We are thrilled to welcome our 2023 Fellows!

Tatiana “Tia” Turner

Tatiana “Tia” Turner is a fomerly incarcerated, justice-impacted, Black gay woman and founder of #caravan4justice(C4J)/Urban Social Services & Advocacy (USSA). Upon her release from prison in 2008, she pursued her dreams, received degrees in audio engineering, and moved to Southern California to get into the entertainment industry. Tia has worked hard to break the obstacles that constantly eroded her journey. Through her faith, she was able to conquer the negativity and barriers to achieve a life of sustainability and happiness. Tia is committed to helping disadvantaged communities strive for greater equity in a world of injustice. Tia is dedicated to supporting and connecting people to social services, civic engagement in both political and non-political actions to make a change in her community on the local and state level, as well as providing re-entry support for the justice-impacted community in both Los Angeles and Orange counties. The organization’s focus is on educating, organizing, and mobilizing the community for change. In May of 2023, USSA was selected by Orange County United Way as a sustainable partner in the Equity in OC (EiOC) Initiative, which addresses the Social Determinants of Health for those most impacted by health inequities (e.g. BIPOC, women, LGBTQ, and minority-led organizations). Tia splits her time between work and activism and firmly believes that the keycomponent in making change is education and the war we face can only be won with the pen and not the fist.

Sergio Torres

Sergio Torres is the Housing Coordinator at CSUF Project Rebound’s John Irwin House, the nation’s first transformative housing initiative for formerly incarcerated people seeking higher education. He is also a recent graduate of the Masters in Higher Education at CSUF. After his graduation, he looks forward to spending some time with family, having a home-cooked meal, and attending a baseball game.

Josue Pineda

Josue (Swey) Pineda has been a youth Advocate since 2018. His work as an abolitionist started after he was facing 23 years to life in prison at the age of 19 in 2017. Post-incarceration he served as a mentor for youth both currently inside juvenile hall and youth coming back into the community. Through his work with Resilience Orange County, he created curriculums centered around youth development for formerly incarcerated youth. From 2020 through 2022 he was a youth case manager for formerly incarcerated youth where he assisted with re-entry services, job placement, peer to peer mentoring, as well as enrollment into higher education. He is an artist as well as a podcast host for Not in Isolation: Voices of Youth, a podcast that centers the experience of youth who have been placed in Solitary confinement, part of a nationwide campaign to Stop Solitary For Kids. Currently he is the Lead Case Manager/Youth Reentry Coordinator with Hoops 4 Justice. He is certified in Seeking Safety (group and individual therapy that addresses both substance abuse and PTSD) and currently sits as a Young Adult Advisory through the ACEs Aware Initiative.

Shalonda Hill

Shalonda (Shae) Hill is an advocate and organizer, the cofounder of Books Behind Bars OC, and the leader of several successful campaigns to improve conditions and protect the rights of incarcerated people.

Daniel Tse

Daniel Tse is originally from Cameroon. He is the founder of the Cameroon Advocacy Network. He also works at Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) where he focuses on advocacy, research, policy reform, and other strategic support for Black immigrant communities in the United States. In addition to his Asylum Seeker Task Force Coordinator role at HBA, he coordinates and directs the Black Immigrants Bail Fund, a national program of HBA & African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs (ABISA).

His deep professional work is connected with his lived experience as an impacted individual detained at James A Musick and other facilities across ÇA. From winning his own asylum case pro se to providing legal support and advocating for Black immigrants affected by the double standards of the U.S immigration system, he focuses on human rights violations of Black immigrants as well as narrative change & racial justice. 

Silvestre Serrano

More about the STM Fellowship

The STM Fellowship program provides a stipend of $3,500 to fellows who are formerly incarcerated, have roots in Orange County, and have shown commitment to advocacy and organizing that protects the rights of incarcerated people and moves Orange County towards a care-first model. Fellows participate in a workshop series that supports their capacity and helps develop skills in areas like media literacy, social media advocacy, and organizing actions and rallies. These workshops are customized to reflect the interest areas and needs of each cohort. Workshops are held approximately once weekly and are scheduled to accommodate the fellows’ schedules. The Fellowship program seeks to support the growth and development of Orange County leaders who are directly impacted and recognize and compensate their vital work. 

Our goal is to recognize fellows’ work in our community and to provide resources for directly impacted people interested in getting more involved or pursuing a career in advocacy.

Email stopthemusickcoalition@gmail.com with questions.

Summer 2022 Fellows

We had an incredible group of four formerly and two currently incarcerated organizers and advocates who joined in person retreats, a remote workshop series, and networking opportunities.

Donate here if you would like to support our fellowship program. Under “this donation is in honor of,” please write “TJOC.”