WHO WE ARE
The Black South Rising Leadership Team
We envision a South where political power is held by and for Black Southerners where all can live with dignity, respect, and improved health, quality of life, and wellbeing.
Maxx Boykin
Manager, Save HIV Funding Campaign
Black South Rising is more than a statement, it is a collection of leaders that are committed to fighting for political and community power to dismantle systems that have caused disproportionate health impacts to us living in the South. This includes collective discussion, action and learning to create alternative systems that puts the Black community, that the United States is built on, centered in the South's rise in the 21st century.
Linda Dixon
Health Law Director, Mississippi Center for Justice
I am proud to support Black South Rising because I am deeply committed to ending the HIV epidemic and uplifting the voices of Black Americans. Equity, justice, and fairness are at the core of this work. BSR is uniquely positioned to build political power across the Black South, confronting health and social disparities at the local, state, and regional levels. At a time when advocacy for people of color is more urgent than ever, BSR stands as a driving force for bold policy reform and lasting change.
Vanessa Johnson
Co-Executive Director, Ribbon-A Center of Excellence
Black South Rising is an essential endeavor because it seeks to shift power, resources, and influence into the hands of Black people in the South—those who are most impacted by these disparities and best positioned to drive transformative change. It is not enough to acknowledge these systemic challenges; we must invest in building leadership, advocacy, electoral power, and infrastructure that empower Black communities to shape policies, demand equity, and create sustainable solutions.
Kamaria Laffrey
Co-Executive Director, The SERO Project
I choose to be involved in anything that advances the brilliance of Black leaders being the frontline response to HIV research, treatment, prevention, and healing for our community. I am involved in this body of leaders as we work to amplify the various strategies across the HIV movement space into more collective, cohesive, and compassion driven, MIPA-led initiatives. As a disproportionately impacted community, we should be the ones leading the charge.
S. Mandisa Moore-O’Neal
Executive Director, Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP)
I join Black South Rising as an unapologetic Black Southerner who comes from a long line of Black Southerners, loving and resisting in the very same place my ancestors did. This centering of the fullness and complexity of the Black South is why I joined BSR and it anchors me as I lead a national organization, The Center for HIV Law and Policy.
Venita Ray
Executive Director, Black South Rising
Black South Rising was conceived at a time when I needed it most. What began as a monthly supportive space for Black HIV leaders to be in community together, after eight years, is Black South Rising. We envisioned a place for building power by sharing knowledge, political education, and systems change. I am here for the liberation of Black people by any means necessary.
Deborah Somoye
Member, African Sisterhood Empowerment (ASHE)
Black South Rising means a network of Black leaders working with a common goal to uplift the black community and see to the welfare of all shades of the Black community through strategic advocacy around politics that rips off people of color's human rights.
Robert Suttle
Chair, Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Council of Justice Leaders
My involvement with Black South Rising is deeply personal and rooted in my commitment to social justice and equity, especially for marginalized communities in the South. Growing up in the conservative South, I saw firsthand the systemic barriers Black communities face, which shaped my passion for advocating for change. My work in HIV criminalization and human rights advocacy aligns with BSR’s mission to amplify Black voices and empower our communities. Through this platform, I’m eager to share my expertise and contribute to transformative initiatives promoting equity, justice, and lasting impact.