Agenda

The theme of our first annual summit is Together We Thrive, because we know that to create longterm impact, there needs to be cross-sector collaboration. This summit will include fun and dynamic panels and workshops— from our versions of SharkTank and TEDx, to discussions on art advocacy and JCOD’s re-entry programs. Together We Thrive will highlight the innovative models supporting justice-impacted individuals as LA County pioneers the future of social justice.

Together We Collaborate

The Summit’s largest space, the conversations held in this room are designed to deepen relationships and expand ideas about how we can work together to transform justice in LA County.

Hosted by Tree Yoga Cooperative
As attendees enter the space, they have the opportunity to join a guided meditation, light-movement, reflection and intention-setting activity to set the energy for the day.
The creation of the Justice, Care and Opportunities Department was no accident - how these visionary speakers fought to make it a reality.
Speakers Include:
- Judge Songhai Armstead, LA County JCOD
  Judge Armstead is a longtime advocate for the underserved, and a justice system innovator. Before this appointment, Judge Armstead, a retired Superior Court judge, was the first leader of the Alternatives to Incarceration Office, which is now part of JCOD. Judge Armstead and her team drove the operational creation of JCOD after the Board established the department earlier this year.
- Robert Greene, Los Angeles Times Editorial Writer & Pulitzer Prize Winner
  Robert Greene is an editorial writer covering water, drought, criminal justice reform, policing, mental health and Los Angeles County government. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing in 2021 for work “that clearly and holistically examined the Los Angeles criminal justice system.” Greene previously was a staff writer for the L.A. Weekly and a reporter and associate editor for the Metropolitan News-Enterprise.
- Isaac Bryan, California State Representative
  Assemblymember Isaac Bryan represents California's 55th Assembly District. Isaac serves as Chair of the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee and the Select Committee on Poverty and Economic Inclusion as well as the incoming Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. His legislative accomplishments include creating pathways to higher education and employment for formerly incarcerated people, strengthening protections for foster youth, and shifting state resources away from systems of harm toward systems of care.
- Lisa Mandel, LA County DCFS
  Lisa Mandel joined the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) as the chief of staff in 2023. She has held various roles during her more than 40 years of dedicated county service but she maintains that no matter her title or where she has worked, she has always been an advocate for the children, youth, adults and families that she has served.
- Patrisse Cullors, Artist & Abolitionist
  Patrisse Cullors is a New York Times bestselling author, educator, artist, and abolitionist from Los Angeles, CA. Cullors launched a ground-breaking Social and Environmental Arts Practice MFA program at Prescott College where she served as the Founding Director for two years. She is the co-founder of the Crenshaw Dairy Mart and has been on the frontlines of abolitionist movement building with Black Lives Matter, Justice LA, Dignity and Power Now and Reform LA jails.
Rapper and producer Hit-Boy shares his personal story and the impact of his father's incarceration.
- Hit-Boy, Rapper and Producer
- Dominique DiPrima, KBLA Radio Host
  Dominique DiPrima is currently the host and producer of First Things First with
  Dominique DiPrima on KBLA Talk 1580 where she is making radio history as the first African-American woman to host a commercial drive-time talk radio show in Los Angeles.
Hear from experts on how they have achieved policy wins and how important 2024 ballots, including the California Ballot Proposition 36, will impact justice involved communities in LA County and across the state.
Speakers Include:
- Sam Lewis, Anti-Recidivism Coalition
  Sam Lewis is the Chief Executive Officer of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) and the creator of the Hope and Redemption Team (HART), a program that helps former life prisoners provide hope and guidance to those still incarcerated. His work also includes leading a team of Credible Messenger Mentors who support incarcerated youth at Los Angeles County’s Secure Youth Treatment Facilities.
- Dominique DiPrima, KBLA Radio Host
  Dominique DiPrima is currently the host and producer of First Things First with
  Dominique DiPrima on KBLA Talk 1580 where she is making radio history as the first African-American woman to host a commercial drive-time talk radio show in Los Angeles.
- Ivette Ale, La Defensa
- Tinisch Hollins, Californians for Safety and Justice
  A crime survivor and a native of San Francisco, Tinisch is the Executive Director of Californians for Safety and Justice. Tinisch previously served for two years as CSJ’s Associate Director as well as the California State Director of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), after starting with the organization as the Bay Area chapter coordinator of CSSJ.
- Troy Vaughn, Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership
  Troy Vaughn, the President and CEO of Los Angeles Mission, has been working to end homelessness, poverty and healthcare inequity in Los Angeles for over 25 years. As he prepares to tackle the Mission’s challenges amidst a growing homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, Vaughn calls upon his own experiences for guidance. His story is an extraordinary example of what can happen when an individual receives the care and services missions provide.
- Ingrid Archie, Alliance for Safety and Justice
  Ingrid Archie is the Timedone Organizing Director for Alliance for Safety and Justice, an organization dedicated to removing barriers for formerly incarcerated people. Like many formerly incarcerated women, she is a mother and domestic violence survivor who experienced years of trauma before she was locked up.
Leaders share how collaboration has led to innovative approaches that create lasting solutions.
Speakers Include:
- Doug Bond, Amity Foundation
  As President and CEO of Amity Foundation, Mr. Bond leads all facets of the organization, bringing his exceptional skills as a community-builder and visionary leader seeking continual systemic improvements for marginalized populations. He currently oversees dozens of contracts for Amity Foundation in California, and Arizona including four residential campuses serving over 500 people with histories of criminal justice system involvement, addiction and homelessness per day.
- Anne Irwin, Smart Justice
  Anne Irwin is Founder and Director of Smart Justice California, where she works to elect and educate state and local policymakers who support meaningful criminal justice reforms that promote safety, opportunity and healthy communities. Anne spearheads Smart Justice’s blended 501c3, 501c4, and electoral engagement strategy for inspiring California’s elected officials to adopt new approaches to criminalization and incarceration.
- Derek Steele, Social Justice Leadership Institute
- Sarah Ali, Kanye Foundation
  Sarah is the Managing Director of R&S Kayne Foundation and in this role stewards resources in Los Angeles and Aotearoa New Zealand. Previous governance and leadership roles include: Board Chair for Snap Foundation; Board Secretary for the SEED School of Los Angeles; Advisory Committee, Los Angeles Postsecondary Funders Collaborative; and administrative roles at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy and Aspire Public Schools. She is an active member of the Board of Visitors in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University and serves on the Board of Dreamhaus and Advisory Council of Crenshaw Dairy Mart, two LA-based arts organizations.
- Adam Bettino, LA County JCOD
TEDx format - how these authors, justice-impacted individuals, and advocates are changing the way we think about social justice.
Speakers Include:
- Franky Carrillo, Justice Reform Advocate
- Shaka Senghor, New York Times Best Selling Author
- Susan Burton, A New Way of Life

