Luis J. Rodriguez (www.luisjrodriguez.com) is a renowned Chicano author of 16 books in all genres, including the bestselling memoir "Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A." (1993 Touchstone Books/Simon & Schuster). Rodriguez is founding editor of the small poetry publisher, Tia Chucha Press, and co‐founder of Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles. He worked as a steelworker, a lead foundry smelter, a construction worker, a papermill worker, a refinery worker, a truck driver, and a carpenter before embarking on a journalism and writing career in 1980. He has written for daily, weekly, and monthly publications and was a writer/reporter for WMAQ All News Radio in Chicago, variously owned by CNN, Westinghouse, and NBC. In the mid‐1980s Rodriguez worked for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), including during the largest union representation campaign in US history, in support of the clerical and blue‐collar workers of the University of California system.
Luis has worked with the homeless, gang youth, undocumented people, and artists, among others, for around 50 years. He is active in indigenous people's issues, and participated in native ceremonies, throughout the U.S. and in Latin America, having roots on his mother's side with the Tarahumara people of Chihuahua, Mexico. In addition, Rodriguez has facilitated creative writing classes, poetry readings, talks, and healing circles in prisons, jails, juvenile lockups, and parolee housing for over 40 years. He served as Los Angeles' official Poet Laureate
from 2014 to 2016. His latest book is "From Our Land to Our Land: Essays, Journeys & Imaginings from a Native Xicanx Writer" (2020 Seven Stories Press).
Over the past several decades, Luis has passionately worked with many non-profits and other organizations, raising funds, resources, awareness, and the spirits of homeless populations, indigenous communities, those in migrant camps, residents of Native American reservations, and of people in prisons and juvenile lockups in the United States, South America, and in Mexico.
Watch Luis Rodriguez discuss the wisdom of Native philosophy and thinking and its relevancy in the past, present, and future in this independently organized 2019 TEDx talk, The Four Key Connections.
Luis joined Rocky Anderson’s campaign for President in 2012 as the vice‐presidential candidate on the Justice Party ticket. The Justice Party endorsed Rodriguez in his independent run for California governor in 2014, and again in 2022 when Luis ran as a member of the Green Party. In addition to his many other activism projects, Luis has continued to work with the Justice Party through it's rebranding in 2022 as the Justice Movement. He brings a unique, imaginative perspective and prolific activism to Justice Movement leadership, inspiring future leaders to build a nation and world where social, economic, and environmental justice prevail for all.
Luis has worked with the homeless, gang youth, undocumented people, and artists, among others, for around 50 years. He is active in indigenous people's issues, and participated in native ceremonies, throughout the U.S. and in Latin America, having roots on his mother's side with the Tarahumara people of Chihuahua, Mexico. In addition, Rodriguez has facilitated creative writing classes, poetry readings, talks, and healing circles in prisons, jails, juvenile lockups, and parolee housing for over 40 years. He served as Los Angeles' official Poet Laureate
from 2014 to 2016. His latest book is "From Our Land to Our Land: Essays, Journeys & Imaginings from a Native Xicanx Writer" (2020 Seven Stories Press).
Over the past several decades, Luis has passionately worked with many non-profits and other organizations, raising funds, resources, awareness, and the spirits of homeless populations, indigenous communities, those in migrant camps, residents of Native American reservations, and of people in prisons and juvenile lockups in the United States, South America, and in Mexico.
Watch Luis Rodriguez discuss the wisdom of Native philosophy and thinking and its relevancy in the past, present, and future in this independently organized 2019 TEDx talk, The Four Key Connections.
Luis joined Rocky Anderson’s campaign for President in 2012 as the vice‐presidential candidate on the Justice Party ticket. The Justice Party endorsed Rodriguez in his independent run for California governor in 2014, and again in 2022 when Luis ran as a member of the Green Party. In addition to his many other activism projects, Luis has continued to work with the Justice Party through it's rebranding in 2022 as the Justice Movement. He brings a unique, imaginative perspective and prolific activism to Justice Movement leadership, inspiring future leaders to build a nation and world where social, economic, and environmental justice prevail for all.
