Inspired by a history of teaching in underserved communities and a passion for criminology, I aspire to become a Data Architect who leverages advanced data analytics and insights to empower marginalized communities and reform the criminal justice system.

Growing up in the inner city with a drug-abusive mother, gun violence, and poverty was challenging. I had no idea how I could’ve gotten through my tumultuous, early childhood if my uncle was not there. My uncle is one of the greatest influences on my life as he taught me the power of effort. He used to always say what I thought was a corny mantra when I was young: “Put your best foot forward.” My 9-year-old brain used to think “Why is he always saying that?” But that positive affirmation he fed me fueled me to succeed in academics, sports and life from a very early age. This led to me becoming valedictorian of my high school class, a first-generation undergraduate and soon-to-be graduate student, and starting my own data consulting business that uses data to help marginalized communities. Beyond this, he taught me the power of sacrifice. He was on track to become one of the few in our family to go to college. However, when his mother became afflicted with HIV during the early outbreak of the epidemic, he dropped out of college to come home and care for his sisters and take care of his mother who eventually died. Similarly, when my mom (his sister) struggled with drug addiction, my uncle took in my brothers and me at a very young age and raised us until we were adults. My uncle never once asked us to be grateful or showed any resentment towards us either. It wasn’t until I got older and out of college that I realized the impact of his decision to sacrifice his life to make our lives better. His sacrifice encouraged me to always engage in selfless service work and make sure I was giving back to families and communities like our own. Thus, I also continue to invest in young black men as a mentor as part of the OK Program in Oakland, California on Saturdays as well. My uncle also never gave up on my brothers and me, even if we did have some issues that stemmed from my mother’s drug addiction. Oftentimes we would be combative and not want to speak about those issues that occurred in our home when we lived with my mom. We knew if we told or revealed anything, retaliation from my mother was waiting on the other side. Nevertheless, he still chose to invest in our growth throughout childhood and adulthood. This inspired me to want to invest in my community as well. Thus, after undergrad, I enrolled and taught in Baltimore City through Teach for America. Teaching was challenging as some students' internal battles and issues at home reminded me of my own. Yet, never giving up on their academic and behavioral goals and progress and staying invested in their development yielded better outcomes for my students. I continue to invest in students today at the collegiate level as a Graduate Student Instructor while pursuing my master's degree. Without a caring uncle as a legal guardian to help get me to where I am today, I don’t think I would’ve made it to where I am today. Every day I stepped outside of my home as a growing young man, I had to decide to follow the crowd or take the road less traveled. My smart and loving uncle provided me with tools to succeed and think critically which allowed me to travel the road others refused to take. For his help and guidance, I am eternally grateful.

The high school bell rang and I thought leaving the building would be like any other normal day. Except it wasn’t. Soon as my classmates and I stepped out the building, two loud shots rang out and we all were forced back into the building to avoid the gun fire. Two gangs decided to have a shoot out right in front of my high school without regard for any of our human lives. Growing up in and teaching in a crime-ridden, low-income neighborhood has always made me eager to change the criminal justice system. I just didn’t know how until I discovered data. Thus, to bring awareness of gun violence throughout my career, I have been leveraging data to decrease gun violence for marginalized communities. During my time as a Crime Analyst for the New York Police Department and as the Strategic Gun Crime and Violence Analyst with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office (SFDA), I got to accomplish just that. When working with the NYPD, I used data and analytical tools to help reduce gun violence by identifying hot spots, organized gangs, and creating reports and visualizations showing how crimes are linked to incidents and repeat offenders. On the other hand, when I worked at the SFDA’s Office, I noticed there was very little communication about gun crime issues qualitatively and quantitatively with the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIC) of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). I immediately noticed this gap as the DA and SFPD’s gun crime data did not match. Within my first couple of months on the job, I created a detailed quantitative and qualitative report that detailed gun crimes and gun violence committed by district, outlined the most important gun cases, proposed