Together We Explore

A theater space, sessions here provide space for creatives and visionaries to share their boldest ideas and visions of the future.

Partners across the region are working together to build a support structure that empower justice-impacted individuals to succeed.
Speaker Include:
- Vincent Bragg, Co-Founder, ConCreates
  Vincent Bragg was sentenced to 121 months for running a multi-million dollar drug empire. During his time inside he realized that there was a rich source of untapped creativity behind bars and set about recruiting a network of diverse creative talent that now makes up ConCreates. Vincent believes that one mistake shouldn’t define a life and is on a mission to reverse the stigma associated with a criminal past.
- Aaron Valencia, CEO and Founder, Lost Angels Career Center
  Lost Angels Career Center (LACC), is a custom classic car builder with a passion for helping youth which stems from his own difficulties growing up and experiences with drugs and jail. After turning his life around, Aaron came up with an idea to help disadvantaged youth by teaching them how to work on classic cars.
- Michelle Fuentes-Miranda, Founder and CEO, Alliance for Community Empowerment
  Michelle Fuentes-Miranda has dedicated her career to transforming the lives of justice-impacted individuals through workforce development. Michelle has recognized the importance of uplifting those affected by the justice system and created programs to equip them with skills and career pathways in high-demand industries. She is on a mission to provide second chances and break the cycle of poverty through education, job training, and community support.
- Joseph Wise-Wisely, JCOD
- Katina Holliday, Holliday's Helping Hands
- Saba Mwine-Chang, LAHSA
- Royal Ramey, Co-Founder, Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program
  Chief Royal Ramey fell in love with being a wildland firefighter while incarcerated in Fire Camp and graduated at the top of his class for Victor Valley College Firefighter I Academy before starting his professional wildland firefighting career with the US Forest Service and CAL FIRE. Chief Ramey co-founded FFRP and created the Buffalo Hand Crew to create pathways for more people from similar backgrounds to pursue meaningful wildland firefighting and forestry careers amidst the growing climate crisis.
What does intersectionality look like in the re-entry space? Panelists with lived experiences come together to discuss how multiple forms of discrimination and oppression overlap to create unique challenges and the collaboration, investment, and re-entry services needed in order for diverse communities to thrive.
Speakers Include:
- Bamby Salcedo, President & CEO, TransLatin@ Coalition
  Bamby Salcedo is a prominent and celebrated transgender Latina activist, known all over the world for her passionate and productive social, political, and economic influence. As the President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, Bamby steadily leads this nationally recognized organization that advocates for and addresses the issues of transgender Latinas throughout the United States.
- James DeBacco, Re-entry Expert
  James L. DeBacco is a transformative leader in social services. He specializes in reentry programs for justice-involved individuals, with a particular focus on veterans. His journey from incarceration to becoming a nationally recognized advocate provides him with unparalleled insights into the challenges faced by those navigating the criminal justice system.
- Kent Mendoza, Manager of Advocacy, Anti-Recidivism Coalition
  Kent Mendoza was born in Mexico but migrated to the United States at the age of six. He grew up in Los Angeles County where at an early age he was exposed to gangs, drugs, and violence. He joined a gang at the age of fourteen and was incarcerated at fifteen and served time in a probation camp. Prior to working at ARC and during his own reentry journey, Kent worked at the LA Area Chamber of Commerce on smart justice issues where he held several positions from 2014 to 2016, including Senior Administrative Assistant, Assistant, and intern.
- Avi Bernard, JCOD
- Maria "Alex" Alexander, Center for Living and Learning
  Maria “Alex’ Alexander has served as Executive Director of Center for Living and Learning (CLL) since 2005 and is founder of the organization as it is today. The Center for Living and Learning under her guidance has grown to serve over 1200 individuals annually with employment and support services in Los Angeles County. The programs created by Ms. Alexander continue to focus on removing barriers to employment for the most vulnerable populations in Los Angeles, through paid job training, job readiness workshops and advocacy efforts.
