Our Team
Rashad Pearson
Board Member, Chair
Rashad is a Financial Analyst with the Department of Navy. He is a Free Mason and is a proud member of Central Lodge #1 in Indianapolis. Politically, he is heavily involved with the Chesapeake Democratic Committee. Rashad was also a 2020 Democratic Party State Delegate for Bernie Sanders and was elected as a Bernie Sanders National Delegate for Virginia Congressional District 4.
Rashad has a deep affinity for racial and social progress in America and is very passionate about any humanitarian based cause. He specializes in housing and eviction racial disparities in Virginia and throughout the nation.
Shirley Ginwright
Board member, Treasurer
Ms. Ginwright chairs the Fairfax County Communities of Trust Committee, designed to enhance relationships between law enforcement and other public safety agencies and the communities they serve. Developing community programs and public safety days within communities throughout the county. Recently appointed Commissioner on the Commonwealth Commission for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Shirley has also served as Chair of the Review of Police Recruiting, Diversity and Vetting Sub-Committee for Fairfax County Government.
Melissa Hartman
board member, Secretary
Dr. Melissa Hartman is co-founder and managing partner for Hartman Consulting Group and Program Coordinator for the Southside Virginia Democracy Center. Melissa was a member of the federal government’s Senior Executive Service and served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Privacy, Transparency and Records for the Department of the Treasury. She was responsible for the performance and outcomes of a variety of programs including Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), records management, information collection and governance, privacy and civil liberties, open government, and library services. She applies her organizational skills to help advance social justice and equity issues.
Zeina Hutchinson
board member
Zeina Hutchison is an elected Bernie Sanders 2020 State and National Delegate to the DNC from Virginia. As a rights and political activist advocating for equality, justice and freedom, Zeina actively engages in grassroots movements to amplify women’s voices and elevate the causes of those who are oppressed, excluded, or marginalized. She was born in Jerusalem and raised in Ramallah. As a Palestinian American, she continues to highlight the parallels between the ongoing oppressions of Palestinians and American minorities.
Tyler J.D.
Begley
board member
Tyler spent years working as a Congressional Grant Officer before starting a digital media agency foucsed on helping lift the messaging of local activists and organizers. Tyler has experienc working on political campaigns and developing policy related to mental health. His volunteerism includes many Democratic Party seats including: Executive Board of Democratic Party of Virginia’s LGBT+ Caucus, Steering Committee of Fairfax County, VA Democratic Committee, and Executive Board for Braddock District Democratic Committee. He was also a Virginia State Delegate in 2020. Mr.
Stephen Spitz
board member
Civil rights lawyer for 35 years, now retired. Active as national Co-Chair of the End Corporate Rule Issue Organizing Team for Progressive Democrats of America, as well as PDA’s co-coordinator for Virginia. Co-Chair of the Election Law and Protection Committee of the Fairfax County Democratic
Committee.
Antione Hines
board member
Mr. Hines is a results-driven leader who is dedicated to restructuring and rebuilding equitable black communities in which he lives and creating Black Eco-Systems around the world that promotes and advocates for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights. He is recognized as a strategic adviser on the issues of homelessness, community engagement and black community wealth building. He is also on the Advisory Board for the Virginia Housing and Community Development Corporation, the Economic Development Committee Chair for the Chesapeake NAACP, a member of the Hampton Roads Black Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Urban League, president of United Way of South Hampton Roads Project Inclusion Alumni Association, the co-chair of TheConnect757 Community Connect Committee, the Chair of the Virginia Black Business Directory Committee Outreach Committee, the Virginia State Director for Minorities For Medical Marijuana Inc. and the Regional Director for Virginia Blacks In Technology Foundation.
Frank Moseley
board member
Mr. Moseley is a Social Entrepreneur, a Certified Financial Literacy Instructor, Relational Organizer and founder of the Social Education for Economic Development Initiative (S.E.E.D. 4 All); an organization to remove barriers adversely impacting economic growth for low to moderate-income people of color in underserved communities of Virginia. He serves as Director of Democracy Centers of Virginia for The Center For Common Ground informing, organizing and mobilizing to empower communities of color to get out and vote. Also as Co-Chair of the Reparations Circle for the Richmond Chapter of Coming To The Table, an organization engaging on both sides of the color line in facilitated conversations on race relations. Frank also Co-chairs financing for the Green New Deal VA working group.
In Loving Memory...
Arthuretta Holmes Martin
Our founder and voice for RASR, Arthuretta Holmes-Martin, passed away on July 3, 2021. Her energy and vision fueled the creation of the RASR organization and her contributions will be greatly missed. Arthuretta’s desire to make life better for all people, and to ensure those impacted most by the past wrongs in our society would be made equal, is reflected in our vision – to be the catalyst for the change we seek. Her aspirational yet practical approach to implementing our mission is advancing our efforts to identify and call out systemic and structural racism for the purpose of education and aiding in the elimination of societal racism.
An inspiring example of Arthuretta’s leadership is the effort that culminated in the ultimate passage of Virginia’s House Joint Resolution No. 537 Recognizing that racism is a public health crisis in Virginia. This resolution included relevant state entities be encouraged to consider steps to address systemic racism and its impact on public health. RASR is committed to continuing Arthuretta’s important work to help change systems and structures that contribute to disparate outcomes in health, education, financial stability, housing, and justice for Black and African Americans.
