Deborah Anderson

Started volunteering for Toys For Tots in 1970, celebrating 50 years 2020.
Humanitarians United in Giving (H.U.G.) was formed in 1981 aboard Camp Pendleton Ca. For Military Families in need. In 1986 H.U.G. was extended to civilians families. Our goals was the provision of food, clothing, entertainment and support groups for wives and children. In 1990 during the Operation Desert Storm Campaign. In 1991 the H.U.G. program was awarded the Westinghouse Paul Newman’s Award, Military Accommodation and City of Oceanside Accommodation for the services provided to assist Military and Civilians families. H.U.G. has to the present become resource management to many non-profits, salvation Army, Saint Vincent of DePaul, North county Life Line, Birth Choice is just to name a few. Today we are working on purchasing land to build affordable homes and community owned businesses.

Gwendolyn R. Manning

Gwendolyn has served for 22 years as a preventive health leader at the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. Her various capacities have included health consumer educator, maternal and child health liaison, child passenger safety technician, lactation educator, program coordinator and community health team leader.

Gwendolyn currently oversees implementation of the Black Infant Health (BIH) Program, a Sister Circle group intervention aimed at improving the birth outcomes of Black infants and mothers. At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was reassigned to the role of Deputy Equity Officer under the City’s Emergency Operations and Communications Center to help develop culturally affirming outreach information about COVID-19. Gwendolyn is currently leading development and implementation of the Black Health Equity Fund, a million-dollar CARES Act allocation, to provide COVID-19 support services to Long Beach Black residents via grant funding for local Black-serving nonprofits and microbusinesses.

Pastor Dr. Willie Hudson

Pastor Hudson (affectionately known as “Pops”) is a renowned theologian who leverages his academic training with Spirit-filled biblical teaching and insight to serve the least of these beyond the walls of the church. To help his community, understand God in these perilous times, he realizes that you must bring God from heaven to the street. Pastor Dr. Willie founded Zera Christian Fellowship Ministries (ZCFM), a non-denominational para-church ministry with national affiliations. His latest book is entitled, The Holy Ghosts Got A New Dance: An Examination of Black Theology and Holy Hip Hop in Inner-City Ministry.

Dr. Marie Hudson

Dr. Marie operates with a Kingdom worldview and commissioned to prophetic activism for the marginalized. Dr. Marie is the Co-Founder of Zera Christian Fellowship Ministries. She is a mentor, educator and public speaker with a unifying message who advocates for racial and social justice. Her published work Resurrection Phoenix: A Model for Recovery of a Black Social Consciousness employs cultural competence to bridge grassroots and theological understanding.