimore City Public School System. Received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Towson University. Twenty plus year professional in Banking, Mortgage, Anti-Money Laundering, and Compliance.
Community Reinvestment Act and Certified SCRA (The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act) Specialist. Licensed by the State of Maryland and District of Columbia for Life and Health Insurance. Active Notary Public for the State of Maryland. Treasurer for The Million Man March in 1994. Treasurer for William F. Taylor Masonic Lodge No. 57.
Hobbies: Traveling, Cycling, Golfing, Politics, Sports, and Writing
Personal: Married. Four children
Lauren Rosenbaum has a decade of professional experience in strategic communications, coalition management, campaign organizing, community development finance and health policy advocacy. She currently serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships for a national organization committed to achieving high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all. A resident of Ward 7 in Washington, DC, Lauren is active in local organizing efforts to build community wealth and advance food justice. She is a member-owner, steering committee member and governance committee chair for a cooperative organizing effort focused on building a community-owned grocery store east of the river. She is also a board member for the Kingman Park community garden, where she spearheaded an effort to harvest excess produce grown by garden members for distribution through the Ward 7/8 Mutual Aid Network. As a graduate of NDCC’s Cooperative Academy, Lauren is deeply appreciative of the organization’s work to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem in DC and enthusiastic about contributing to NDCC’s mission.
Amber has over ten years of combined experience in community organizing/advocacy, financial services, community lending, and affordable housing development. She is currently an Associate Development Manager at Enterprise Community Development, an affiliate of Enterprise Community Partners. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Real Estate and Economic Development from University of Baltimore and has a Rental Housing Development Finance Professional (RHDFP) certification from National Development Council.
Ayanna A. King is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and the former CEO for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Virginia Peninsula. She attended the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public & International Affairs (GSPIA) to complete her Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning (M.U.R.P.) with a specialization in State and Local Development and a certification in Non-profit Management. She is the former Director for the Office of Environmental Advocate for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP). During her tenure, Ayanna organized Pennsylvania’s 1st Statewide Environmental Justice Conference in April 2009, received one of US EPA’s 1st State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement, and increased awareness of Environmental Justice by fifty percent within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
She is the founder of the Pittsburgh Transportation Equity Project and the Youth Policy Institute, known as the first African American social justice organization in Pittsburgh, PA. This project was featured in Highway Robbery: Transportation Racism & New Routes to Equity, Chapter six: Transit Activism in Steel Town co-authored by Ayanna A. King and Brian Nogrady, and the author of the article in Race, Poverty, and the Environment Journal Winter 2004/2005: EJ Leading the Way, Why Communities Must Initiate Environmental Research.
Ayanna is a mentor for youth and young professionals, a community development and nonprofit practitioner, and an environmental/social justice advocate who is extremely passionate and conscious about building sustainable Black Communities for Black People .