- Tencha Chavez, California Native Vote Project
The exploratory documentary, Endless Echoes Within, explores themes of justice, resilience, and the human experience through the lens of system-impacted individuals. Hear from the artists and filmmakers behind this work, and what motivates them to drive narrative change.
Speakers Include:
- Sherrick Enriquez, Artist in Residence
- Himerria Wortham, Filmmaker
- Eliyas Hamid Allah, Filmmaker
- Travis “TravQue” Thompson, Actor/Comedian
A play on Shark Tank, underrepresented tech entrepreneurs and activists present their solutions to end mass incarceration in the U.S by using technology for good.
Speakers Include:
- Michael Bernarding, Senior Manager, Tech & Innovation, Dream.org
  As a justice-impacted person who has held senior management positions in technology, nonprofit, and consulting organizations, he brings both his lived and professional experience to this role. Previously, Michael served on the executive team of Civic Champs, a social impact tech startup, and was responsible for customer success, business development and strategic partnerships.
- Kelly LoBianco, Director, DEO
- Andre Peart, CEO, Untapped Solutions
  Untapped Solutions is a high-growth startup dedicated to revolutionizing case management and hiring. Prior to this, Andre spent 5 years in state prison, where he emerged with a renewed commitment to making a positive impact in the world. His journey has equipped me with resilience, determination, and a passion for creating change.
- Dr. Topeka K. Sam, FRSH
- Sabra Williams, Creative Acts
  Sabra Williams has received international acclaim for her work as an actor, host and founding director of The Actors' Gang Prison Project, including being named by President Obama a, “Champion of Change” in 2016, and being honored with a British Empire Medal for services to the Arts & Prison Reform by Queen Elizabeth in 2018. Sabra is co-founder of Creative Acts, a Social Justice initiative that uses the Arts as the tool for transformation.
- Dr. Khalilah Olokunola, Talent Nova
- Erick Lopez, Deputy Director, Administrative Services, JCOD
  Born and raised in South Los Angeles, Erick E. Lopez serves as the Deputy Director of Administrative Services for JCOD, where he leads a talented team of managers and staff in overseeing IT, facilities management, budgeting, contracts, and human resources. Together, they focus on driving operational efficiency, fiscal oversight, contract management, and implementing innovative technology solutions that align with the needs of Los Angeles County for lasting community impact.
Experts and individuals with lived experience will share insights on navigating reentry and how interlocking systems can support positive mental health outcomes.
Speakers Include:
- Lezlie Murch, Exodus
- Dr. Lisa Wong, Director, LA County Department of Mental Health
  Starting in the County as a student over 35 years ago, Dr. Wong spent more than two decades working in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles providing care to some of the County’s most vulnerable and high-risk individuals experiencing serious mental illness and homelessness.
- Reba Stevens, CFCI Advisory Committee/Lived Experience
  Reba A. Stevens' life is a testament to resilience and advocacy. After enduring twenty-one years of homelessness in Los Angeles, she has become a powerful voice for those facing similar challenges. Her journey has been marked by severe trauma, mental health struggles, substance abuse and encounters with the criminal justice system. She is committed to finding solutions that are rooted in the lived experiences of the unhoused community.
- George Gascon, LA County District Attorney
- Jennifer Hunt, Director of the Office of Diversion and Reentry, DHS-ODR
  Dr. Jennifer Hunt began her public service career as a LAUSD Special Education Teacher in 1999. Her teaching experiences with marginalized youth inspired her to return to school earning degrees in Clinical Psychology…she was a psychology intern at DMH…and she continues to have roles within county leadership to help individuals who are impacted by their past or current justice involvement.
- Shirin Moheet, JCOD
Join Creative Act in a live play reading by 15 formerly incarcerated individuals, that challenges the narratives held about people with lived experience of the legal system, and reveals the ongoing impact of that experience.
Actors included are:
- Sithy Bin
- Major Bunton
- Vik Chopra
- Tarik Clark
- Misti Hassan
- Alex Williams
- Allison Mack
- Camilla Russell-Murrell
- Sabra Williams

