Aaron is an artist, organizer, and development specialist from Michigan who loves plants, books, and dogs. They moved to DC in 2016 to attend graduate school at American University, where they focused on homelessness and housing. In 2020, Aaron co-founded Remora House to get supplies to and advocate for people living in encampments across the city. Through a commitment to the community Aaron worked with, they grew Remora House’s individual donor base and social media presence while highlighting the reality of homelessness in DC. Aaron’s passion for history, social justice, and horizontal organizing is illuminated in their approach to fundraising and development, which centers the young people Critical Exposure works with.

Delonte was born and raised in Washington DC. He was a member of the original Fellowship cohort and an AmeriCorps VISTA at Critical Exposure. As a Fellow, he was part of the collective effort to establish restorative justice practices in schools across DC. This helped him to realize the potential of youth in our city and their ability to fight injustices that affect young people in ways adults might not recognize. As a member of our Summer Youth Facilitation Institute, he helped youth participants learn how to document injustices and supported a showcase of their work at the end of summer. As a VISTA, he facilitated at several schools, including Ballou and Luke C. Moore, and our introductory Youth Internship program (now Stories For Action). These experiences shaped Delonte’s view on how adults can be supportive of youth efforts to change the world positively. After his time with CE, he explored his role in the world while pursuing other passions. He is excited to be back to pursue efforts to create positive change in the community more directly and find his voice in the community again. Delonte likes video games, history, and having conversations about life and experiences while also having some of his own.

Carlynn is queer Black woman, poet, and educator originally from Seattle, Washington. With over a decade of non-profit experience in youth development, arts education, and programming, her passion for youth work was sparked by her own experiences as a young writer and performer growing up. She was fortunate to have been involved in various creative outlets for youth. Her time with Arts Corps introduced her to the transformational power of artistic expression as a container for self-exploration and a catalyst for social change. Since moving to DC in 2018 to attend Howard University, she has immersed herself as a professional in the greater metropolitan area working with various organizations centering BIPOC youth, creativity, and advocacy. She is proud to be our Senior Program Coordinator supporting young people in building the world they deserve to exist in. Carlynn loves chocolate, connecting with her community, and finding new ways to get free.

Felicia is a queer, mixed-race Latinx, raised in a blended, working-class family in Chicago. Bringing decades of experience in youth work and organizational development, Felicia’s inner engineer finds joy in designing people-centered systems, uplifting interdependence, and getting at the root of problems.

Felicia skillfully weaves ease, transparency, and flyness into infrastructure work for systems-change organizations. Since 2016, she’s been a student of politicized somatics and thrives at contributing to grounded, aligned, and coordinated teams. Her career as an operations sorcerer began at the age of 10 when they inventoried their family’s Betamax and VHS collections. The process she designed included one-on-one needs assessments with family members and resulted in a hand-made reference guide on loose-leaf paper.

Since their first role as Program Manager at CE many moons ago, Felicia's journey within the organization exemplifies her deep commitment to Black and Latinx/e young people. Infusing love, playfulness, and precision, Felicia's contributions are multifaceted and have been instrumental in shaping programs and operations.

A Chicagoan, ‘til Chicago win, Felicia brings a heartiness to their relationships with people, nature, and many creatures. You can find them reading in a comfy chair, lifting heavy things (weights, their dog, etc), or dancing in their kitchen.

A writer, passionate advocate, and nonprofit professional, Nicole learned how to organize from her aunt and grandparents who, at an early age, exposed her to collective action by those most impacted demanding equity. She was taught by her mother to ask as many questions as satisfied her curiosity. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, she graduated from Trinity University with a Bachelor's in Political Science and her Master's in Organizational Development from American University, both in Washington, DC. She has spent her career focused on creating more equitable, people-focused organizations through training and conversation around racial equity and inclusion; community organizing and client engagement; advocacy; strategic growth and planning; and navigating change and conflict. Most recently, she was the Senior Director of Community Relations at the DC Public Charter School Board, where she managed public engagement on behalf of the board. She likes traveling, sunflowers, unicorns, the enneagram, and being in nature.

Orlando is a young Black man who was raised in Southeast DC. He has been an advocate for growth and change since he was a senior at Luke C. Moore Academy. He has a passion for traveling and being in nature and is an advocate for self-development and perseverance. Orlando has experience tutoring and mentoring adult and youth learners throughout the DC area. His interest in advocacy and helping others began while growing up in the District of Columbia and DCPS school system. As a student, Orlando had direct experience with the School-to-Prison Pipeline. Recognizing that he was a victim of this system sparked a paradigm shift and the desire to be a part of change and also be the change he wanted to see in his community. Orlando has given testimony at multiple hearings around social justice issues affecting schools and Black and Brown communities. He discovered that he could make a difference by organizing and taking action as a member of the first Fellowship cohort at Critical Exposure. Orlando prides himself on being a leader and a guide to helping youth recognize that their voice matters and that they can be a part of significant change if they speak up and take action.

Talia was born in Washington, DC, raised in Silver Spring, MD, and has been a DC resident since 2014. Her interest in social justice work began to take shape while she was studying abroad and volunteering at an after-school program in Santiago, Dominican Republic, where young people were subjected to toxic fumes from a nearby landfill. Following this experience, Talia channeled her deep frustration with systemic oppression into her work in education and community organizing. Talia loves reading fiction, making pottery, speaking Spanish, and advocating for resilience practices and collective care. She is excited to work alongside the amazing young people CE engages.