NAMES AND AFFILIATIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS



Islord Allah has been a resident of Over-the-Rhine for most of his life, and now, at 32, he owns two small businesses in the community – a barber shop and a clothing store. He is a visionary who feels strongly that Hip Hop culture should be infused into education because it has taught him so much. He sees the Hip Hop Youth Arts Center as being of utmost importance. Islord is also a child development psychology major at the University of Cincinnati, and is goal-oriented and multi-faceted. A person never limited in creativity, Islord is clearly a true pioneer for community development in Over-the-Rhine.


Life Allah is a 26-year-old citizen of Over-the-Rhine and has been for the majority of his life. For two years, Life has dedicated himself, along with Islord, to developing two small businesses in the Over-the-Rhine area. Bearing witness to a lack of police accountability he devoted himself to the even bigger job of becoming a community activist. Life was one of the founding members of CONTROL, and was instrumental in the development of our police-community relations work. Life does everything out of respect for the future. He is a proud single father of a 5-year-old son.


Dureka Bonds, 30, is a Cincinnati native who has been working with non-profit organizations since 1990 as either a volunteer, employee, or consultant. Most of her experience is in community organizing, youth development, and HIV/AIDS. Currently, Dureka is a consultant to the YDREAM Project under AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth, & Families and is a volunteer for Ebony Sisters Campaigning for AIDS Prevention Education (ESCAPE). In the private sector, Dureka helps raise funds for non-profits as the Fundraising Director in the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana area for National Organizational Industries. She is a real estate investor, has developed several businesses, and is also a founding member of CONTROL.


Gavin Leonard, 25, has been an activist and organizer since the age of 17, when he served as Vice-President of Students for a Free Tibet at New York University. After leaving school, he began to focus on social justice organizing, and worked on a number of anti-globalization, environmental, and police accountability campaigns in Denver, Cleveland, and Columbus. Moving to Over-the-Rhine four years ago, Gavin has worked extensively on police-community relations, and has worked for a low-income housing organization in the neighborhood for over 3 years. He has committed himself to working with youth on the grassroots level in Cincinnati because he believes it is the best way to make long-term change in peoples’ lives. Gavin was recently awarded the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Award for Arts and Culture in 2005.


Darrick Dansby is the 31-year-old Executive Director Smart Money Financial Services in Over-the-Rhine. Having always been driven by a desire to serve the community, Mr. Dansby was the recipient of the 1996 Charles J. Ping Community Service Award for the state of Ohio and also serves as a board member for the Arts Consortium, the Over-the-Rhine Foundation, and the Entrepreneurship High School.


Peter Block is an internationally renowned author and consultant and is a citizen of Cincinnati. His work is about empowerment, stewardship, chosen accountability, and the reconciliation of community. As a citizen of Cincinnati, he is currently involved in an economic development project in Over the Rhine, a youth possibilities project, and a safety project with the University. With other volunteers, Peter began A Small Group, whose work is to bring into conversation other groups not in relationship with each other, through the powerful tools of civic engagement. He serves on the Board of Directors of WGUC, and is the first Distinguished Consultant-in-Residence at Xavier University.


Meagan Freeman, 18, is a senior at Harmony High School from Avondale who has been involved with Elementz since late 2003. Meagan is a member of Black Achievers, and is one of two Youth Representatives on the Board. She is excited about the opportunity because she feels that she will have the ability to voice her opinions in a way that make a difference.


Shiloh Maloney, 17, has been coming to Elementz since we opened. He attends Pace High School and has been living “downtown” nearly all his life. Shiloh has been actively involved with building the concepts of respect and ownership by coming nearly every day Elementz has been open and consistently communicating with other youth. Shiloh is taking on new leadership roles, including being one of two Youth Representatives on the Board.
 

Una-Kariim Cross is a development specialist at the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program, a professional photographer, and long-time community advocate.

Christopher Smitherman, Cincinnati native Christopher Smitherman is an entrepreneur who started a financial planning practice.  He was elected to Cincinnati City Council in November 2003.  He served as the Vice-Chair of the Arts & Culture Committee and on the Law & Public Safety, Neighborhood and Public Services and the Community Development, Education & Intergovernmental Affairs Committees.  He also served as a Hamilton County Transportation Improvement District board member.  He is committed to establishing a comprehensive urban policy. His success as an independent businessman is the visible testimony of his persistence and productivity. The combination of his enthusiasm and leadership serve as the foundation for his team-building talents to accomplish a set goal.

Sarah Brook Westheimer, 24, is a Cincinnati native whose roots in the city go back five generations. She has been involved in a number of community projects, honoring a long line of active community members in her family. She attended Miami University, works at the Public Library, and has been active in several independent media projects.