Ociele Hawkins
Ociele Hawkins was Lead organizer of 215 People's Alliance. Electoral Justice League Fellow Ociele Hawkins uses one-on-one engagement, poetry, photography, and music, as a way to organize toward a Black radical politic that begins and ends with Black working class people. Through political education, door to door canvassing and touching neighborhoods that already add blue to the map, Ociele and the People’s Alliance is galvanizing the Black vote in Philly for progressive issues and candidates down the ballot.
Ociele Hawkins is now the digital organizer for One Pennsylvania. Her focus is on growing the digital presence and engagement of One PA through social media content creation and building a base of volunteers throughout Pennsylvania to do the same. Previously, she worked as a community and electoral organizer for Durham For All and, prior to that, as a community organizer for 215 People's Alliance. She has 10+ years of experience in student, electoral, and community organizing, focusing on building political power with poor and working-class Black people. Ociele is proudest of her efforts in a community care campaign that reallocated funds for hiring Durham police officers into the Department of Community Safety and Wellness, as well as winning the investment of $1 million in Durham mental health services. She is inspired by bold creative choices that invite people into vulnerability and joy.[1]
Durham for All Public Facebook group members
Durham for All Public Facebook group members April 30 2020 included Ociele Hawkins.
Durham for All leaders
Durham For All February 23 2020·
Shout out to the amazing folks who came out to our first leadership training of the year!
Sign up to join the team that will be knocking doors, hosting meetings and building the power we need in Durham to defeat Trump and take the Senate at: bit.ly/d4aaction
This year, Durham voters have the power to play a critical role in defeating Trump and his allies in North Carolina. But in order to win, we have to fight back against centuries of racist voter suppression and depression used to silence our communities. That’s why we’ve set the bold goal of reaching 17,000 voters of color who did not vote in 2016. If you’re ready to take action - whether that means canvassing our neighborhoods or entering data in our office - click the link above and join the movement to take back our government! — with Shanise Renee, Stephena Digsby Jones, Hashim Benford, Bennett D. Carpenter and Ociele Hawkins.
Queer comrades
Sendolo Diaminah knowing you has changed my life. I’m glad I took you off the pedestal and really got to know you. I know everyone THINKS they are your best friend, but we know the truth lol. I love you with my whole heart. Happy birthday.
With Christina Novaton, Karissa Lewis, Ociele Hawkins, Sendolo Diaminah.
Durham for All leadership
Durham for All leadership team 2020. Bennett D. Carpenter, Ociele Hawkins, Shanise Renee, Anthony Maglione, Sendolo Diaminah.
Durham for All
Durham for All activists.
Ociele Hawkins October 25, 2017 ·
With Sendolo Diaminah, Jillian Johnson, Ociele Hawkins, Tony Macias, Anna Grant.
VNM Organizing Academy April '13
Members of the Virginia New Majority Organizing Academy April '13 closed Facebook group, accessed November 17, 2017 included Ociele Hawkins.
Krasner team
LadenPele IL May 17, 2017:
Last night, as the results for Larry Krasner were coming in and it was becoming clear that we had won, the community coalition gathered towards the middle of the election party room.
Together, 215 People's Alliance, Reclaim Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Student Power Network, B.L.O.C. Party, and Neighborhood Networks knocked over 60,000 doors to talk to voters about Larry Krasner for DA and ending ending mass incarceration in Philadelphia.
It's a beautiful beautiful thing when a coalition can come together to try and do something big, like really big, and win like this.
I can't stop smiling about it.
I'm so so grateful to have been a part of this team even if only for the last couple weeks of the campaign. I learned so much from everyone involved and know that this is just the beginning of something really exciting in the city of Philadelphia
Huge thanks James Cersonsky for getting me involved and for all the work you did supporting this campaign along with the million other things you do for students all over the state.
Shout out to Lev Hirschhorn, Amanda Almanac, Nicolas Pastore, Ociele Hawkins, Arielle Klagsbrun, Bryan Mercer, Meghna Chandra and everyone from the coalition who poured their hearts into this campaign. I really learned so much from y'all and am excited to see what comes next.