Brian Jones is the Director of Government Relations for Sentry Financial Corporation in Salt Lake City, Utah. In that role, he collaborates with local and national political, business, and community leaders to identify and facilitate initiatives that allow Sentry to advocate for justice and equality in its community.
Brian holds a J.D. from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and History from Arizona State University. Since graduating from law school in 2005, Brian has practiced corporate transactional law with a large regional law firm, worked as an in-house attorney for an IBM company, and taught college courses in law, criminal justice, and political science.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Brian has worked in the local and national political arenas for much-needed government reform in the areas of fair redistricting, refugee rights, and criminal justice, and has worked with such national figures as Ralph Nader, Jill Stein, and Rocky Anderson in the area of independent third-party advocacy. Brian also serves on the Justice Movement's Social Justice Committee and has worked with the organization since approximately 2012.
Brian holds a J.D. from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and History from Arizona State University. Since graduating from law school in 2005, Brian has practiced corporate transactional law with a large regional law firm, worked as an in-house attorney for an IBM company, and taught college courses in law, criminal justice, and political science.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Brian has worked in the local and national political arenas for much-needed government reform in the areas of fair redistricting, refugee rights, and criminal justice, and has worked with such national figures as Ralph Nader, Jill Stein, and Rocky Anderson in the area of independent third-party advocacy. Brian also serves on the Justice Movement's Social Justice Committee and has worked with the organization since approximately 2012.
Paul Boumbulian has had a long and distinguished career in health care, education, and community service, dedicating himself to rectifying health care disparities, particularly with respect to access to primary care.
Paul began his career in health care strategic planning as a research assistant at UCLA in the Regional Medical Program in 1968. In 1970, he became the Director for Research and Evaluation for the Athens, Georgia Model Cities Program. In 1974, he became the Director of Health Planning at the Georgia Mountains Planning and Development Commission, which directly served the Appalachian community. In 1976, Paul ran the Utah Health Planning Agency, a quasi-regulatory agency which oversaw capital improvements in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care institutions. In 1980, Paul became the Vice President for Strategic Planning and Marketing at the UC Davis Medical Center. Eventually, he became the Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Marketing at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. During his 19 years at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Paul helped bring health care to underserved communities in Dallas County, including African American and Latino communities. The hospital increased its 2,000 yearly community visits to a system of 12 health centers, 5 mobile clinics, 11 school-based clinics, with a total of 800,000 community visits.
As a professor, Paul taught public policy, strategic thinking, and how the health care system works. He has mentored both men and women and served on the boards of many local and national research teams, committees, councils, task forces, and research centers focusing on issues such as hospital management, patient care, affordable housing, mental health, addiction and substance abuse, and hospice care.
At University of California Los Angeles, Paul earned two Bachelor of Arts Degrees, one in International Relations Far Eastern Studies and one in Geography, and earned a Master of Medical Geography. He received his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology/Health Services Administration from the University of California at Berkeley and his Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration from the University of Georgia, Athens.
Paul has authored over 30 community-oriented health care publications, including several peer reviewed journal articles, and has presented at over thirty-five proceedings and conferences in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, China, and the Netherlands, including the 1988 2nd National AIDS Conference, and the 1993 International Healthy Cities and Communities Conference.
Born in Illinois to Armenian parents, Paul’s family moved to Milwaukee where he was raised in a low-income, socialist community. In the 1950s, Paul’s family relocated to California. There, he attended the 1960 Democratic Convention, where he saw John F. Kennedy give his presidential nomination acceptance speech and became an activist in the Democratic Party, focusing on civil rights and women’s rights. As a campaign worker in Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 Presidential campaign, Paul attended Kennedy’s last speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, only moments prior to his assassination. Paul was deeply affected by this and by the assassinations of other civil rights leaders and activists during the 1960s and changed his life-direction to directly impacting quality of life through health care.
