Email: [email protected] Phone: (202)234-9119 x 100 Parisa Norouzi has over 20 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations and organizing communities.  After an early career as an organizer in the environmental movement, Parisa co-founded the city-wide community organizing group Empower DC in 2003, an organization which works to build the confident self-advocacy and organized political power of low-moderate income DC residents with a focus on fighting the displacement of residents amid DC’s gentrification boom. At Empower DC she has led the organization’s Child Care for All Campaign and the People’s Property Campaign, leading to victories including winning funding for child care vouchers which ended the city’s waiting list for those services, and changing DC law to provide opportunity for public input into the “surplus and disposition” process for public property.  Since 2001, Parisa has worked alongside the historic Ivy City community to record previously undocumented history through the Ivy City History Project, and work towards revitalization without displacement in that community.  Most recently she led a successful environmental justice lawsuit that halted the operation of a polluting tour bus parking lot at the Alexander Crummell School, a cherished African American historic site in the heart of the Ivy City community, an area which already suffers poor air quality.Parisa graduated with honors from Marlboro College in Vermont with a degree in Environmental Policy and Interest Group Politics and later completed a Masters in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University.  She was a founding member of the Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community Cooperative, an affordable housing cooperative for community activists, and resided in the co-op for 10 years serving as its President for a portion of that time. Parisa is passionate about social, racial and environmental justice, is a lover of nature, animals and all things vintage.  Of mixed Iranian-American heritage, Parisa seeks to build bridges among groups of people around shared goals in order to bring about improvements for the whole.  She has received several awards for her work, including theElla Baker Award, awarded by Mentors of Minorities in Education (M.O.M.I.E.S Tlc), the I’ll be there Award, awarded by DC Jobs with Justice, and the Exemplary Community Activist Award, awarded by the Federation of Citizens Associations of DC.  In 2013, Parisa was selected to participate in the national IGNITE Fellowship for Women of Color in the Social Sector and in 2014 she was awarded the Petra Fellowship for unsung champions for justice.  In late 2014 she earned her greatest reward upon becoming a mother to daughter Aziza Bonita. 

Housing Director Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 234-9119 ext. 101 Daniel del Pielago was born in Peru and immigrated to the DC metro area in 1980.  For the past 15 years he has been organizing with communities of color here in the District around the issues of preserving and improving affordable housing and traditional public education.  In his role as Housing Director, Daniel hopes to support staff organizers in pushing their campaigns and the organization forward as a whole.  Daniel, is also a husband, father of two and lover of music of all types, he has collected music in the vinyl format for over 20 years. 

Operations Director Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 234-9119 ext. 105 Frances is a military brat who moved to Prince George’s County in the early 90’s. Frances earned her Bachelor’s in Business Management from Hampton University and has over 9 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations focused on youth development. In 2005 Frances started a 6 year journey working with youth at The SEED School of Washington, DC. She also served as the Program Director for the after-school nonprofit New Community for Children for 3 years. Frances holds down our office and leads all Administrative, HR, Financial & Logistical functions. 

Operations Coordinator  Email: [email protected] Can you read this Azad Charania is from Glen Allen, Virginia and has lived in Washington DC since moving to attend American University Fall of 2018, where they studied politics, policy, and law. They found home in Washington DC building support networks for trans folks ages 18-28 experiencing housing instability. During this time, Azad worked specifically within LGBTQIA+ Muslims to combat surveillance and promote transformative justice. Azad is passionate about building people power among impoverished and working-class communities to build a safer and healthier world. Being a part of the Empower DC team excites and motivates them as building a world with cleaner air and more equitable housing requires organizing collective actions.  