And finally, to the best student team ever
Pennsylvania Student Power Network. Y'all are a part of history now. We knocked doors day after day for two weeks in Powelton Village and throughout the 24th ward. It was surreal when we reported back on election day, and most people we had talked to had already voted for Krasner or were planning on it. The commitment, passion, and hard work this team put in deserves more praise than I can muster with words. Amazing job Zaire Best, Avy Srinivasan, Tess Kerins, Jaid Munczinski, Shahmar Beasley, Nicky Dulepski, Becky Cave, Eli Cummin, and the whole team!
Now who are we going to elect next? I guess you'll just have to wait and see. 😉
I couldn't be more excited. — with Nicky Dulepski, Jaid Munczinski, Arielle Klagsbrun, Amanda McIllmurray, Ociele Hawkins, Lev Hirschhorn, Meghna Chandra, Andrea Putnam and Nicolas Pastore.
215 People's Alliance
215 People's Alliance May 15, 2017:
Tomorrow is Election Day!!!! Polls are open 7AM to 8PM so you can cast your vote for Larry Krasner for DA. Our Monday evening canvasser are hitting the doors right now, but there's still time to get out the vote tomorrow. Hit us up! We got shifts going out at 8am, noon and 4pm! — with Ociele Hawkins and Sean Wise.
Teresa Engst connection
Ociele Hawkins with Teresa Engst.
MMP Host Committee
Media Mobilizing Project April 23, 2014:
MMP is thrilled to announce our powerhouse-of-a-host-committee for our 5th Annual Sustainer Celebration and Launch Party for The Spark: Stories that Change Our Times.
Our hosts are movement-builders, media-makers, organizers, strategists, and everyday people fighting to win our human rights!
Alex Wiles * Alix Mariko Webb * Allison Budschalow & Jonathan Barnes * Amber Felton * Amendu Evans * Amy Miller, Melissa Beatriz, Jonathan Barnes, Gary Broderick, Desi Burnette, Wende Elizabeth Marshall, Anna Grant, Zoraida Cecilia, Melissa Robbins, Bryan Mercer, Audra Traynham, Mica Root, Kati Sipp, Bek Phil, Antoine Haywood, Jay Graber, Renee McBride Williams, Todd Wolfson, Sunanda Ghosh, Molly McLidz, Sheila Quintana, Nomi M-b, Alex Wiles, Fred Pinguel, Milena Velis, Ron Blount, Jeff Rousset, Katya Rosa Botwinick, Harvey Finkle, Brendon Jobs, Patricia Eakin, Willie Colon, Kristin Campbell, Amendu Evans, Allison Budschalow, Ociele Hawkins, Tc Owens, Rugiatu Conteh and Ron Whitehorne.
Asian Americans United
Asian Americans United December 15, 2015:
With Ociele Hawkins, Duong Nghe Ly, Lan Dinh and Alix Mariko Webb.
Progressive Philly Rising
When Hannah Jones - Maypop Collective was first approached about joining a newly-emerging progressive coalition in Philadelphia that was backing John Hanger for governor, she was conflicted. So when Progressive Philly Rising approached the Maypop Collective for support, "I moved past my initial hesitation and listened". They presented a long-term vision for progressive and working class power in Philadelphia that inspired and excited us in Maypop. We talked and thought and paced and questioned. We worked through the ways in which the fight for ecological justice in Philadelphia is inextricably linked with the fight for economic and racial justice. After much deliberation, we decided to join the coalition.
On February 1st, 2014, over 250 people gathered at Arch Street United Methodist Church for PPR’s first public event to hear about its vision. The event featured a host of community organizers from Philadelphia, including Nancy Dung Nguyen with Boat People SOS, Kia Philpot Hinton Hinton Hinton with Action United, Mohammad Shukur with the Unified Taxi Worker Alliance, Desi Burnette, an organizer for migrant justice, and others.
Nancy Dung Nguyen said : “I know that we in this room envision a city with strong public schools…where our jobs allow us to live dignified lives…A city with increased civic participation from all our marginalized folks – immigrants, young people, progressives, LGBTQ folks, African-Americans. I envision a city where we are all leading.”
