India Harris, Deputy Director

email: india@alp.org

As Deputy Director, India is primarily responsible for the oversight of organizational development, campaign management and programmatic work of the Audre Lorde Project. 

India has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. In this time, she's engaged in leading direct service, political education, activism and community organizing. Prior to her role as Deputy Director, India served in youth and young adult ministry for Unitarian Universalist congregations.  

India is a Black Queer Washingtonian with family and ancestral roots in the South. As an herbalist, she's very committed to centering healing justice within our movements and supporting Queer and Trans People of Color in transforming the medical industrial complex. 

Ideal Crespo 

Manager of Finance & Operations

email: ideal@alp.org

Ideal is a dedicated member of our organization, having been involved since her youth. She started her journey as a coordinator for the Young Women's Leadership Training program. Despite venturing into the corporate world and excelling in building top-performing teams and real estate development projects, Ideal has always remained an active and essential member of our organization. She has contributed significantly by providing valuable consultation and establishing connections between our organization and businesses in the community. Subsequently, Ideal joined ALP as the Manager of Finance and operations, showcasing her expertise in managing financial aspects and overall operations. She then transitioned to the role of Manager of Administration and operations, further demonstrating her versatility and ability to handle different responsibilities.

Xelba Gutierrez

Campaign Manager

email: xelba@alp.org

Xelba (they/she/elle/ella) is a queer, immigrant, community organizer, educator and facilitator made of fierce indignation and gentle compassion. Xelba brings a global view, heavily influenced by their South American roots and they are passionate about challenging systems and having hard conversations about decolonizing and unlearning harmful frameworks. They firmly believe that there is a world without prisons and police in our future and is happy to join conversations about the transformation needed to get us there.   

Kerbie Joseph, Safe Outside the System Coordinator 

(212) 463-0342 ext 14 

email: kerbie@alp.org

Kerbie Joseph is a first generation Haitian woman from Brooklyn, NY and a community organizer with the ANSWER  (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition. Kerbie has organized and led the Stop The Cops unity march from the Bronx to Harlem, in solidarity for Trayvon Martin, Ramarley Graham and all police brutality victims. Kerbie is a lead organizer in the Justice for Akai Gurley Family campaign and works with many of the police brutality families in NYC. Kerbie has organized along side many of the police brutality groups and progressive politicians in NYC as well. Kerbie has spoken at Yale University, Fordham University, NYU, Temple, CUNY, and at Adelphi University on topics such as: racism, police brutality, class, LGBTQ struggle, women's oppression and organizing. 

Kerbie previously worked as a youth counselor at the Ali Forney Center, which is the largest LGBTQ homeless housing shelter in the U.S. Kerbie was also a case manager at Damayan Migrant Workers Association where she worked with labor trafficking survivors and found housing for them. Kerbie continues to do solidarity work nationally and is excited about growing with the Audre Lorde Project.

Talaya Robinson-Dancy Communications Coordinator

email: talaya@alp.org

As Communications Coordinator, Talaya Robinson-Dancy (They/She) is excited to join ALP to bring the stories of members to light and to create a fresh and accessible look for their current communications. As a historian and experienced social media manager, Talaya is committed to using social media to highlight stories of LGTBTGNC POC and disseminating information in order to properly inform and arm to revolution. Talaya enjoys discussing her favorite historical period, The Civil Rights Movement, and listening to Megan Thee Stallion. 
 

Indra Murti Kanthan, 3rd Space Coordinator

email: indra@alp.org

Indra Murti Kanthan is a queer, disabled writer, advocate and survivor. Indra joins ALP from Manavi, where she provided support and advocacy to immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, and worked to dismantle structural barriers to resource access for immigrant communities. Her prior work experience includes grant writing, grassroots fundraising, and building financial resilience and economic solidarity in POC communities. She looks forward to bringing her passion for trauma-informed care and healing work to ALP’s 3rd Space Collective. Indra is an avid animal lover, and devoted dog mom to the two best rescue mutts in the world. In her downtime, she loves to read and play the piano. At ALP she hopes to become an active source of support and collaboration for 3rd Space members and beyond.

Oscar Rodriguez Cruz, Grassroots Fundraising Coordinator

email:oscar@alp.org

Oscar (they/he), the grassroots fundraising coordinator, plays a vital role in empowering individual and major donors to actively engage in and support the Audre Lorde Project's mission. Their vision is to create a world where community-based organizations in underserved communities have sustainable revenue infrastructures.

Oscar is from Puerto Rico and was raised in Ellenville, NY (The Catskills), driven by a deep passion for resourcing communities to thrive. Prior to arriving at ALP, Oscar served as a Revenue Specialist at Common Future, an organization dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap in the United States. Their journey into resource generation and fundraising began as a development fellow and eventual associate at Organizing Black, a Baltimore-based Black community organizing center, where they learned the importance of grassroots fundraising in community organizing. Oscar’s current goal is to host similar fellowships so more Black, Indigenous, and fundraisers of color can enter community based organizations. Oscar firmly believes in keeping communities both safe and well-funded on their own terms.

Oscar holds a BA in Philosophy with a minor in German Language from Hunter College, CUNY, and an MA in Philosophy from Johns Hopkins University. An artist and philosopher at heart, Oscar spends their time discovering and listening to new artists, writers, and histories that spark their interest. They currently embrace a life motto: "You are the key to your heart."

Chriss Sneed, Board Chair

Some years ago, Chriss stumbled across ALP as an undergraduate student at St. John's University searching for community and ideas of social justice. After some time and re-connection, they joined ALP's board with an offering of professional support, grant-writing, and an enthusiasm for endless dreaming.

A Ph.D. Candidate at University of Connecticut, Chriss’ academic and public work focuses on Black LGBTQI activism and world-making in the U.S. and Brazil. In the past, Chriss has been a Research Associate in Residence at the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center, Student Representative of Sociologists for Women in Society, Visiting Instructor of African American Studies at Wesleyan University, Visiting Scholar & Adjunct at St. John’s University (where they received their B.A.), and an intern for the Trans Justice Funding Project. On a sunny day, you can find this virgo caressing the pages of a new book with their toes in the sand.

Naz A. Seenauth, LMSW

Naz A. Seenauth, LMSW (he/they), is a first-generation, Indo-Caribbean trans-masculine person based in New York City.  Currently, he is the Interim Deputy Executive Director of Programs at the Ali Forney Center, a non-profit based NYC that provides wrap-around services, including housing, case management, mental health care, health care,  and vocational and educational support to unhoused LGBTQ+ Youth ages 16-24 years old.   Naz is a product of the CUNY system. They received their MSW from Silberman School of Social Work (2019) and a dual bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Culture and Deviance Studies with a minor in Human Service from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Naz has worked with LGBTQ youth for around ten years in varying capacities. He believes his calling is to work in collaboration with community to create a world where folks are able to live their authentic lives.

Norman Ornelas

Norman is a Los Angeles born, NYC loving, perpetual student. He came across ALP as an intern in undergrad and has forever been inspired by the dedicated work that the staff and community of ALP carry out.

He is currently pursuing a dual-title PhD at Penn State in Geography and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and has interests in queer of color critique, transnational feminisms, and labor inequalities amongst LGBTQ+ folks. Previously, he worked as an urban planner in Los Angeles, and facilitated project management for projects throughout the region. While working as a planner, he advocated for community-oriented approaches to policy and programs, which he accredits to being influenced by his time at ALP. He has a Master of Urban Planning from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a minor in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. While on the Board he will offer professional, research, and grant writing support.