(Chicago, IL- March 21, 2023) Four brand new members are joining the Chicago Advisory board to continue their work on expanding the impact of the Surge movement. Learn more about the incredible four board members joining the Surge community.
Candace Moore
2015 Chicago Surge Alumna, Candace C. Moore, has served as the first Chief Equity Officer for the City of Chicago for three years now. Prior to working with the City of Chicago, she was an advocate for educational equity through a lens of racial and social justice during her time as an attorney at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. As a next-generation civil rights advocate, she continues to be an agent of change and surrounds her deep commitment to empowering young people to develop their own voices and become agents of change.
Celia Gonzalez Lozano
2020 Chicago Surge Alumna, Celia Gonzalez Lozano, is a passionate advocate for educational equality. She’s worked alongside the Tides Foundation for over a year as a Grants Specialist. Prior to working with Tides, Celia was the Chief Program Officer for Communities in Schools of Chicago (CIS). Celia Gonzalez Lozano continues to be an advocate for the youth in her community.
Rudy Lozano
2018 Surge Fellow, Rudy Lozano Jr. is a vice president of Global Philanthropy and leads the Fellowship initiative at JPMorgan Chase & Co. The Fellowship Initiative in Chicago equips young men of color from low-income, underserved communities with the skills, experiences, and resources needed to complete high school and prepare them to excel in their careers. Rudy continues to be a change-maker and mentor in his community.
Anthony (A.J.) Watson
2018 Surge Fellow, A.J. Watson, dedicates his career to helping people thrive, not just survive. Over the course of his career, he has worked across the public and private nonprofit sectors to meet people where they are and help them make connections that allow them to reach their full potential. He currently serves as the National Director of Becoming A Man (B.A.M) at Youth Guidance, a school-based group counseling program that guides young men to learn, internalize and practice social cognitive skills, make responsible decisions for their future, and become positive members of their school and community. A.J. is also the Founder & Principal Consultant at The Ascendancy Group.
“It is very fulfilling to share the news that our Chicago Advisory Board is expanding. This board launched in 2020 with three powerhouse leaders, Sol Flores, Michele Rogers, and Stuart A. Taylor, II. Over those years, and during a global pandemic, the members of this board have served as critical thought partners, advocates, and supporters as we have successfully navigated change and evolved our work to meet the needs of the times,” shared Tamara Prather, Executive Director of the Surge Chicago Fellowship. “We have now reached an exciting milestone – to expand this community of advisors to include four brilliant and experienced social justice leaders, who are also Surge Chicago Alums, and it feels like a full circle moment in our movement. Our new, expanded board positions us for even greater impact and success as we continue our transformative work alongside Black and Latine/x education leaders in Chicago.”
– Tamara Prather, Chicago Fellowship Executive Director
Media contact:
Tamara Prather
312-243-6683 ext. 824
About The Surge Institute:
The Surge Institute is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established with a simple but important mission to develop and elevate leaders of color who create transformative change for children, families, and communities. Founded by Carmita Semaan in 2014, the organization was designed to empower emerging diverse leaders to change the landscape of education by providing them with a unique, authentic leadership development experience. To learn more about The Surge Institute, please visit: www.surgeinstitute.org