The speakers at the event had no delusions that an elected savior could solve all our problems. Nancy, again, sums it up nicely: “We know that our work doesn’t stop now…We know that these are particular important milestones that we need to win as we grow in our work and develop ourselves.”.[2]
Ron Whitehorne February 3, 2014;
Wife Patty took this picture of me yesterday in which I appear to be a Methodist preacher. Not the case. Endorsing John Hanger at the Progressive Philly Rising event at Arch St. Methodist. Proud to share the podium with Nancy Dung Nguyen, Kia Philpot Hinton Hinton, Desi Burnette, Helen Gym, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Ociele Hawkins, Dina Yarmus, Ellen Somekawa and, of course, John Hanger. A spirited, multi-racial crowd of a couple of hundred people strongly identified with Hanger's call for a fight to defend public education, attack income inequality and end mass incarceration. Join Progressive Philly Rising and help build a new rainbow coalition in our town.
"Introduction to Black feminism"
"Intro to Black Feminism" hosted by Sendolo Diaminah Cazembe Jackson, and Adrienne Maree Brown.
Tuesday, August 15 at 8:30 PM
Created for Black August Practice Group.
Sendolo Diaminah August 15, 2017;
- Black people! Tonight my beloved sister Adrienne Maree Brown is leading a web discussion about Black Feminism as part of a series of Black August political education sessions hosted by Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and BOLD.[3]
Those indicating they would attend on Facebook included Ociele Hawkins.
Black Ideological Struggle Webinar
Black Ideological Struggle: Radical, Liberal, Conservative Public · Hosted by Sendolo Diaminah and Cazembe Jackson
Thursday, August 31, 2017 at 8:30 PM
Created for Black August Practice Group
- Join Sendolo Diaminah for a conversation about why Black radicals can and must learn how to effectively engage liberal and conservative ideologies among our people.
- September 2, 2017. Hey family! Here is the final recording from the Black August webinars! Sendolo Diaminah took lots of patience and creativity breaking down Black Ideological Struggle for us.[4]
Those saying they would attend, on Facebook included Ociele Hawkins.
Amandla Training
Sendolo Diaminah February 1 2018
- Hey Black organizers & those who love us: BOLD has re-opened our application period for Amandla, our organizer training program. We have just a few more slots we wanted to make available, so now is your chance if you missed the deadline!
Alicia Garza, Ajamu Dillahunt, Aaron Gamal, Whitney Maxey, Hashim Benford, Ociele Hawkins, Bryan Proffitt, Bennett D. Carpenter, Courtney Sebring, Cazembe Murphy Jackson, Reece Chenault, Charlene Carruthers, Chanelle Croxton, D’atra Jackson, Dove Kent, Fresco Steez DeLaflyy, Maria C. Fernandez, Aiden Riley Graham, Kaji Reyes, Laila Nur, Theo Luebke, Maria Poblet, N'Tanya Lee, Taliba O Njeri, Orisanmi Burton, Quinton Harper, Roberto Tijerina, Mary Hooks, Serena Sebring, Adaku Utah, Vanessa Moses, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Thomas Wayne Walker, Jayanni Elizabeth, Jayda Rasberry, Amber Evans, Dara Cooper, Yotam Marom.
EJL Fellows 2018
Movement for Black Lives May 21 2018:
We are so excited to announce the inaugural Electoral Justice League! These 12 fellows come from each region in the US and will work to mobilize our communities to the polls around issues that are important to us. From candidate campaigns to legislative agenda, these fellows are working to usher in the political renaissance of our time. This fellowship will train them to become the strategic political directors of our movement.
Jamila Torrain Baltimore, Rodney Brown St. Louis, Ociele Hawkins Philadelphia, Wanda Mosley South Fulton, Levell Strong Miami, Kiana Calloway New Orleans, Shahidah Jones Memphis, Natalie Offiah Jackson, Maria Hernandez Chicago, Anita Wills San Leandro, Teresa Mabry Phoenix, Chaniqua Simpson Raleigh.
Cazembe connection
Cazembe Jackson June 19 2018:
I was invited to a 7-day book sharing challenge by Adrienne Maree Brown to post a book, explain or not, invite others to share. I invite Ociele Hawkins to join us. 6/7
First of all, Robin Kelly is a Black genius. This book is the first book i read about the history Black communists. Gave me the understanding that this is OURS. Check it out and let me know what you think.