gun crime patterns, and also compared gun crime stats with the number of gun cases prosecuted by the DA’s office. The weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports helped somewhat strengthen intelligence and camaraderie between the DA and SFPD’s office. It also helped provide more evidence to reduce or increase gun crime sentences, or to use alternative and less punitive sentencing methods for the DA’s office. To further decrease gun violence, I created my own data consulting business called Data for JustUS where I work with nonprofit and government agencies who use data to drive positive change for marginalized communities. Beyond just my professional desire to end gun violence, I also try to stop gun violence through community service. As a teammate and mentor part of the OK Program in Oakland, I get to help reduce the high rate of homicide and incarceration of Black men and boys. At the OK Program each Saturday, teammates (older black men who apply to be mentors to the younger black men) attend “Kic’It” sessions with the young black men in middle and high school. Many of these young black men come to the program as an outlet against or an alternative to just hanging out in the streets. This reduces their chances of being victims of gun violence or getting wrapped up in the criminal justice system. We talk to the young men about several topics that black men often don’t get mentored on: financial literacy, emotional intelligence, professional development and cultural norms. I hope to continue to decrease gun violence in marginalized communities through data transparency and volunteer work. In memory of Charles, I hope to continue to do work that empowers communities and decreases gun violence.

I never got the chance to experience generational wealth when young. With a drug-abusive mother, a father who died from colon cancer before my first year of undergrad, and just growing up in a lower-income family, generational wealth seemed like a pipe dream to me. Thus, for me, generational wealth can’t be measured by monetary means, but by knowledge. The knowledge I want to pass down to younger generations and members of my family through my failures and successes so they succeed is how I measure generational wealth. One way I plan to build generational wealth is through hard work and academics. With a foundational understanding of data, the Master of Information and Data Science will help take my data skills to the next level to become a Data Architect. Becoming a data architect would be both personally and professionally enriching. On a personal level, there are few architects of color fighting for marginalized communities. While on a professional level, Berkeley’s MIDS program will allow me to improve my technical data skills in SQL, R and Python. Additionally, it will also help me learn how to use automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build and maintain systems for storing and extracting data. Furthermore, I also would like to pursue my Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA) in the future. The sound quantitative skills obtained from Berkeley’s MIDS program combined with an EMBA will allow me to power the philanthropic data work smaller nonprofits do by building robust data systems. Showing my family that with education they can achieve anything is the greatest way for them to build a wealth of knowledge to help more generations in our family. Another way I am building generational wealth is by combining my passion for data, marginalized communities and my own experience by creating my own data consulting business called Data for JustUS (DFJUS). DFJUS is a full-service consulting business dedicated to serving nonprofit and government organizations that use data and communication-driven strategies to uplift marginalized communities. Since many smaller nonprofits and government organizations lack internal staff with technical data skills, DFJUS helps its clients automate, analyze and clean large amounts of data as well as create useful databases. The name also has multiple meanings too: Data for JustUs: “Just Us” means “just us” or just our marginalized communities. Data for JustUs: “Just Us” means we’re using data, comms & research for a more just United States (JustUS). Data for JustUs: “Just Us” means we’re using data, comms & research to help bring marginalized communities justice. Marginalized communities include people of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, women, children, and/or other groups that are typically overlooked and undercounted. DFJUS is slated to offer several services including long and short-term data analysis projects, to data consultations on how to improve data collection capabilities. Working with several clients’ data to provide a voice for underrepresented groups in America continues to drive the work I do every day. Generational wealth used to seem like it could never happen for someone like me when I was younger. But after devising a plan to start my own business, going back for my graduate degree, and never giving up, it seems more attainable now than ever. And not just for me, but for more generations of my family to come as well.

