ALEX M. JOHNSON
Our guest speaker will be Alex M. Johnson, who currently serves as Managing Director of Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ), a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization that aims to replace over-incarceration and prison waste with new safety priorities rooted in prevention and health. He leads the development and execution of the organization’s overall strategy and goals to advance best practices in criminal justice; build coalitions with diverse stakeholders; engage in high-impact communications; and elevate the voices of diverse crime survivors in the debate on public safety policy.
Prior to joining Californians for Safety and Justice, Alex served as Executive Director for the Children’s Defense Fund-California (CDF-CA). He led the organizations statewide advocacy, policy, program and organizing efforts to ensure access to quality affordable health coverage and care for children and low income families, reforming the juvenile justice system, promoting educational equity, and ending child poverty. During his tenure the organization grew significantly and deepened its impact within the state. Alex served as Assistant Senior Deputy for Education and Public Safety to Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. He worked with school instructional leaders in the New York City Department of Education prior to returning to Los Angeles County. Earlier in his career, Alex served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx, New York where he advocated for victims of domestic violence.
Alex is a graduate of Morehouse College and earned his Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law. He is President of the Los Angeles County Board of Education, and serves on the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board, the Board of Directors for the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network (AIYN), the National Advisory Committee for the Creative Youth Development National Partnership, and the Wiley Center for Speech and Language Development.
He is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and his articles covering a wide-range of topics have appeared in La Opinion, Los Angeles Daily News, Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Youth Today, Los Angeles Wave, LA Focus, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, the California Health Report and other publications.
BENNY OKE
Benny is a musicianary (musical missionary) whose sole purpose and passion is to fulfill Jesus’ commission to all believers; preaching the Good News, feeding the poor, clothing the naked, helping the needy and showing God’s love to a lost and hurting world. He has a burning passion for evangelism and missions, and desires to use his life and music to point people directly to Christ.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Benny heard God’s call to reach the lost at a very young age and followed in his parents’ footsteps, preaching and singing the Good News. He recalls with joy the many occasions in which he experienced persecution for preaching the gospel.
After moving to the United States at the age of 21, Benny had the great honor of meeting and being mentored by the late gospel music legend, Andraé Crouch. Pastor Andraé loved Benny’s heart and ministry and invited him to come work with him at his church.
He has been privileged to work and share the state with Andraé Crouch, Sandra Crouch, Ron Kenoly, Christafari, Holland Davis (Let It Rise) and many others.
God has blessed Benny with many gifts, but his greatest blessing here on earth is his beautiful family ¾ his wife Latoya, who avidly supports his mission, and their two wonderful girls, Mariah and Makayla, who love to worship the Lord with their father.