Power Coalition Announces Three Staff Additions

Image

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–June 30, 2020

Power Coalition Announces Three Staff Additions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice has managed to expand our work. The key to building on our statewide civic engagement, community organizing, and policy advocacy has been the additions of three new staff members whose knowledge and skills have helped us reach new heights.

NEW ORLEANS, LA | June 30, 2020—The pandemic has exacerbated previously existing challenges that we faced as a society. It has also presented us with a brand-new set of challenges. Many individuals and organizations have understandably had trouble adjusting. Fortunately, at the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ–http://powercoalition.org), we have been able to respond to these pressures and even further build out our work. The capacity to do so has largely been dependent on the three new team members we’ve added over the past few months.

Kaitlyn Joshua, our new Faith organizer, is our latest addition, having joined the Power Coalition in June after a very successful stint with one of our partner organizations, Step Up Louisiana. Kaitlyn is a lifelong resident of the Baton Rouge area, having graduated from East Baton Rouge public schools and Southern University. Her proven ability to organize and lead at the grassroots level will help us deepen our relationships in faith communities across Louisiana.

“As a Louisiana native, I am passionate about making this state a place where everyone feels welcome,” said Kaitlyn. “Through activism and organizing, we can build more equitable communities and overcome racial or socioeconomic disparities. I am inspired by my faith and excited to get to work dismantling systemic oppression and serving the community.”

Earlier in the year, we brought Candice Battiste on board as our full-time North Louisiana Organizer. Candice has been a leader in the Shreveport region for years, and is a graduate of LSU, with a law degree from the Southern University Law Center. We are extremely excited to be able to add her as a full-time staff member, especially after the remarkable work she did on our 2019 Power Voter campaign.

“Joining the staff of such an impactful organization that understands a more powerful Louisiana includes every Louisianan is exciting,” according to Candice. “I can’t wait to further the goals of our North Louisiana communities and continue our progress as an organization.”

We also recently added Georgia Barlow to the team under the auspices of being our Environmental Justice Fellow. But her outstanding work “forced” us to expand her role. Along with environmental justice issues, Georgia, who is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Health at Tulane University, is helping us with general research, grant writing and reporting, and more.

“I am excited to join the Power Coalition and work with such a dedicated team to build a more equitable state,” said Georgia. “I look forward to connecting research with policy and programming that will empower people across Louisiana. Coming from a public health background, with a focus in disaster management, I am ready to get to work helping our communities–especially the most vulnerable among us–build a better future as we continue to battle COVID-19.”

The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice works to build voice and power in traditionally ignored communities. We are a coalition of groups from across Louisiana whose mission is to organize in impacted communities, educate and turn out voters, and fight for policies that create a more equitable and just system in Louisiana.

What: Power Coalition for Equity and Justice hires new Faith Organizer, North Louisiana Organizer, and Environmental Justice Fellow

When: June 30, 2020

Contacts:

Ashley Shelton, Executive Director, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, (225) 802-2435, ashelton@powercoalition.org

Peter Robins-Brown, Communications Director, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, (504) 256-8196, prb@powercoalition.org