I felt like I was always climbing mountains since I was a young child. The mountains I climbed weren’t physical, but instead personal obstacles. Thus, perseverance to me means climbing that “mountain” not without fear, but with resiliency. From growing up with a drug-abusive mother to trying to hurdle over the challenges of living in inner-city Newark, New Jersey, I realized I had been climbing my own Mount Everest my entire life. Growing up in the inner city with a drug-abusive mother, gun violence, and poverty was challenging. When my mom couldn’t care for my brothers and me properly, my uncle took us under his wing and did his best. I graduated valedictorian in high school still and made it to college. But losing my dad to colon cancer before my freshman year took a toll on me though. Throughout undergrad, I balanced part and full-time work/internships with classes, activities, and grief about my dad’s death. It got so bad that one semester, I thought I was going to have to drop out of college after financial aid didn’t come through until the last day before registration. None of this stopped me from graduating college; I persisted. Now as a grad student in the Bay Area of California, I am trying to attend grad school at an affordable cost. While teaching, I began to love using data to fight for marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by systemic issues in America as well. This is why I am currently pursuing a master’s in Data Science and Information Systems at the University of California - Berkeley, and started my own consulting business called Data for JustUS (DFJUS) in 2022. DFJUS specifically works with nonprofit organizations and government agencies using data to drive results for marginalized communities. By working with numerous clients who care about at-risk communities, I get to leverage data to bring awareness to a host of issues and challenge the status quo. Because my dad was part of a marginalized community himself, being able to combine my love of data with my passion for helping struggling communities allows me to continue to fight for his honor in a productive, professional and meaningful way. I also help my community persevere as well through community service. Knowing that black men are more prone to colon cancer, I get to help educate and interact with my community as a teammate and mentor as part of the OK Program in Oakland, California. The goal of the OK Program is to help reduce the high rate of homicide and incarceration of Black men and boys. At the OK Program each Saturday, teammates (older black men who apply to be mentors to the younger black men) attend “Kic’It” sessions with the young black men in middle and high school. Many of these young black men come to the program as an outlet against or an alternative to just hanging out in the streets. This reduces their chances of being victims of gun violence or getting wrapped up in the criminal justice system. We talk to the young men about several topics that black men often don’t get mentored on financial literacy, emotional intelligence, professional development and cultural norms. Serving as a mentor to these young black men allows me to be a beacon of hope like my father was to me.

“This is too much,” said many of the struggling students I taught essay writing to as a middle and high school teacher. Growing up and teaching in a crime-ridden neighborhood has always made me eager to want to fight for the rights of marginalized communities in some way. I just didn’t know which professional avenue to pursue. Therefore, after studying criminology in undergrad at American University in Washington, DC I spent the next 10 years off to figure that out. After a couple of years of using data to drive results, it finally came to me. From using data to improve student academic, behavioral and personal outcomes, to working in the nonprofit, government, and tech sectors, the 10-year gap continued to spark my interest in leveraging data. In particular, I wanted to use data as a means of social justice and to drive results for marginalized communities. Therefore, I decided to enroll in the University of California - Berkeley’s Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) program. With a foundational understanding of data, the Master of Information and Data Science is helping me take my data skills to the next level to become a Data Scientist, Architect or Engineer. Becoming a data scientist, architect or engineer would be both personally and professionally enriching. On a personal level, there are few architects of color fighting for marginalized communities. Therefore, on a professional level, Berkeley’s MIDS program will allow me to improve my technical data skills in SQL, R and Python. Additionally, it will also help me learn how to use automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build and maintain systems for storing and extracting data. In addition, I am slowly building a nonprofit and government consulting business that supports clients who use data and communications tactics to drive results for marginalized communities. I help them clean, manage, update, and analyze their data. I often choose to work with many smaller nonprofits and government entities that lack internal staff with technical data skills. Most clients also struggle to automate large amounts of data as well as create useful databases. Because I am building a business and would like to improve my business acumen, I also would like to pursue my Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA) in the future. The quantitative skills obtained from Berkeley’s MIDS program combined with an EMBA will allow me to power the philanthropic data work smaller nonprofits and government entities do by building robust data systems. While at Berkeley’s MIDS program, I intend to work full-time as well. I am currently pursuing opportunities to combine my data skills and passion for criminal, juvenile and social justice. Simultaneously, I work on campus as a part-time Graduate Student Instructor (GSI). I help teach a course on the History of Information. The goal of the class is to help students become better critical thinkers and understand how information has developed throughout history. I attend lectures two nights a week, and then help facilitate student-led presentations and discussions every Friday morning. As a GSI, I use data like I did when I was a teacher to help measure my students’ outcomes in the course. Whenever I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I always hear my students’ voices saying, “this is too much.” But then I remember how support and guidance helped them remain tenacious in their hard work. Going back to school after 10 years is challenging. However, I believe Berkeley’s rigorous MIDS program will provide the skills and support I need to help my clients use data to advocate for communities that often cannot speak for themselves.

