Aiyana

Knowles

Back to the Russell City Reparative Justice Project Steering Committee ⇒

Aiyana Knowles is a founding elected member of the Russell City Reparative Justice Project Steering Committee. Aiyana’s father, James, is a former Russell City resident whose household and extended family were displaced in the early 1960s. Born and raised in Hayward, California, Aiyana grew up attending the Russell City Reunion Picnic with her family, where from an early age she cultivated a sense of responsibility for preserving and honoring the legacy of Russell City.

Aiyana is currently the Chief Program Officer at La Familia, where she leads the Community Support and Advocacy Division. She is a true advocate for underserved communities, social justice, and racial equity.  Aiyana has spent over 14 years working tirelessly in the nonprofit and public sectors, directly engaging with community members, local leaders, and community-based organizations.

Before joining La Familia, Aiyana was with the Alameda County Public Health Department for two years, where she led the Health Promotion and Community Partnerships Unit focused on health education in alignment with COVID-19 mitigation, recovery, and resiliency planning in neighborhoods most impacted by disproportionate COVID-19 outcomes.

During her time in New York, Aiyana was the NY State Director of External Relations at Achievement First where she led the management of advocacy, community engagement, and student recruitment in Brooklyn. Before that, as the Associate Director of Advocacy at Success Academy Charter Schools, she transformed their parent-leader engagement, working closely with families to build strong school communities.

Aiyana earned her BA in Liberal Studies with a focus in Recreation from California State University Hayward.

Learn more abote Aiyana Knowles, review Steering Committee nomination forms and statements:

Candidate Questionnaire Candidate Statement Recording