Introducing: The First Block x Block Fellows 

Youth First Justice Collaborative is proud to continue supporting a new generation of youth leaders through the Block x Block Fellowship. From the Black Panthers, the Young Lords, the American Indian Movement and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, young people have always been on the front lines of the fight for liberation.

Being a part of that legacy continues today with the Block x Block Fellowship – a one-year, hybrid, paid fellowship bringing together directly impacted young leaders and orienting them with their own power through learning, assessment and practice.

Block x Block exists to invest in directly impacted young leaders by helping them recognize, strengthen and organize their own power to end youth incarceration. The Fellowship is designed to build a strong pipeline of organizers who can respond to current threats to freedom by building power block by block in their communities. By grounding ourselves in political, individual and interpersonal assessment, we can develop crucial power-building skills and achieve transformation beyond the block..

In partnership with the Youth Leadership Advisory Board, we’ve selected the inaugural cohort of six fellows who are going to set a high bar for what we can achieve when we invest in young people’s leadership.

Espiranza Talamante works with SouthWest Organizing Project as a facilitator and advocate for youth justice. She’s also working on the documentary “Thousand Stories Project” to change narratives about youth justice and ensure youth voices are heard.

Lucius has a hand in many of SWOP’s youth initiatives, including co-facilitating the Organizing 101 training, leading the youth internship program, supporting the “Thousand Stories Project” documentary, and participating in the environmental justice and gender justice groups. 

Marquan Teetz is a powerful advocate for youth in foster care and juvenile justice reform. He works to end punitive fines for youth and promote kinship placements over institutional care. As a former foster youth, his work is deeply personal, rooted in his own experiences transitioned through congregate care and kinship care. He has endured the separation from his brother and faced multiple mental health challenges. Tragically, his brother suffered an unjust fate at the hands of a system that was meant to safeguard him. It is these very personal experiences that drive his unwavering commitment to this work.

Rawhese Love is a Long Beach, California native now based in Wichita, Kansas, dedicated to uplifting communities through advocacy, creativity, and service. As a member of Destination Innovation, Rawhese works within the Progeny Advocate division, focusing on community-based initiatives that empower youth and families impacted by systemic challenges. Through spoken word poetry, community building, and outreach, Rawhese amplifies the voices of young people experiencing homelessness, those affected by incarceration, and youth navigating the foster care system. Passionate about turning pain into purpose, Rawhese uses art and advocacy to create safe spaces, inspire hope, and push for lasting change.

Talisha Daniels is a community-based multidisciplinary researcher and cultural practitioner focused on building sustainable ecosystems of care. With training in neuroscience and experience in grassroots organizing, she investigates how environment, culture, and embodied practices influence mental and collective health. Through her platform, Lisha’s Sanctuary, she combines hairstyling, herbal cultivation, and research to activate healing-centered community spaces. Her work prioritizes intergenerational connection, care, and sustainability for Black communities. Talisha aims to strengthen neighborhood-based models that merge creativity, wellness, and collective self-determination.

Salena Jackson is a youth fellow whose work is driven by justice, equity, and youth leadership. In her role as a Youth Network Member at the Legal Rights Center, she works with other youth leaders to practice restorative justice, provide legal education, and ensure the perspective of directly impacted youth shape conversations about legal rights.