Aaron Jones

https://obsd.sa.ucsb.edu/people/aaron-jones

Originally from San Francisco, California, I attended UC Santa Barbara as an undergraduate, majoring in Black Studies and Political Science. During that time, I involved myself deeply in student and community activism and campus politics participating in the Black Students Union (BSU), the 100 Black Men (now called BPRO), Blackwatch, Praxis, Concerned Students, the Student Commission on Racial Equality and other student organizations. I was a member of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and worked as a Peer Mentor. I also was elected to leadership positions within the UCSB Associated Students (AS -student government), first as a member of the AS Legislative Council (now Senate), then AS President and lastly AS External Vice President for State-wideAffairs. I spent a year teaching high school immediately following my initial tenure at UCSB. Beginning May 1998 through June 1999, I participated in a Pilgrimage retracing the route of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade called the "Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage." During this thirteen-month sojourn, we visited, learned about, offered prayers and honored the history and legacy of enslaved African peoples, both past and present, by walking from Western Massachusetts to New Orleans, traveling through the Caribbean and returning the energy, prayers and even the earth from African burial grounds in the Americas back to the continent where we traveled from Gambia/Senegal in West Africa to Cape Town South Africa. I began my professional career at UCSB working for the Associated Students, first as the Student Government Advisor and then as the Assistant Director for Community Affairs. During this time, I embarked upon my graduate studies in the Department of Education at UCSB, earning a Masters Degree, and am completing my dissertation which explores the legacy and impact of student activism in a higher education setting. Beginning January 2018, I became the seventh Director of the UCSB Educational Opportunity Program, which very much represented a 'second-homecoming' having been an EOP student and Peer Mentor. What is more, I am one of the founding members of the Black staff support group "ucsbBlack" and serve a number of roles in the community, particularly with community-based and non-profit organizations. I live in Santa Barbara and have two beautiful, head-strong children.

LaTesha Knighen is an educational consultant and community advocate dedicated to supporting first-generation Black and Brown students in achieving their college and career goals. Raised in South Los Angeles, LaTesha draws on her lived experiences and deep community roots to help students navigate educational systems with confidence and clarity.

LaTesha earned a B.A. in Black Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She went on to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Washington, D.C., where she supported a nonprofit that matched adult mentors with students in the D.C. Public School system.

Upon returning to Los Angeles in 2010, LaTesha has worked in homeless supportive services and volunteers extensively throughout Los Angeles, including with organizations like L.A. Works and the LA Food Bank. Since 2015, she has dedicated her career to education, specifically, helping Black and Brown students access, persist, and thrive in higher education.

LaTesha believes that learning to vocalize one’s experiences through the written word is a powerful act of self-advocacy and revolution. In addition to helping students strengthen their writing skills, she empowers them to tell their stories with authenticity, whether for personal growth, college applications, or scholarships.

In her free time, LaTesha enjoys snowboarding, cycling, and exploring new cities through food adventures.

Thaddaeus Mammo is an intentional being, innovative thinker, and emotionally intelligent man who believes in the prosperity of humanity. His path has led him to the University of California, Santa Cruz where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Agroecology and now serves as the African, Black, Caribbean Retention Specialist in addition to the head Coordinator role for the Men of Color Healing Association (MOCHA). Within his work and outside of his work at the university, Thaddaeus travels our world to learn about human nature and the importance of building connections that transform our approach to healing our society and natural environment.

Dr. Eric Nolan is an educational researcher at California State University, East Bay, in Hayward, CA. His work has appeared in the fields of secondary and postsecondary science education, environmental education, and climate education. Dr. Nolan's research is centered on transformational learning with a focus on socioscientific issues which are complex, real-world problems at the intersection of science and society. Within his research, he is dedicated to advancing educational practices that empower educators and students to address these critical issues with confidence and competence.