Paul began his career in health care strategic planning as a research assistant at UCLA in the Regional Medical Program in 1968. In 1970, he became the Director for Research and Evaluation for the Athens, Georgia Model Cities Program. In 1974, he became the Director of Health Planning at the Georgia Mountains Planning and Development Commission, which directly served the Appalachian community. In 1976, Paul ran the Utah Health Planning Agency, a quasi-regulatory agency which oversaw capital improvements in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care institutions. In 1980, Paul became the Vice President for Strategic Planning and Marketing at the UC Davis Medical Center. Eventually, he became the Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Marketing at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. During his 19 years at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Paul helped bring health care to underserved communities in Dallas County, including African American and Latino communities. The hospital increased its 2,000 yearly community visits to a system of 12 health centers, 5 mobile clinics, 11 school-based clinics, with a total of 800,000 community visits.
As a professor, Paul taught public policy, strategic thinking, and how the health care system works. He has mentored both men and women and served on the boards of many local and national research teams, committees, councils, task forces, and research centers focusing on issues such as hospital management, patient care, affordable housing, mental health, addiction and substance abuse, and hospice care.
At University of California Los Angeles, Paul earned two Bachelor of Arts Degrees, one in International Relations Far Eastern Studies and one in Geography, and earned a Master of Medical Geography. He received his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology/Health Services Administration from the University of California at Berkeley and his Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration from the University of Georgia, Athens.
Paul has authored over 30 community-oriented health care publications, including several peer reviewed journal articles, and has presented at over thirty-five proceedings and conferences in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, China, and the Netherlands, including the 1988 2nd National AIDS Conference, and the 1993 International Healthy Cities and Communities Conference.
Born in Illinois to Armenian parents, Paul’s family moved to Milwaukee where he was raised in a low-income, socialist community. In the 1950s, Paul’s family relocated to California. There, he attended the 1960 Democratic Convention, where he saw John F. Kennedy give his presidential nomination acceptance speech and became an activist in the Democratic Party, focusing on civil rights and women’s rights. As a campaign worker in Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 Presidential campaign, Paul attended Kennedy’s last speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, only moments prior to his assassination. Paul was deeply affected by this and by the assassinations of other civil rights leaders and activists during the 1960s and changed his life-direction to directly impacting quality of life through health care.
Lenny Brody grew up in a working class family in Brooklyn, NY. He was the first in his family to graduate from college and is particularly concerned with the needs of working class people. Lenny worked as a typesetter in the printing industry and is now retired.
He has been politically active since the early 1960s. During the mid-1960s he was a volunteer in South Carolina with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the civil rights organization led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As part of his activities in protest of the Vietnam War he refused induction into the Army.
He has been an active community organizer in poor neighborhoods for decades. Lenny is currently involved in local Chicago electoral politics and is also organizing with the Illinois section of the Poor Peoples Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.
Lenny has studied economics and theories of political change while continuing his political activism and believes the United States is in desperate need of fundamental economic, political and social transformation.
He has been politically active since the early 1960s. During the mid-1960s he was a volunteer in South Carolina with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the civil rights organization led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As part of his activities in protest of the Vietnam War he refused induction into the Army.
He has been an active community organizer in poor neighborhoods for decades. Lenny is currently involved in local Chicago electoral politics and is also organizing with the Illinois section of the Poor Peoples Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.
Lenny has studied economics and theories of political change while continuing his political activism and believes the United States is in desperate need of fundamental economic, political and social transformation.
Elizabeth is 24 years old, a TEDx speaker, Fulbright scholar at Instituto Empresa (IE) University in Madrid, Spain, former World Rotary Peace Fellow at International Christian University (ICU) in Japan, and is a Japanese Government MEXT research fellow. She has a double Masters in the field of Mental Health (U.S) and Peace and Conflict Studies (Japan), which has permitted her to work as a therapist and mediator with refugee and indigenous communities from the U.S, as well as engage in nonprofit work in Latin America.
