Category: Alumni Stories

“Confidence” is a love letter to Black people, written, composed, and performed by Christina Armstrong (an ‘07 alum and current staff member of our Chicago site), with support from band members: Tyrone Jackson – Bass Journey Burns – Percussion, Sound Engineering Kara Blaylock – Supporting Vocals Enjoy! This piece is part of Public Allies’ campaign Read More

By John Broadway When day comes we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid The new dawn blooms as we free it For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it If only we’re brave enough to be it. — Amanda Gorman, 2021 Inaugural Poet I hope Amanda Gorman’s loving call for unity inspired you to be the Read More

Over 750,000 first time unemployment claims were filed last week, up to a quarter of all small businesses remain closed, and there is growing concern over the increase in substance abuse overdoses and suicide brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Yet for one Public Allies staff alum, there has never been a better time for Read More

Whether it be students struggling with education, Black mothers losing babies, or a community beset by any number of issues, Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith’s proposed solutions always start the same way: Listen to those most impacted. Let them lead.  Simple but true, this asset-based mindset has guided Meredith, an alum of Public Allies Cincinnati (‘07), through Read More

In a year as chaotic as 2020, what gives you hope for the future? At Public Allies, we see hope in the many faces of emerging, diverse, values-driven leaders. Working in communities across the country, the tireless service of our Allies and alumni brings to life the vision of a more just and equitable society. Read More

While the chaos of this election cycle will be analyzed for years to come, the leadership and impact of our alumni on the election was resoundingly clear. Across the country, Public Allies alumni ran for office and empowered others to do the same, and participated in game-changing efforts to organize and mobilize our communities. Their Read More

To Garrison Davis, the nature preserve bordering his childhood home was a sanctuary. “It’s where I went to think, relax, and appreciate life,” he says. Now, his mission is to protect that preserve and the environment we all share. Garrison’s service journey started shortly after high school. Joining the Public Allies Delaware AmeriCorps apprenticeship program Read More

Art and human rights: To Marissa Gutiérrez-Vicario, they have always been intertwined. Once a director with Public Allies New York, Marissa went on to start Art and Resistance Through Education (ARTE), which empowers young people to find their voices and advocate for crucial human rights issues—all through the accessible mediums of visual art and design. Read More

As protests for George Floyd erupted in his Minneapolis neighborhood, Public Allies alum Dan Méndez Moore found familiarity in the unrest.  Almost twenty years earlier, in April 2001, Dan’s hometown of Cincinnati was engulfed by similar protests after the police killing of 19-year-old Timothy Thomas. With 15 young Black men having died in police custody Read More

A ray of light through the COVID-19 crisis has been the individual and collective actions undertaken to support communities across the country and the world. One example is Public Allies Los Angeles alum and current Program Manager, daNaE Tapia who, along with their family, has set up a mutual aid network on their block in Read More