We’re a small but mighty team with big ideas and a passion for doing things well.
MEET THE TEAM!Co-Leader
challenging jury discrimination practices targeting African Americans, Jews, and LGBTQ communities by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office
Brent Turner
Founder | Advocate | Community Leader
Brent Turner is the Founder and Executive Director of the Rise and Reach Project, where he works to expand leadership, economic mobility, and opportunity for underserved communities.
Brent Turner is a purpose-driven leader, strategist, and advocate dedicated to advancing equity, economic inclusion, and community empowerment. His work bridges community advocacy, public policy, and leadership development across the Bay Area.
A proud Oakland native and deacon in the Church of God in Christ, Brent approaches his work with a commitment to faith, service, and integrity.
Brent approaches leadership with both conviction and collaboration. He believes deeply in interpersonal relationship-building, compromise, and fair exchange when those efforts advance justice and meaningful progress.
His initiatives focus on affordable housing, reparations, jury reform, workforce development, and education equity. Having lived in rural Illinois, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay Area, Brent brings a perspective shaped by both personal experiences and systemic realities related to racism and inequality.
Throughout his work, he has collaborated with local leaders, legislators, and institutional leaders to address issues involving policing, student advocacy, housing, reparations, hate incidents, and public policy.
His advocacy work includes challenging jury discrimination practices with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, promoting affordable housing in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, and supporting reparations for descendants of enslaved people at local and state levels.
Brent previously served as a peace officer with the Alameda County Probation Department and served on the Probation Peace Officers Association (PPOA) board and negotiation team, helping secure a 25 percent raise for officers and launching a Health and Wellness Center for staff.
He also contributed to the Oakland Midnight Basketball League, a citywide crime-prevention initiative using sports to deter crime and build character among youth.
Beyond probation, Brent co-founded the M. Peters Foundation with legendary coach Michael Peters, distributing over 2,000 winter coats, organizing financial literacy workshops, and supporting student development through college and professional exposure programs. He also served as Program Director and consultant for SPAAT, guiding student-athletes through academic and athletic transitions.
Today, Brent serves as Founder and Executive Director of the Rise and Reach Project, mentoring youth and adults toward leadership and economic mobility. He also coaches football at McClymonds High School in West Oakland and consults as a financial coach at Chabot College.
He focuses on how sport, media, cultural-community collaboration, and economics can serve as tools for societal change.
Brent holds a Master of Science degree from Western Illinois University and is currently a Juris Doctor candidate at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento (Class of 2029).
Mission: Empower people, dismantle systemic barriers, and ensure no one is left behind.
Steering Committee
Jason Mitchell
Jason Mitchell is one of those people who's always had a knack for understanding the big stuff—like power, justice, and why confronting hard truths is so much harder when you're from a place of privilege. Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, with two very progressive Jewish parents, he didn’t have much of a choice but to learn about inequality, systemic racism, and how uncomfortable it can be when people who look like you are the ones benefiting from it. But hey, Jason took it all in stride, and instead of letting it crush his spirit, he turned it into his life’s work with a deep rooted commitment to justice, growth, and understanding. His intersectional approach, combining his Jewish heritage with a passion for confronting structural inequalities, has led him to work alongside a variety of organizations, including those focused on racial justice, Palestinian solidarity, and broader systemic issues like militarism and extreme capitalism. When he’s not helping individuals or organizations work through their biggest issues, he’s probably collaborating, protesting and speaking out with groups like SURJ, JVP, and Breaking the Mold. He’s definitely the guy who’ll challenge your views on race, gender, power, and money—while making you laugh, so that you may forget how serious the conversation is. Although, in truth, it’s been hard to be funny these days.
Jason is the kind of guy who knows how to argue (he’s a lawyer) but also knows how to listen (because, you know, he’s also a mediator). After years of being a litigator in San Francisco, he pivoted to running an import-export business for sportswear, and then, just for fun, got into training, facilitation, and executive coaching. It's like his career is one big buffet of skills—whatever helps make the world a better, more equitable place, he’s down.
But wait, there’s more: Jason’s also a dad, a passionate salsa dancer (yep, he learned in Cali, Colombia), a Vipassana meditation enthusiast (he did ten days of silent meditation, and came out even more zen than a monk), and he’s hoping to join a protest drum circle. Basically, Jason’s got it all—activism, family, dance moves, and a deep desire to make the world a little bit more just... all while having fun doing it.
So, if you ever need someone to help you shift your perspective, negotiate through a tough situation, or just get you out of your head for a while with some salsa, Jason’s your guy. And who knows, he might even get you to challenge your belief system while you’re at it.
Lena Robinson
Lena Robinson works is a regulatory analyst for a major bank supporting compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
Lena was born and raised in San Francisco in a Christian household. She has witnessed first hand the economic and cultural decimation of the Black population in San Francisco starting in the 70s with urban renewal. In spite of that, I have benefited from the cultural richness and unlimited opportunities of growing up in the city.
Lena received a Bachelors in Japanese Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a Masters from Ohio University in International Studies. She actively participates with her church and enjoys teaching religious studies to children. She also enjoys biking, hiking, trying new recipes, reading and a sunny day at any beach.
Elliot Helman
Elliot grew up in a multi-faith home. The two religions that his parents embraced were Judaism and Social Justice. Having grown up in Washington, DC during the 60s, many of his childhood memories are of the civil rights movement and the search for authentic New York bagels. He was too young to remember or participate in a conscious way, but his parents and grandparents were heavily involved with Martin Luther King's work and were at the famous March on Washington. Elliot remembers watching it on TV to see if he could catch a glimpse of them.
Elliot moved to San Francisco in the early 70s and has been active in the work of what modern Jews love to refer to as Tikkun Olam, repairing our broken world. While raising a kid took quite a bit of his attention for 21 years, Elliot has remained active in the issues that are most pressing today by giving his time to several organizations doing great work. In addition to his work with the Unity Group, he also works on various causes with groups such as Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), climate change issues with 350.org, and Palestinian solidarity with Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). Elliot is a member of Or Shalom Jewish Community, a Reconsructionist Synagogue in the City.