At age 14, she founded Generations of Legacies, an initiative focused on educational empowerment. After completing her graduate-level studies at the record age of 19, she continued to grow this initiative from abroad. She has worked closely with Amnesty International USA, the Center of Migration and Refugee Integration, the Global Peace Building Association of Japan, Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI), the Academic Council of the United Nations Systems (ACUNS), and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency in Paris, France.
Elizabeth is a recipient of several awards, including the 2020 TUMI USA National Award, the Martin Luther King Drum Major Award, Utah Young Philanthropy Award, and the Diversity and Equity University of Utah Award.
In addition to serving on the Justice Party Steering Board, Elizabeth also sits on the Board of Trustees for Pax Natura International, and the Radio Natura Pax Podcast Committee. Elizabeth currently resides in Tokyo, Japan, and works as a Government Researcher and as a Liaison for the Academic Council of the United Nations System (ACUNS) Tokyo Office.
At age 14, she founded Generations of Legacies, an initiative focused on educational empowerment. After completing her graduate-level studies at the record age of 19, she continued to grow this initiative from abroad. She has worked closely with Amnesty International USA, the Center of Migration and Refugee Integration, the Global Peace Building Association of Japan, Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI), the Academic Council of the United Nations Systems (ACUNS), and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency in Paris, France.
Elizabeth is a recipient of several awards, including the 2020 TUMI USA National Award, the Martin Luther King Drum Major Award, Utah Young Philanthropy Award, and the Diversity and Equity University of Utah Award.
In addition to serving on the Justice Party Steering Board, Elizabeth also sits on the Board of Trustees for Pax Natura International, and the Radio Natura Pax Podcast Committee. Elizabeth currently resides in Tokyo, Japan, and works as a Government Researcher and as a Liaison for the Academic Council of the United Nations System (ACUNS) Tokyo Office.
As a woman of Mescalero Apache/Mexica descent, Irene completed numerous academic courses from 2003-2010 in social work leading to her employment as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and an Addiction Counselor, and her involvement with organizations like FOTF-Friends of the Family Young Parents’ Program. Irene grew a passion for social justice and began her journey as a human rights and civil rights advocate in 2013. Irene has been a part of, and held key roles in several movements.
Irene is a founding team member, media leader, and the Director of Community Outreach at Divest LA (which strongly supports the No Dakota Access Pipeline Movement to help protect Indigenous lands by urging ongoing individual, municipal, and corporate divestment from corrupt financial institutions and other corporations, and reinvest in those which operate responsibly, with social, economic, and environmental consciousness). In protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, Irene spent time in North Dakota at the Oceti Sakowin camp in solidarity with the Lakota Nation. Irene also worked as an Outreach Street Team leader for Divest LA’s Public Bank LA campaign pushing for the creation of public banks in Los Angeles County and taking on Wall Street.
Irene directly participated in the offering of an Eagle feather from North to South, with Mexico’s Nahua Indigenous presidential candidate María de Jesús Patricio Martínez “Marichuy”. Irene also participated in the National Indigenous Congress (Congreso Nacional Indígena, CNI) and the Indigenous Governing Council (Concejo Indígena de Gobierno, CIG) in Chiapas, Mexico to address Mexica and Indigenous struggles in the United States.
