Member Biographies

*Pending biography for Ronald Forbes*

His birth name is Lee, and his spiritual name is Taqwaa, which everyone refers to him as. Born and raised in East Oakland, California. After serving 30 years and 2 months straight he is keeping his promise to the incarcerated population that he would return to his community as an asset and not a liability. In his quest to rebuild his community, he joined on staff at All Of Us Or None/Legal Services For Prisoners With Children, as the Housing Advocate in which he fought and won (Fair Chance Housing) new housing rights for formerly incarcerated people and their families, which allows them to return from incarceration and live with their families who have subsidized housing (Section 8; Housing Authority) in Oakland and Berkeley.
Taqwaa is the founder, and the leader of a youth organization called Taqwaa’s Youth Diversion (TYD). His mission is to provide productive pathways for young people who, through various life situations, have a higher likelihood of experiencing incarceration than others. His vision is to leverage both theoretical and practical life experiences to prevent juveniles from beginning or continuing hazardous activities that lead to the California Youth Authority system, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation system, or worse. His goal is to establish relationships with young folks, their families, their educators, and mentors to show how each touch point in a young person’s life can lead to productive outcomes.
Taqwaa is also the Owner and General Manager of a Janitorial, Sanitizing, and Handyman Company called Intricate Details LLC, in which he uses as a vocational apparatus to teach entrepreneurship and employ youth and formerly incarcerated men and women.
As a community servant, Taqwaa is now an Alameda County Community Advisory Board Member, to promote innovation and best practices for jail and prison reentry services in the areas of housing, employment, education, physical and emotional wellness and family reunification.

*Pending biography for Succatti Shaw*

CAB  Member Since July 2020

*Pending biography for Hugo Amaya*

Member since May 2023 

Frank Smith affectionately known as “Street Rev” is a Pastor and International Motivational Speaker.  Born in 1963 in San Francisco, California raised by his grandparents Mr.& Mrs. Nelson; raised in a Christian family Frank loved to played drums & sing for Grandmothers home church until  age 13.

Young Frank was very popular in the Bay Area and graduated from Fremont High School with Honors. Students like Rapper town Legend Too $hort and other young community leaders highly respected him and tried to mirror him in fashion, money, fast cars & fast women. Frank was a young businessman and became a household name “Frank The Bank”.

Due to the condition of his environment in Oakland, CA He choose the fast life but he always had a Big heart and enjoy surprising and providing for the neighborhood children.

For over 25 years Frank operates as a youth ,men & Re-Entry advocate. Mr. Smith enjoys mentoring and coaching in multiple urban metropolitan areas on the East Coast & Mid-West.

The late NFL Hall of Famer Legendary Reggie White;Mentored Frank Smith into a  transformed Powerhouse Empowerment Specialist. He works very close with CEO’s, Profound business Leaders, athletes, artist  & People experiencing homelessness and Hardships.

In 2000 Frank Smith founded and coordinated Cultural Mix, a program focused on silencing the prejudice between the Latino and the African American communities in Green Bay, WI. Acting as a liaison, he was able to expose youth from different communities and backgrounds to new cross-cultural experiences, with emphasis on increasing understanding and cultural awareness. Starting with 9 students within 2 years increased to 138.

In 2003 being a true foodie, Frank Smith open Holy Smokers a Memphis Style Barbecue with a Green Bay twist, grilling on Large Industrial grill introducing the first mobile catering Pop Up restaurant. He was Honored to have the opportunity to serve the community and Green Bay Packers Southern Soul Food.  In addition, His personalize Famous Boss Sauce landed in the Packers Headquarters with it’s own jingle “We ain’t Jokin We Straight Smokin”.

To answer his spiritual calling Mr. Smith Moved back to the Bay Area in 2012 and join forces with Village Connect.

In Richmond, CA, Frank acted as a chief facilitator for 180 Degrees, a community-based program focused on increasing youth self-awareness; he partnered with students and families at JFK high school to increase social awareness.  Also self-accountability within the youth through cultural awareness and mentoring, life skills creative workshops.

In 2016 Mr. Smith founded a fellowship appropriately named DAD’s Club Inc., with a focus on embracing the priceless privilege of fatherhood, creating a family based structure that supports the needs of men, women and children in the community.

Mr. Smith. Loves and embraced fatherhood; it transformed his life. Frank is a father of four beautiful children Essences, Fabulous, Fantastic & Mr, Famous. and later married the love of his life  Lady Tapatha B. Smith.

Returning back to Oakland California, was a very challenging season for in Frank life; traveling with three children as a single dad through ups and downs. Frank celebrates being Unbreakable & Unstoppable. His goal is to empower humanity by feeding the mind, body & spirit with the word of God & Creative life skills & wellness codes.

Mr. Smith & The Bay Area 1st Royal Family deem by Oakland tribute and other news media have documented the living Legend thrives  to “Crown His Legacy”.

In the near future Frank Smith will  produce a conscious podcast title “Game Recognize Game” society, economics, life triggers  Wellness & Financial Education to the local & Global audience.