Workshop Spaces

Together We Build

Learn from practitioners and leaders in the justice space and take a hands on approach exploring new solutions.

Hosted by Designing Justice + Designing Spaces
Envision what a new re-entry space should look like, feel like, and how folks should experience it.
Hosted by Dr. Sandra Hill-Glover
This workshop will focus on what trauma is/isn't, universalizing vicarious trauma, enhancing self awareness, and the ethical implications on trauma.
Hosted by Dream.org
Join Dream.org for an insightful workshop on their national campaign to increase investment in substance abuse treatment, explore Kentucky's successful model, and discuss how this approach can be adapted for impactful change within LA County.
Pre-register and meet with the Public Defender's Office for a free expungement.

Together We Create

Tap into your creative side through an exploration of the arts. You might even discover a hidden talent.

Hosted by Positive Results Center
This workshop explores writing as a tool for self-expression, healing, and advocacy. Participants get to use their voice through poetry.
Hosted by Alliance for California Traditional Arts
For all the music and poetry lovers - this workshop is for you. This workshop centers participants' voices, lived experiences and hopes for the future, weaving them into a collective vision and collective action.
Hosted by TheatreWorks Project
This workshop and discussion highlights the importance and value of working with justice-impacted individuals in the arts and performing sector in partnership with TheatreWorks Project.
Hosted by Meztli Projects
Join Meztli Projects for a hands-on block printing workshop that celebrates and honors Native Indigenous art practices, offering a creative space to explore traditional techniques and cultural storytelling.

Together We Restore

Take a break from the Summit and reground yourself with restorative wellness sessions.

Hosted by WalkGoodLA
Honor your needs - if you need to step away, join WalkGood LA in a mindful sound bath, meditation, reflection and soft movement.
Hosted by Cierra Bryant
This soundbath + meditation will include an introduction to meditation techniques, the importance of collective healing, and the impact of sound & vibrations for healing.
Hosted by WalkGood LA
Honor your needs - if you need to step away, join WalkGood LA in a mindful sound bath, meditation, reflection and soft movement.
Hosted by Ruth Bell
Take a moment to wind down after a full day of programming and process all the feelings and emotions that have come up with a guided journaling session. There will be light movement & community reflection.