RASHEED SHABAZZ
Director, Oakland Voices Program
Rasheed Shabazz is director of the Oakland Voices program for the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. He is an urban planner, historian, and a multimedia journalist.
After studying journalism at Laney College in Oakland, he transferred to UC Berkeley, where he earned Bachelors’ Degrees in African American Studies and Political Science. He also earned a Masters in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley. Rasheed is a yoga teacher and triathlete.
Co-Executive Director, Maynard Institute and Co-Founder, Oakland Voices
Evelyn is co-executive director for the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.
Former Staff
- Momo Chang: From 2019 to 2024, journalist and editor Momo Chang served as Alumni Coordinator and later Co-Director of Oakland Voices. She led the program’s alumni in their ongoing community reporting.
- Kat Ferreira: As Marketing and Communications Director for the Maynard Institute, Oakland Voices alumnae Kat Ferreira led the rebranding and redesign of the Voices website.
- Brenda Payton: Veteran journalist and longtime Oakland Tribune columnist Brenda Payton retired as Oakland Voices coordinator in 2019.
- Christopher Johnson served as the inaugural Oakland Voices coordinator.
- Emewodesh Eshete interned as the Summer 2025 Audience Engagement Reporter.
- Ayah Ali-Ahmad interned as the Summer 2025 Business Reporter.
- Andrea Martinez interned as the Summer 2025 Community Engagement Coordinator.