Community Organizer Email: [email protected] Sebrena Rhodes is a leader with Friends of Crummell School and Community Organizer with Empower DC, working to win restoration of the historic Alexander Crummell School as a community center. She is currently doing Mutual Aid, distributing groceries, mask, hand sanitizer, and soap which are much needed staple items during this pandemic. In her neighborhood of Ivy City, Sebrena helped Empower DC and Friends of Crummell open the Ivy City Clubhouse. She  coordinates the meal program, academic support, and other various programs for the youth in her community. In 2020, Sebrena was elected ANC 5D01.   Sebrena is a DC Native, born and raised in the Deanwood community, and mother of 6. She serves on the Community Advisory Board for Unity Health Care and worked for 11 years as an Early Head Start teacher with a AAS degree in Early Childhood Education. Sebrena is passionate about her children’s lives, her friends and neighbors, standing up for her rights, having a voice and being heard and making sure her children are empowered and informed.  

Community Organizer Email: [email protected] Born in DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Andria Chatmon is an on-going learner with a passion for building power amongst those most impacted by injustice. She spent the earlier part of her career in Madison, Wisconsin collaborating with communities to challenge systems of policing and punishment as a member of the YWCA Madison Restorative Justice team. Andria graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Spanish, and Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies, as well as a certificate in Chican@/Latin@ Studies. She recently completed her Master’s in Social Justice and Community Organizing at Prescott College, and seeks to use her passion, skills, education, and experience to build collective power that moves us all, especially those most impacted by injustice, toward an equitable future. Andria also loves to spend time with family and friends, learning languages, and is a dedicated yogi.

Historian Email: [email protected] Corey Shaw, Jr is a DC native with lifelong roots in Ward 7. As a graduate of both Anacostia Senior High School and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), Shaw has a passion for comprehending the needs of communities and helping them advocate and mobilize for structural change. Corey first got his start working with communities in Washington, DC as the Co-Founder of the Black Broad Branch Project. In his capacity as an oral historian and chair of the policy implementation working committee, Shaw has advocated for reparations for two families whose ancestors were displaced from Chevy Chase, DC in 1928. He continues to support the project, engaging with descendants to mobilize a coalition of scholars, DC residents, and community organizations toward the goals of Acknowledgement, Compensation, and Education. With the collective efforts of the coalition, the Black Broad Branch Project has succeeded in constructing educational curriculum for 3rd, 6th, and 12th grade students in DCPS, testified before the DC City Council, and presented in many forums ranging from the realm of academia to the United Nations. His passion for reparations drove him to join the African American Redress Network where he continues to assist with local level reparations efforts across the United States as the volunteer Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Planning. Outside of his professional life, Shaw enjoys playing the guitar, watching rugby, and cooking.

Environmental Justice Organizer   Email: [email protected] Anthony David Jr. is a Washington D.C. native who is a 2023 graduate of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. During his time studying environmental science and sustainability, he focused his undergraduate research on the relationship between historic redlining policy and the urban heat island effect in the city of Harrisburg, PA. He also served on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board for 2 years. Anthony has spent his time working with community members to uplift Harrisburg youth and shedding light on the importance of urban agricultural practices within city limits. Post-graduation, Anthony spent his time as a William M. Lapenta Intern at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During the internship, Anthony presented his work on a climate justice approach to major flooding events to NOAA’s Social Science Committee and highlighted the importance and challenges of the integration between social and physical data as it relates to addressing climate justice. Anthony is passionate about continuing his environmental justice work in D.C.. As the Empower DC Environmental Justice Community Organizer, Anthony is committed to the city and will be using his multidisciplinary skillsets in scientific technique, policy and organizing to address the historic environmental injustices within the city.  

Environmental Justice Manager Email: [email protected] Maritza Mendoza (she/her/ella) is a first generation mexican-american raised in the Piedmont region of NC. At a young age, she developed a love for music, dreaming, learning and spending time outside. She was fortunate enough to pursue her interests in school- obtaining her Bachelor's in Environmental Science from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master's in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University. She has led community conservation projects in Washington and in North Carolina and most recently focused on advocating for equitable water and ocean policies at the federal level. She firmly believes we have the wisdom to create the just and life-affirming world we deserve. She is passionate about fostering spaces where marginalized communities are listened to and have an abundance of resources to nurture ecosystems of safety, care and reciprocity. Maritza is excited to continue building community power with Empower DC and ensuring access to vibrant, clean and healthy environments.