Angel Alicea

Angel Alicea

Black Inmate Commissary Fund

she/her

Spring 2021

Tell us – what excites you about your work?

The Black Inmate Commissary Fund was birthed out of the direct action of divesting from mass incarceration by directly reallocating tangible resources to Black people who are incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and families/communities affected by mass incarceration. I’m excited by this work because I know this is only the continuation to a long fight for abolition and restoring our communities

What feels rich and abundant in your work right now?

What feels rich is knowing that though resources are limited, organizationally we are grounded in abundance and making sure that we provide within our means and whatever our members need.

Who do you dedicate your work to?

I dedicate this work to Black kids on the inside. They are our future. I dedicate this work to those who have made a home in institutions that enslave them. I dedicate this to the Trenches. I dedicate this to G5 who may never make it out alive. I dedicate this to the people who may never feel the impact of my work.

“Feel the pain and the joy of a man who was never a boy.” - DMX

Who inspires you, who are you learning from, what books are you reading? We are really excited to learn this about you!

I’m inspired and powered by inherent resistance and resilience. I’m currently reading Beyond Trenches Vol 1., which is an interactive resource guide created by BICF.

What something you didn’t know that now you understand differently with wellness?

I understand the importance of rest and that burnout is inherent when you have been fighting before you existed. All in all, BIPOC people need a break and radical rest, which can only be achieved through abolition and wellness alternatives.

What is your own wellness practice? How do you find balance?

I try to remember I just do it all and that alone grounds me.

How can people reading this support the work you are doing?

Head over to our website and become a patron. Our 100 monthly donors are how we sustain our work and most importantly provide our families and programs with direct services.

Meet other grant recipients

Adrian-Xavier Scott

The Transistance Network

Alonzo Nelson Jr

Co-Owner, The Collective STL

Angel Alicea

Black Inmate Commissary Fund

Ash "Lightning Woman" Frandsen

Indigenous Karuk and Yaruk Ceremonial Leader

Ash Canty

Sovereign Spirit Death Care

Ayesha Walker

Cofounder, CEO of BE-IMAGINATIVE

Bernadette Lim

Freedom Community Clinic

Betania Ridenour

Somatic Experience Practitioner

Branché Foston

Founder, The Honey Block

Brooke Rodriguez

Cofounder, The Grinding Stone Collective

C. Marie Long

Nature Center for Meditation

Chelsey Thomas

Sexuality Educator

Chino Hardin

Co Executive Director, NuLegacy

Chrystani Heinrich

Founder, Compton Girls Club

Damon "Shuja" Johnson

Black Men Speak, Inc.

Dandelion Hill

Peer Support Space

Danny Fluker

Black Boys Om Inc

Ekua Adisa

Gender Expansive Liberationist Medicine Person

India Harville

Embraced Body

Jana Johnson

Founder & Owner of The Tree Yoga Cooperative

Jeannine Marron

Founder and Owner, Peaceful Chaos Yoga

Jolie Varela

Founder, Indigenous Women Hike

Jordan Daniel

Founder, Rising Hearts

Joseph Dupris

Assistant Professor of Linguistic and Ethnic Studies, University of Colorado Boulder

Joshua Biron

Anishinaabe Cultural Specialist, Anishaable Agriculture

Julia Mallory

Founder, Black Mermaids

Kamra Hakim

Founder, Activation Residency

Karen Faulkner

Yoga Instructor

Katherin Canton

Cofounder, Toj + Tijax

Kelsey Daniels

The Dream Experiment

Kiesha Battles

I Am Yoga CLT

Kristie Cabrera

Occupational Therapist

Kristina Jones

Guardian Lane

Krysta Venora

Founder, Pink Opal Magic

Lara Estrada

Founder and Owner, Yoga Bliss

Laura Yohualtlahuiz Rios-Ramirez

León Powell

Queer Campout

Lotta Yanong

Co-Owner, Rise Training Academy

Lotus Do

Founder, Financial Liberation Movement

Louis Mitchell

Reverend, Activist

Mangda Sengvanhpheng

Founder, BACII

Margaret Andersen

TouchBot Pleasure Tech

Megan (Pumehana) Cabral

Founder, Queer Kanaka

Micaela Zamora

Community Aid

Natasha Thomas

Black Creative Healing

Nedra Deadwyler

Founder and CEO, Civil Bikes

Oceana Sawyer

End of Life Doula

Pandora Thomas

Founder, EARTHseed Farm

Paulina Almarosa

Founder, Latinx Grief

Queen Hollins

Earthlodge Center

Raeanne Madison

Founder, Postpartum Healing Lodge

Raegan Robinson

Yoga Instructor

Raquel Gomez

Founder, Atabey Outdoors

Raquel Savage

Founder, Zepp Wellness

Renato Del Toro

Founder, Owner Hybrid Strength Athletics

Roshni Kavate

Grief Healer

Roxanne Sanchez

Founder and Owner, Roxy Wellness

Sally Ortiz Castro

Transgenerational counselor, Acupuncturist and Reiki practitioner

Samad Hinton

Founder, BLK Beetles

Sarah Elabdi

Founder and Owner, Ain Pilates

Stef Mandingo

Founder, Keep It Cute

Taganyahu Swaby

Founder and Owner, Yaad Wellness

Tara Miller

Co-Owner, Bhakti Movement Yoga Center

Tejal Patel

Tejal Yoga

Tomas Ramirez

Executive Director, Semillas y Raices

Tristan Katz

Founder, Tristan Katz Creative

Veronica Agard

Founder, Ancestors in Training

Xā Carter

Founder, Xude Yoga

Zami Tinashe Hyemingway

Spiritus Wellness

Zel Amanzi

Rest In Power Yoga + Reiki

Ready to make a change, for good?

Get in touch