Clarissa
Executive Director
Clarissa is the Executive Director of Parent Voices Oakland, an East Bay chapter of Parent Voices California. Clarissa has been a strong advocate for mothers with young children, who like herself, were caught in the crosshairs of ineffective public policy. As a collaborative movement builder, and advocate for strong equitable public systems, Clarissa has forged deep partnerships with community based direct service providers, labor unions, and large local government agencies including the Alameda County Social Services Agency, Public Health, and Behavioral Health Services. After stepping into leadership as the Co-Chair on the Alameda County Early Childhood Policy Committee with First 5 of Alameda County, Clarissa led efforts to refocus the group to become a cross sector collaborative which brings together community based Page 5 of 8 organizations, parents and service providers to advance innovative strategies for County-wide systems change; and works to elevate parent leadership in municipal policy making. Clarissa was a key leader in the coalition to organize the historic Measure C win. Measure C is a County-wide ballot initiative, which will bring $150mi annually in new dedicated revenue for child care and pediatric health care in Alameda County for 20 years. The community centered campaign was captured in the documentary “Clarissa’s Battle”, which has been screened across the US and in several festivals abroad. Clarissa currently serves on the Alameda County First 5 Commission, as a co-chair with SEIU 1021 on the Oakland Progressive Alliance; and sat for 6 years as a steering committee member on the Alameda County Early Care and Education Planning Council. Clarissa has received the following honors: Gloria Steinem “Woman of Vision” award; East Bay Women’s Political Alliance’s “Advocate of the Year”; First 5 of Alameda County “Parent of the Year” award, the excellence in Human Relations Award from the Alameda County Human Relations Commission, the Martin Luther King “In the Name of Love” civic honoree by the Living Jazz Project, and was a Sólis Policy Institute Fellow for the California Women’s Foundation, and Ascend at Aspen Institute Fellow. Clarissa resides in Oakland, California with her son Xavier who is now in high school.
Alia
Director of Organizing
Alia is a lifelong Oakland resident, mother, and activist. She started her organizing experience at the early age of 13 by joining a youth group on Castlemont High School’s campus, called Y.A.C.I.N., Youth Against Community Injustices Nia (which means purpose in Swahili). Through the time spent in this group she learned about speaking up against injustices and the meaning of power in numbers. This was just the beginning of her lifelong community advocacy work. She later became a part of ACCE, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment where she stayed for 10 years fighting for better bus service, building bridges between schools and surrounding community, fighting for tenant rights and more! Alia then went on to further her education in Business at Mills College, organizing as a student. Alia is excited to work with PVO’s organizers helping them to gain a different perspective on organizing and guiding them toward their fullest potential as organizers. Alia is an artist, poet, an aspiring plant mom, and the corniest comedian.
Amber
Director of Operations
Amber has been with the organization since 2015. A southern California native, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of California Los Angeles and moved to the Bay Area in 2012. Having brought her administrative talents to both educational and nonprofit organizations for the last 15 years, Amber appreciates the variety and spontaneity in her scope of work at PVO. She values the opportunity to build relationships with both parents and their children alike. Amber also volunteers with the Bay Area Childcare Collective, providing free volunteer child care to social justice organizations primarily lead by women of color. In her free time she enjoys live music, gardening, long walks with friends, and playing with her cats.
Annie
Coalition & Community Partnerships Organizer
Annie is an organizer, artist and a parent of three young children. She has focused for the last decade on organizing to end harmful systems and building powerful alternatives in their place with the Anti Police-Terror Project, an organization committed to ending police terror in communities of color. She is currently a member of the Catalyst Project, a collective focused on building the anti-racist leadership of white people to support multiracial movements for collective liberation, and East Bay Families for Ceasefire, a collective committed to organizing with children and families for a Free Palestine. She lives in Oakland, on Ohlone homelands, with her family and is thrilled to join the team at Parent Voices Oakland.
Noni
Admin & HR Manager
Noni is a proud 3rd generation Oakland native and has lived in Alameda County her whole life. She is a parent parent of a 9 year old, an HR professional and a member of the Alameda County ECE Planning Committee. She started her advocacy work with Parent Voices of Oakland in November 2019 to support Measure C campaign. During my time with Parent Voices of Oakland she has participated in many conversations, committee meetings, and outreach to support the families of Alameda County and to be voice for all parents who deserve quality and accessible child care.
Cici
Community Organizer
With a lifelong commitment to supporting children and families, Cici brings both personal experience and professional purpose to her work in child care advocacy. As an aunt of 16, she frequently provided hands-on care, gaining an intimate understanding of the challenges families face, particularly the often-overlooked hardships that fathers encounter in securing reliable, affordable child care. These insights inspired her early advocacy efforts and laid the foundation for a career centered on equity and access. She began her professional journey in youth development, advocating for young people involved in the justice system and working to ensure they received the support, resources, and opportunities necessary to thrive. Today, she continues to champion policies and programs that strengthen childcare systems, uplift caregivers, and create fairer pathways for families and youth alike.
Eli
Community Organizer
Eli is an organizer and artist rooted in the East Bay. For over a decade, Eli has been active in organizing, advocacy, and activism, with experience spanning international advocacy, environmental and technology policy, and local and state election campaigns. His work has focused on issues of electoral integrity, LGBTQ and women’s rights, and global justice. Prior to joining Parent Voices Oakland, Eli contributed to projects addressing critical mineral supply chains, waste colonialism, and battery recycling. Eli is also a 2024–2025 graduate of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, a program dedicated to developing diverse leaders across sectors. Alongside policy and advocacy, Eli maintains a multimedia arts practice centered on ceramics and dance. Born and raised in the East Bay, Eli brings both lived experience and professional expertise to the fight for accessible, equitable childcare, and is excited to be part of the Parent Voices Oakland team.
Char
Community Organizer
Char is a mama to six, a seasoned organizer, and a Black feminist abolitionist who shows up for community with heart, humor, and unapologetic fire. For nearly a decade, she’s been holding healing centered spaces, supporting impacted families, and pushing abolition focused movement work that sparks radical, liberating change. Whether she’s challenging carceral systems or building community power from the ground up, Char is always dreaming and organizing for a world where families thrive with dignity.
Jumia
Voices For Health Justice Organizing Fellow
Jumia, a fervent advocate for children and families residing in the Bay Area, has dedicated her life to providing direct service to those in dire need. Her journey commenced at a tender age when she commenced offering care to infants and toddlers of parents grappling with the challenges of securing safe placements for their children. This experience ignited her passion for working with children and ultimately propelled her to become a placement provider for temporary care. Over the years, she has steadfastly committed herself to providing direct support to families throughout the Bay Area. Jumia’s commitment to her work was further reinforced when she participated in an apprenticeship program with the YMCA in Berkeley, graduating with an Early Childhood teaching degree. Subsequently, she joined the Headstart Program, serving children in Berkeley, Emeryville, Richmond, and Oakland. Presently, Jumia continues to engage in research endeavors and collaborate with an exceptional team at Parent Voices of Oakland.
Erika
Voices For Health Justice Organizing Fellow
Before joining Parent Voices Oakland, Erika was a stay-at-home mother providing in-home care for her daughter while staying actively involved in her community. She participated in neighborhood surveying efforts, distributing gift cards door-to-door and helping connect families with local services. Erika continues to serve as a Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) member for Alameda Alliance Health, ensuring that community voices are represented in local health decisions. Her commitment to service also includes volunteering at her sister’s childcare program, assisting at an animal rescue center, and working as a poll worker on Election Day. Erika looks forward to her role as a Fellow and is excited to continue serving and uplifting her community.