Mandla Deskins is an experienced advocate who has worked in a variety of capacities at the federal, state, and local levels. He is currently the National Director of Advocacy for the NAACP National Office, where he works with communities across the country to advance civil rights and racial justice. In his over ten years as a DC resident, he has dedicated his free time to advancing racial justice and building community power in Ward 7, serving on the executive committee of several community organizations. He calls DC home along with his wife, three children, and dogs. He has a BA in Journalism from Florida A & M University. —