“Your dad is gone,” my uncle said when I picked up the phone. Suddenly, all the sounds of the fun around me didn’t matter anymore. The world around me stopped. I knew my dad was sick, but I didn’t know why. And just like that, he was taken from me. It wasn’t until after his death…after visiting him for those final few months of his life in hospice…that I was told he had colon cancer. Losing my dad to colon cancer right before going to college was devastating, especially since we had just begun to rekindle our relationship. But his loss made me want to understand why and how colon cancer impacted the black community, especially black men and how in college I could fight back in his memory. After learning that he had colon cancer, I discovered Black men also have the highest cancer incidence rate. In fact, colon cancer is third most commonly diagnosed amongst black men and disproportionately impacts the black community. Learning of my dad’s colon cancer made me fight and focus on taking care of my personal health and ensuring that others in my community also took care of their personal health. At the time, I trained myself as a competitive long distance runner while attending undergrad in DC as a first generation college student. In my dad’s honor, I always donated to and ran in the ScopeIt Out 5K hosted by the Colon Cancer Alliance in DC. It allowed me to use the scant resources I had to fight in his honor in a positive and healthy way. Even when I taught in Baltimore City post grad, I ran the event in his honor and ended up placing third out of 500 people in my final race in 2014. While I am no longer a distance runner, physical fitness and nutrition is still a big part of my life as a way to fight back against systemic health issues. Thus, in 2023, I hope to compete in my first bodybuilding/physique show. While teaching, I began to love using data to fight for marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by systemic issues in America as well. This is why I am currently pursuing a master’s in Data Science and Information Systems at University of California - Berkeley, and started my own consulting business called Data for JustUS (DFJUS) in 2022. DFJUS specifically works with nonprofit organizations and government agencies using data to drive results for marginalized communities. By working with numerous clients who care about at-risk communities, I get to leverage data to bring awareness to a host of issues and to challenge the status quo. Because my dad was part of a marginalized community himself, being able to combine my love of data with my passion for helping struggling communities allows me to continue to fight for his honor in a productive, professional and meaningful way. I also fight for my community through community service. Knowing that black men are more prone to colon cancer, I get to help educate and interact with my community as a teammate and mentor as part of the OK Program in Oakland, California. The goal of the OK Program is to help reduce the high rate of homicide and incarceration of Black men and boys. At the OK Program each Saturday, teammates (older black men who apply to be mentors to the younger black men) attend “Kic’It” sessions with the young black men in middle and high school. Many of these young black men come to the program as an outlet against or alternative to just hanging out in the streets. This reduces their chances of being victims of gun violence, or getting wrapped up in the criminal justice system. We talk to the young men about a number of topics that black men often don’t get mentored about: financial literacy, emotional intelligence, professional development and cultural norms are amongst the few. Serving as a mentor to these young black men allows me to be a beacon of hope like my father was to me. My father is gone. And I can’t change that. But I can change one thing: my will to fight and succeed in his honor. To succeed for his legacy. To help the communities I care about succeed. And to succeed and exceed expectations that society has for me and those in my community. I’m fighting against a whole system and fighting generational curses that I hope to break through hard work, persistence, resilience, and perseverance.