In 2014, Irene helped establish and cofound Revolution LA, a grassroots activist/political organization. Revolution LA’s mission is to transform the City of Los Angeles’s political and economic framework through grassroots organizing and progressive legislative advocacy. For three years Irene has worked as a News Reporter with KPFK Radio-Pacifica Evening News, raising awareness on Indigenous struggles, gentrification, police brutality towards Black and Brown People, and environmental justice. Since 2017 Irene has been an active Board Member with Urban Partners Los Angeles, a non-profit organization that helps create and encourages charitable programs of education, health, social service, and community activity for impoverished people living in the Westlake––Koreatown neighborhoods of Los Angeles. From 2018-2020, Irene worked as a core member of the National Poor People's Campaign, Los Angeles Committee and recently established the Northeast San Fernando Valley Committee, raising awareness about San Fernando Valley residents affected by issues of poverty, such as homelessness, joblessness, low wages, student debt, and healthcare neglect. In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Irene founded LA Baby Cooperative, a program that provides infant necessities to migrant low-income, no-income moms and that holds wellness groups monthly.
Irene is continuing her academic achievements, after having completed her A.A. in History, as well as in Journalism at Los Angeles Valley College, a B.A. in History at the University of California, Riverside, and will be working towards pursuing her law degree.
Irene’s human rights work is not just for the communities that she loves; it’s for the next seven generations and for her two boys, Isaiah and Jacob, whom she supports by working at a law firm as a Legal Assistant.
Irene is a founding team member, media leader, and the Director of Community Outreach at Divest LA (which strongly supports the No Dakota Access Pipeline Movement to help protect Indigenous lands by urging ongoing individual, municipal, and corporate divestment from corrupt financial institutions and other corporations, and reinvest in those which operate responsibly, with social, economic, and environmental consciousness). In protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, Irene spent time in North Dakota at the Oceti Sakowin camp in solidarity with the Lakota Nation. Irene also worked as an Outreach Street Team leader for Divest LA’s Public Bank LA campaign pushing for the creation of public banks in Los Angeles County and taking on Wall Street.
Irene directly participated in the offering of an Eagle feather from North to South, with Mexico’s Nahua Indigenous presidential candidate María de Jesús Patricio Martínez “Marichuy”. Irene also participated in the National Indigenous Congress (Congreso Nacional Indígena, CNI) and the Indigenous Governing Council (Concejo Indígena de Gobierno, CIG) in Chiapas, Mexico to address Mexica and Indigenous struggles in the United States.
In 2014, Irene helped establish and cofound Revolution LA, a grassroots activist/political organization. Revolution LA’s mission is to transform the City of Los Angeles’s political and economic framework through grassroots organizing and progressive legislative advocacy. For three years Irene has worked as a News Reporter with KPFK Radio-Pacifica Evening News, raising awareness on Indigenous struggles, gentrification, police brutality towards Black and Brown People, and environmental justice. Since 2017 Irene has been an active Board Member with Urban Partners Los Angeles, a non-profit organization that helps create and encourages charitable programs of education, health, social service, and community activity for impoverished people living in the Westlake––Koreatown neighborhoods of Los Angeles. From 2018-2020, Irene worked as a core member of the National Poor People's Campaign, Los Angeles Committee and recently established the Northeast San Fernando Valley Committee, raising awareness about San Fernando Valley residents affected by issues of poverty, such as homelessness, joblessness, low wages, student debt, and healthcare neglect. In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Irene founded LA Baby Cooperative, a program that provides infant necessities to migrant low-income, no-income moms and that holds wellness groups monthly.
Irene is continuing her academic achievements, after having completed her A.A. in History, as well as in Journalism at Los Angeles Valley College, a B.A. in History at the University of California, Riverside, and will be working towards pursuing her law degree.
Irene’s human rights work is not just for the communities that she loves; it’s for the next seven generations and for her two boys, Isaiah and Jacob, whom she supports by working at a law firm as a Legal Assistant.
After 40 years, Irene Maya Ota recently retired from teaching at the University of Utah. For over 20 of those years, Irene taught diversity and social justice courses. She has a BA in Cultural Anthropology and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. She has nearly completed her Ph.D in the University of Utah’s Education, Culture, and Society program (short of completing her dissertation). Her research interests focus on critical space theory, identity formation, and social justice advocacy and action. (Critical space theory is the study of how spaces are conceived, perceived, and lived, and of how identities are formed in these spaces.) Reaching beyond her teaching at the University of Utah, she also acted as advisor to an ASUU student group focused on social justice issues.
