NAB Champions
Honoring Black Brilliance in Action
A NAB Champions is a living tribute to the incredible members of Nonprofit and Black (NAB) who have gone above and beyond in service to the Black community. These are the visionaries, healers, builders, and advocates whose work embodies our mission of Black self-determination, collective empowerment, and transformative change. Whether through grassroots outreach, innovative programming, or bold advocacy, each Champion represents a powerful force of impact, resilience, and love for our people.
Explore the stories of those creating waves of change—and celebrate the excellence that is shaping a stronger, more unified future for us all.
Willie Pearl Evans
Master of Advocacy and Political Leadership
Willie Pearl Evans is a Black harm reductionist whose work is rooted in lived experience and deep community connection. With nine years in recovery, Ms. Evans brings lived experience to the substance use and recovery field. Appointed by Governor Tim Walz to serve as the Person in Recovery on the Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council (OERAC), Willie Pearl played a pivotal role in addressing stigma within Black communities and increasing access to life-saving naloxone kits. During her OERAC service, she championed culturally responsive recovery initiatives, particularly those aimed at supporting communities disproportionately impacted by the overdose crisis. Her recovery journey placed her on the frontlines of the overdose crisis, where she continues to lead with compassion, vision, and purpose.
Pearl’s leadership centers on elevating the Black recovery experience, intentionally shifting the narrative away from despair toward one that uplifts Black joy, Black excellence, and Black healing. As a skilled social connector, Ms. Evans excels at cultivating partnerships rooted in respect, trust, and cultural humility. Her harm reduction approach is grounded in honoring lived experience and designing initiatives that reflect the values and capacity of the communities she serves.
Ms. Evans empowers emerging leaders to embrace vulnerability, authenticity, and hope as tools for driving meaningful change. Her leadership practice is not just about policy or programmatic success, it’s about transforming systems through stories, healing, and collective celebration. Pearl leads with a vision where recovery is not just possible—it is powerful, communal, and joy-filled. Ms. Evans enjoys jigsaw puzzles, listening to 80’s hip hop music, and spending time with her family.
LaTricia Tate
Trusted Community Messenger and Recovery Community Leader
LaTricia Tate received her A.S. Degree in Human Services at MCTC in 2002 her B.S. degree in 2024 and is currently pursuing her MBA. She has worked in the Human Services field for over 20 years. She helped co-found the Twin Cities Recovery Project, Inc. (TCRP) alongside the late Marc L. Johnigan. She was employed with Project for Pride and Living (PPL) a non-profit organization in Supportive Housing, servicing formerly homeless families with disabilities for a little over 10 years.
LaTricia is also the former co-chair of the Franklin Avenue Safety Team, a committee member of PPL’s DEI Committee (Diversity Equity & Inclusion), and founder and leader of PPL’s Rebuilding Our Community Piece by Peace Initiative in 2016. LaTricia is also a member of the Governor’s Addiction and Recovery Advisory Council, a member of the DHS/RCO Policy Group, a MARCO Board Member, she sits on the National DLH Deflection Data Center of Excellence Advisory Board and co-founder of The N.A.B.A.
LaTricia’s passion is supporting those who are struggling with Mental Illness and Addiction. LaTricia’s says, “Her purpose in life is to serve and she will never give up on those who are suffering”. Her mission is to change one life at a time by providing the necessary tools that will allow individuals to dream big and achieve their goals.
Jay Pee
BSW, LADC, LSW, CPRS
Founder & Executive Director – Minnesota Hope Dealerz Organization
Jay Pee is a passionate leader, advocate, and voice of hope in the recovery community. As the founder and executive director of the Minnesota Hope Dealerz Organization, Jay Pee blends professional expertise with lived experience to create a space where healing and transformation are possible. Holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), along with credentials as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), Licensed Social Worker (LSW), and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS), Jay Pee is committed to walking alongside individuals and families impacted by addiction, homelessness, and trauma.
A person in long-term recovery, Jay Pee uses their journey to inspire and empower others. Through Minnesota Hope Dealerz, they lead with heart, building programs and community-driven initiatives that break barriers and restore dignity. Jay Pee’s vision is simple yet powerful: to meet people where they are, offer hope, and help them believe in what’s possible.
Jay Pee’s unique strengths lie in his authenticity, lived experience, and refusal to hide behind programs. As he says, “Whether you’ve been in recovery for six days or sixty years, we’ve got you.” His journey, from selling dope to dealing hope, is living proof that human connection, spiritual faith, and consistent service can spark transformation.
George Lewis
Trusted Community Messenger and Recovery Community Leader
My communications career began in 1972 and has been diverse and dynamic. I've produced communications projects for many for-profit and non-profit organizations, first in New York and for the past 27 years in Minnesota. This experience has also extended to the fields of substance use disorder and anger management, demonstrating my adaptability and versatility.
A significant collaboration marked my tenure at African American Family Services (AAFS) in 1997. I co-wrote the Male Oppression and Violence Elimination program (M.O.V.E) with Executive Director Saleema Majeed and Hafeez Muhammad, a program designed to provide services for perpetrators of domestic violence. Over the next four years, I led this program's supervision while continuing my work in marketing and communications in the anti-violence and substance use disorder field.
Since 1999, I have provided various services, including advertising, marketing, production, and consulting, to numerous nonprofit, community, and health service organizations for AAFS, Starpointe Media Inc., and others. In late 2001, I founded StarPointe Media, Inc. as a platform to continue my work in producing public service announcement content for radio, television, and print as an independent contractor. I also established service contracts with program providers in anger management and substance use disorder.
In 2012, I established Motivational Consulting Inc. Our primary focus is delivering motivational lectures and working with professionals to enhance their communication skills. This initiative was born out of my belief in the power of effective communication to positively impact individuals' lives and my desire to share this belief with others. This, in turn, enables them to serve better their clients, patients, and students of color.
During my twenty-seven years of experience in the field of substance use disorder, the majority of the work I did in this field was done in partnership with White professionals who were intelligent, compassionate, and had the skills to help Black and Brown people but were not very effective in delivering the information they knew in a way that their audience was able to identify with, absorb and internalize. This prompted me to write Bami Soro, a workbook whose title comes from the Yoruba language of West Africa, meaning “talk to me in an honest and soulful way.”