Mr. Smith currently is reorganizing & developing nonprofit Broken Chains International where his divine vision lives & operates.

Pastor Frank Smith Leadership Roles & Awards: 

• Marin county Chaplain & VP for the Kings organization, led by Dr. Reynolds
• BACS Outreach liaison for mental illness & homeless community.
• CAB Board reviewing Alameda County Re-Entry budgets & projects.
• OPIC Business Development Manager
• AWARDS
• Green Bay WI “Key To The City” award
• WI 1st African Golden Rule Award
• Appreciation SF Senator Award
• SF “ In The Trenches” Award
• 85 South Living Legend recognition
• Father of The Year Award many more

1Peter 2:9 ~Jame 1:12~Exodus 7:1

Douglas Butler attended Oakland Public Schools and graduated from Oakland’s Castlemont High School. He attended Merritt Community College and Cal State University East Bay. Butler was a Law Enforcement Officer for ten years and graduated from both the Concord and Oakland Police Academies. Douglas Butler was also a consumer of Correctional Services in California for over twenty (20) years.

During Butler’s incarceration, he acquired a number of certificates, laudatory Chronos and Letters of Achievement for education, social service training and facilitating classroom activities and workshops. Butler attended Patton College at San Quentin State Prison and received a Certificate of Rehabilitation from the Prison Insight Project that is located in Marin County. Butler also acquired a Para Legal Certificate from Southern Career Institute and worked as a legal clerk at Folsom State Prison and Solano State Prison. While at San Quentin Butler’s chief legal accomplishment was successfully petitioning the United States District Court, Northern District to order the release of Tyrone Allen for a conviction out of the San Francisco County Superior Court.

Douglas Butler is currently a Workforce Development and Career Navigation Specialist at the Cypress Mandela Training Center (CMTC). CMTC has been training men and women in basic construction techniques and equipping them with the tools, skills, and knowledge required to secure employment in the Building Trades Construction Industry, energy efficiency businesses and utility companies.

Prior to joining the Cypress Staff, Butler was the Director of the Men of Valor Academy in Oakland, CA. The academy provides residential treatment life skills workshops and job training for men returning from incarceration.

Butler departed from CMTC in 2019 and joined the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. He returned to CMTC after the election in 2022. Butler is a member of the Alameda County Advisory Board and the Oakland Police Foundation Board.

Butler has been trained to teach Impact (Inmates Putting Away Childish Things) concepts and principles for both the youth and adult populations. He also is a facilitator for anti-addiction and fatherhood classes and is a Senior Breaking Barriers Facilitator for juveniles and adults. Breaking Barriers is a program that is used in both the state and federal prison systems.

Damon Shuja Johnson also known as Brother Shuja advocates for the health and wellness of Oakland, California. He is the Executive Director of Black Men Speak, Inc., and the newly appointed Chairperson of the Peers Organizing Community Change (POCC) Justice Involved & Justice Impacted Committee. This committee is dedicated to providing a voice to individuals affected by criminal justice issues. They educate, engage, and empower the behavioral health community to transform the criminal justice system. Shuja is also a board member on the Alameda County Community Advisory Board (CAB) for Probations and a proud member of All Of Us Or None in Oakland, California.

As a returning Family Member who was formerly incarcerated, Shuja has been home now for four years and has a celebration of his return every Valentine's Day. After serving 34 years in California's Prison Industrial Complex, he is overjoyed to be able to spend time with his family and serve his community. He supports his community by providing much-needed resources such as clothing and food drives, support circles, and advocating at the State Capital in Sacramento for housing rights for our neighbors in need, as well as the rights and liberation of all those still behind bars and those returned to the community. His strength and ability to build partnerships enhances his community, leading to many individuals empowering themselves, enjoying their liberties, and striving to maintain a state of wellness, thereby decreasing trauma, stigma, and discrimination.

*Pending biography for Sabrina Fuentes*

Alameda County CCP CAB President - Vincent Garrett

Vincent Garrett is a lifelong East Oaklander, a recovering addict with 25 years clean and formerly incarcerated person, free since 2000. Although he dropped out of school due to his addiction, he managed to earn a GED. After getting clean, he returned to school for a few semesters but dropped out and picked up a trade as a Sound and Communications Technician with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 595. After receiving his certificate and becoming a technician, he was forced to stop due to lack of jobs during the Great Recession. After working a few years and trying to hold a steady job, he decided to return to school where he earned 4 business AA’s and transferred to UC Berkeley the following year. After earning a BA in Sociology from Cal, he applied for grad school at the University of San Francisco, and three years later earned an MA in Organization & Leadership.

Today, he currently works at Laney College as staff for a program for formerly incarcerated students. He is currently a member of the Bay Area Systems Impacted Consortium; a member at-large with the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network. He is a co-founder of EBRCO and is its current Treasurer and current President of the Alameda County Community Corrections Partnership Community Advisory Board.