AWARE facilitators are accountable to an advisory board of leaders in racial justice.
Advisors provide grounding and accountability in the development and deployment of programs to ensure they are authentic and effective while raising awareness and challenging systemic racism.

Monica Fink

Monica is an advocate for equitable practices in her community.  Making her public debut in 2017 as the Marble Elementary School Equity Team President.  She also became an active member in The Black Parent’s Union, Marble School Community Council, District Parent Council, East Lansing Safe Routes to School, The Return to School Committee. Monica makes a positive impact at many levels in the community ensuring the lens of equity is prioritized while establishing, reviewing, and revising policies and practices.  Monica is arguably the leading advocate for marginalized people in the East Lansing community.   Her leadership and vision has resulted in inclusive books being added to the Marble Library collection, community conversations through book clubs, message boards and social media.  She is also responsible for the communities first ever interactive implicit bias training as well as a public screening of “The Great American Lie” a film that examined the growing problem of social and economic inequality in America, all at no-cost to attendees.
A certified mediator, Monica used her talents in communication and diplomacy to run a successful grassroots campaign to become Elected as an East Lansing Public School Board Trustee in November of 2020.  She quickly positioned herself as the board representative of the Policy and Personnel Committees as well as the Ingham School Officers Association (ISOA).  She has plans to continue to make a positive impact on the community advocating for equitable practices for everyone. 

Rashida Harrison, PhD

​Rashida L. Harrison, PhD (she/hers) in her professional and personal life works towards struggles for justice and equality. She is an Assistant Professor of Social Relations and Policy at James Madison College, Michigan State University.   She earned her PhD in African American and African Studies with disciplinary foci in Sociology and literature at Michigan State University.  Dr Harrison is a Black Feminist who has worked with several community and activist organizations, including Black Lives Matter; providing workshops on histories of Black social movements, various issues related to Black Social and Political life, working in coalition across racial and ethnic identities for gender equality, etc. 
 
Dr. Harrison’s teaching reflects her research interest, and includes courses on social theory, social movements, intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality, citizenships, and race and Citizenship to name a few.  Her research examines how black women build coalitions across social identities, political realities, and national borders.  Her most recent writing project is focused on Black Women’s health movements and its impact on renewed political action in Black communities.
 
Dr. Harrison is an activist teacher who contributes to larger community dialogue and education for the empowerment of Black People.  She is the proud mama of a budding revolutionary two-year old son. 

Dana Watson

Dana Watson is a Black person who uses the pronouns she/hers. She is from the south Chicago suburbs and currently lives in Michigan. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication and received her Masters of Science in Human and Social Services. She works in public health for the county government where she has co-facilitated three-day health equity and social justice workshops. Dana is an activist within the community. Dana received a Certificate of Completion in the “Fundamentals of Facilitation for Racial Justice Work” and Ingham County gave her the  “Health Equity & Social Justice Champion” award in 2018.  Dana has three children and is involved in school equity teams with parents and teachers. In 2020, Dana was appointed to East Lansing City Council.