In 2015, philanthropist Charlotte King, a New York native, founded the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice to address the underrepresentation of Black residents in Sussex County’s public and private sectors. Although SDARJ primarily focuses on issues impacting Black Americans facing systemic barriers, its membership, volunteers and governing board reflect the broader Sussex community.
Under King’s leadership, SDARJ expanded its mission to tackle racial disparities in education, health care and housing, while also addressing inequities within Delaware’s criminal justice system and offering support to individuals recently released from incarceration. The nonprofit has become a forum for fostering a deeper understanding of American society through the experiences and perspectives of Black communities.
SDARJ hosts public education forums, engages with policymakers and collaborates with groups like the ACLU, the United Way and local historical societies. The nonprofit also organizes the annual African American Film Festival; publishes Black Voices, a quarterly news magazine, and has awarded nearly $50,000 in scholarships to Sussex County students. Not relying on state or federal grants, the organization is funded entirely through donor contributions.
Although she has stepped down as a board member of SDARJ, 82-year-old King remains active in her community, serving on the boards of the First State Community Action Agency, the Community Minority Liaison Committee for the Cape Henlopen School District and The Sunshine Circle Club, which provides support services for the elderly and youth.
Chandra G. Pitts, a humanitarian, social entrepreneur and youth development specialist, is the president and CEO of One Village Alliance, a global social justice organization she founded in 2010. A first-generation Mexican American of African American heritage, Pitts established the Delaware-based organization to uplift marginalized youth and their families through education, entrepreneurship and the arts.
Under Pitts’s leadership, One Village Alliance has developed several signature programs. Around The World In A Summer! is a cultural immersion summer camp that combines academic enrichment with learning through a BIPOC lens to address both summer learning loss and social-emotional development. Girls Can Do Anything! serves as a youth-led social justice movement redefining womanhood and female empowerment, while Black Girls Heal supports girls affected by public health concerns, such as gun violence and racism.
The organization’s Raising Kings Conference, an annual mentoring event for young men, has evolved into a year-round initiative focused on strengthening relationships between boys and their fathers, mentors and role models.
Pitts’s impact extends beyond One Village Alliance’s core programs. The organization also facilitates public workshops to educate the community about law enforcement and the criminal justice system, operates Wilmington’s only community skate center, provides a free after-school program and offers free haircuts for youth. Additionally, the nonprofit has engaged in environmental stewardship initiatives, set up culinary skills development programs and has announced a partnership with the Delaware Division of Public Health to create a community-based urban wellness center.
Inspired by his father’s service as an U.S. Army medic in the Korean and Vietnam wars, Dover City Council member Brian E. Lewis has dedicated his career to public service and veteran advocacy. Beyond his role as an elected official, he is a community advocate focused on addressing veteran homelessness through direct outreach, mentorship and resource coordination.
Originally from New Jersey, Lewis began his more than two decades of community service in Delaware at the Interfaith Homeless Mission of Dover, where he coordinated emergency shelter services, distributed donations, and founded an Irish nonprofit to support fundraising efforts.
In the past two years, he has assisted with a transitional housing program for homeless veterans at Dover’s People’s Community Center, ensuring they receive essential resources and emotional support.
Lewis’s commitment to the community extends beyond veteran advocacy and includes involvement with the Brandywine Valley SPCA and Delaware Special Olympics.
On the city council, Lewis champions initiatives addressing homelessness, veteran services and community development, working to create lasting positive change. His hands-on approach and dedication make him a trusted advocate for those in need throughout Kent County.
India Colon-Diaz is vice president of Nuestras Raices Delaware, playing a key role in expanding the organization’s impact on Hispanic leadership and cultural empowerment in Delaware. Born in Wilmington, Colon-Diaz, 45, is an indigenous Arawak/Taino woman of Boriken descent. Her passion for public service and community advocacy is highlighted by a 23-year career in the U.S. Air Force.
Since joining Nuestras Raices Delaware in 2012, Colon-Diaz has worked alongside board president Maria Perez to grow the organization from a small community group organizing Wilmington’s annual Hispanic Festival and Parade into a driving force for change. In 2013, she led the group’s strategic reorganization, broadening its focus beyond cultural events to include leadership programs and partnerships with nonprofits.