During her long professional career, Irene developed and held workshops focusing on understanding diversity, inclusion, anti-discrimination, implicit bias, and unhealthy masculinity. Among other many other corporations and non-profits, Irene provided diversity consulting services to DDI Vantage, YWCA, Neighborhood House, UCASA, Peace House, Salt Lake Community College, and to the University of Utah. Irene has presented at international conferences to audiences in Hong Kong, Stockholm, Seoul, and Dublin. Many of her workshops and consulting programs are conducted through Irene M. Ota Consulting and Training, LLC, which she owns and founded in 2018 (and is still an active company).
Since retirement, Irene conducts Anti-discrimination Response Training (A.R.T.), training seminars. She is a certified trainer and was trained by Dr. Ishu Ishiyama who developed the witness-centered approach to anti-prejudice education. Through her training seminars, workshops and consulting, she assists individuals in the development of skills and techniques to foster inclusive climates in the work-place, at educational institutions, and in their day-to-day life.
Her life experiences and education have spurred her interest and passion in social justice education, issues, and advocacy. Irene is a Japanese American and has raised two bi-racial African and Japanese American children. She has personally experienced the challenges the U.S. faces in coming to terms with its history in order to move forward into the future. In an article written for the University of Utah Student Perspectives web page, Irene said, "We need to work collaboratively to dismantle the structure of privilege and oppression. And the first way to dismantle these structures is to be aware of and validate their existence." (H. Yaqoobi, Mar. 6, 2018, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion-Student Perspectives-Irene M. Ota, diversity.utah.edu/irene-ota/)
Irene explains that she was drawn to work with the Justice Party because it "speaks directly to the realities of marginalized individuals and the institutional and systemic structures of privilege and oppression. It provides information, but asks for action. I hope to be a part of making any kind of movement toward social justice and inclusion." She currently serves on the Justice Movement Steering Board and Social Justice Committee.
During her long professional career, Irene developed and held workshops focusing on understanding diversity, inclusion, anti-discrimination, implicit bias, and unhealthy masculinity. Among other many other corporations and non-profits, Irene provided diversity consulting services to DDI Vantage, YWCA, Neighborhood House, UCASA, Peace House, Salt Lake Community College, and to the University of Utah. Irene has presented at international conferences to audiences in Hong Kong, Stockholm, Seoul, and Dublin. Many of her workshops and consulting programs are conducted through Irene M. Ota Consulting and Training, LLC, which she owns and founded in 2018 (and is still an active company).
Since retirement, Irene conducts Anti-discrimination Response Training (A.R.T.), training seminars. She is a certified trainer and was trained by Dr. Ishu Ishiyama who developed the witness-centered approach to anti-prejudice education. Through her training seminars, workshops and consulting, she assists individuals in the development of skills and techniques to foster inclusive climates in the work-place, at educational institutions, and in their day-to-day life.
Her life experiences and education have spurred her interest and passion in social justice education, issues, and advocacy. Irene is a Japanese American and has raised two bi-racial African and Japanese American children. She has personally experienced the challenges the U.S. faces in coming to terms with its history in order to move forward into the future. In an article written for the University of Utah Student Perspectives web page, Irene said, "We need to work collaboratively to dismantle the structure of privilege and oppression. And the first way to dismantle these structures is to be aware of and validate their existence." (H. Yaqoobi, Mar. 6, 2018, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion-Student Perspectives-Irene M. Ota, diversity.utah.edu/irene-ota/)
Irene explains that she was drawn to work with the Justice Party because it "speaks directly to the realities of marginalized individuals and the institutional and systemic structures of privilege and oppression. It provides information, but asks for action. I hope to be a part of making any kind of movement toward social justice and inclusion." She currently serves on the Justice Movement Steering Board and Social Justice Committee.
