Meet our Team
Our team is made up of fantastic queer, trans, Black, Indigenous and other people of color all working in the Puget Sound region! AAoC values interdependence and reciprocity in all of our relationships. We move at the pace of trust and treasure the process of working with one another.
Staff
Brianna Jones
they/them
Co-Director
Bri/Brianna (they/them) is an organizer and artist staying on unceded Puyallup land (Tacoma, WA). They are also 4-5 pothos running around in a trench coat. Bri brings their love of community building, joy-driven resistance, and care networks to all of the work they do. They are a proud member of AAoC’s Core Team, and they offer graphic design/organizational development consulting for BIPOC-led orgs in their region. Rooted in their experience as a Queer/Trans Black person, Bri is passionate about creating affirming and empowering spaces for QT2BIPOC to embrace themselves - while building a society that does the same. They are also passionate about herbology, dancing in their room, and finding new ways to roast their siblings.
Karissa Masciel
she/they
Co-Director
A queer Latina with roots in Mexico, Venezuela, and Southern California, Karissa is a thoughtful, supportive, and intuitive human who makes friends everywhere she goes. On any given Sunday, you can catch Karissa studying toltec semiotics or at the local library browsing speculative fiction or YA novels featuring QTBIPOC.
She dreams of a life free of capitalism and colonialism where she can brew kombucha, craft herbal skincare products, and support pregnant and parenting folks to her heart's content.
Core Team
Amari Davis
they/them
Core Team Member
Amari (they/them) is a Black, biracial, queer and trans spiritualist and healer. They are deeply committed to growing positive roots in community and creating intercommunal spaces of healing for people of the global majority. Amari's intersection of neurodivergence, trans and queer diversity, poverty, privilege, and their experiences in trauma, abuse, and recovery encompass their passion for intersectional care, passion for creating healing spaces rooted in harm reduction, and desire to be part of the liberation of all people of the global majority.
Atlas Fernandez
they/them
Core Team Member
Atlas is a first generation, Spanish-speaking, transgender nonconforming person, friend, multi-artform artist, community member, serial hobbyist hopper, and self designated chief lollygag officer. They were born in Redmond, WA and were raised in Bellevue; as the oldest of four kids, Atlas grew up being the translator, case worker, counselor, health and housing navigator and the rest for their Spanish-speaking only parent. Their expertise gained by requesting and receiving social services as a child and young adult are what drives their current work, community activism and future goals. Currently Atlas is on a journey to create art, to be silly, to be goofy, and to invite healing for their wellbeing because so much of their life is the opposite and oftentimes feels restrictive. This year I hope to learn more by failing more but this time around, I am offering myself rest in between learning.
Mikayla Jones
they/them
Core Team Member
My name is Mikayla (they/them). I’m a disabled, queer, Black, autistic birthworker and caregiver who moves through the world with care and intention. My work and life are rooted in collective liberation, with a strong focus on disability justice, covid safety, children’s rights and advocacy. I believe in protecting our most vulnerable and honoring interdependence as a strength.
I regularly support parents and caregivers by collecting and distributing resources for children and families, helping make information and resources accessible to those who need them. I also run an illness aware online community space where I connect people, share resources, and foster inclusion and conversation/connection. I’m passionate about creating spaces where people feel safe, respected, and genuinely cared for/seen.
Outside of that, I love collecting queer art, long walks, the ocean, and learning about herbs and plant medicine. I’m always seeking ways to nurture community, stay rooted in justice, and move toward a world where all of us; especially children, disabled people, and QTBIPOC folks are safe, celebrated, and supported.
Jo Robinson
he/him
Core Team Member
My name is Jo (he/him), and I am excited to share space with you all. I have past experience working with adults enduring the immigration and carceral systems and displaced/ temporarily unhoused folks. Surprisingly, I found activism because I liked to be in nature and grew up doing trail work and Environmental Conservation, which transitioned to Environmental Justice work. More than happy to be of service to anyone that wants resources or tips on just about anything, if I don't know, I can find out. I'm a researcher at heart and will forever be bringing that skill back to the community. Hit me up if you want to plan any hiking/ backpacking/ camping trips! Or talk to me about racial capitalism!
Aliyanda Harris Cobbinah
they/them
Core Team Member
My name is Aliyanda Harris Cobbinah (they/them), and I am a passionate advocate for equity, inclusion, and community building. I bring over a decade of experience in library services, racial equity work, and event coordination, with a focus on uplifting Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. I am the Community & Equity Director at Eastside Pathways and a Master’s student in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I have led projects like creating spaces for Black queer artists and supporting racial equity professionals through dialogue and connection. My organizing work is informed by a commitment to collaboration and highlighting those furthest from justice. I’m excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and energy to the AAoC core team while continuing to learn and grow in community.
Brandi Li
she/her/any
Core Team Member
Brandi (she/her/any) is a disabled, pan-ace Taishanese American enjoyer of gatekeeping and yapping about her favorite South King County destinations. Much of her emotional labor goes into social services and working alongside youth and community groups that would like an extra hand. She's had a hand in running multilingual, hybrid informational events, disability-friendly parties, catering, arts and crafts events, and creating promotional content. She has a passion in saving as many QTBIPOC yummy or cool places as she can and continuing her servitude towards her orange (female!) tabby and Turkish Angora. She will absolutely try her best in helping someone get the care that they need and finds deep satisfaction in trying to do at least one kind action every day.
Sophia Haddix
they/them
Core Team Member
TBD
render
Core Team Member
render is a part time pollinator from the ancestral homelands of the Puyallup people.
Meet the Alliance
The Alliance is a collection of organizations, groups, and individuals who serve and support queer and trans Black and brown people in the Puget Sound region.
Art: Michael Alcantara