Having served as the first Hispanic commissioner for the Board of Elections, a major milestone in Colon-Diaz’s tenure at Nuestras Raices Delaware was the 2021 launch of “Latinos at the Table,” a program offering coaching, public speaking training and leadership development to increase Hispanic representation in public roles. These initiatives have mentored over 100 individuals who have gone on to become elected officials, business leaders and nonprofit founders.
Charlotte Miller-Lacy, a Pennsylvania native, is the founder and national executive director of I Am My Sister’s Keeper and the MSK Community Center. She launched IAMMSK in Wilmington in October 2016, growing it into a multi-chapter organization with branches in Dover, Sussex County and Chester, Pennsylvania.
Under her leadership, IAMMSK provides mentoring, leadership training, travel opportunities and resources to support the personal and entrepreneurial development of girls and women from all backgrounds.
Building on IAMMSK’s success, Miller-Lacy established the MSK Community Center in Wilmington’s Hedgeville neighborhood in 2022. With free membership, the center serves as a vital hub, offering programs that promote physical, mental, educational and financial well-being for people of all ages.
Her dedication to community service has earned her numerous awards and recognitions from the state of Delaware, New Castle County and the city of Wilmington, as well as local and national honors for her volunteerism and leadership.
Ray Fitzgerald is the executive director of the Wilmington Housing Authority and president of the Delaware Affordable Housing Group. He is dedicated to expanding affordable housing opportunities, fostering economic empowerment and strengthening communities in Wilmington.
He joined WHA in 2021 and has led initiatives that have improved housing accessibility and stability. For example, WHA secured a $50 million grant to revitalize the Riverside neighborhood. It also has built more than 140 units of affordable housing in Delaware. Fitzgerald tapped WHA’s affiliate, the Delaware Affordable Housing Group, to redevelop vacant units.
Fitzgerald’s expertise extends beyond housing administration. Previously, as director of the Delaware Division of Social Services, he managed budgets in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars; oversaw critical social programs such as Medicaid, SNAP and TANF; developed employment initiatives that improved workforce outcomes; and created the Community Partner Support Unit that helped the state navigate resources before, during and after the COVID pandemic. His background includes experience in crisis management, policy development and community engagement.
Using his experience as a previous director of the Delaware Division of Social Services, Fitzgerald has continued to build wide-ranging networks between communities, governments and nonprofits. He also sits on multiple boards, including REACH Riverside, Project New Start, Rodney Street Tennis and Tutoring Association and the Delaware Workforce Investment Board.
Noa A. Mills specializes in connecting statewide leaders with communities, especially in support of substance abuse recovery and education reform. Ever since she was 20 years old, she has been a connecting point between Delaware’s most powerful institutions and local communities.
Mills advocated for a policy that mandates mental health resources in schools, and she provides the Noa A. Mills Annual Scholarship. She also has participated in organizations like Google TechStars and Future Founders of Wilmington.
Mills has played key roles in organizations such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and the Miss USA/Universe Organization as Miss Delaware USA 2023. She said she aims to inspire younger generations to embrace personal growth, excellence and limitless achievement.
Her philanthropic efforts earned her the 2021 Governor’s Outstanding Service Award, the 2022 Mill Summit Impact Award and over 20 recognitions from the Delaware State Government.
Jim Shanahan wants to save “America’s Founding Fish.”
He said the American Shad has not been able to migrate upstream since dams in the Brandywine Creek were built in the 18th century to power mills in northern Delaware. He and H. Hunter Lott III founded the Brandywine River Restoration Trust to help the fish return to the upper parts of the river.
One dam has been removed since the organization’s founding, and another is planned for removal in the summer of 2025. The Trust has support from national wildlife foundations, local businesses and governments, the state and the University of Delaware to continue studies that help the fish get past the 10 remaining dams.
Each year, the organization’s ShadFest in Brandywine Park in Wilmington gathers families from around northern Delaware to learn more about environment and fishing.
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