Mayor Ras Baraka is a native of Newark, whose family has lived in the City for more than 80 years, Mayor Baraka’s progressive approach to governing has won him accolades from grassroots organizations to the White House. With a forward-thinking agenda that reduced crime to its lowest levels in five decades, addressed affordability while maintaining steady growth, lowered unemployment, returned local control of schools after more than two decades, and replaced all 23,000 known lead service lines in less than three years at no cost to residents, Baraka has defied expectations since taking office in 2014.

Maliaka Mitchell is a dedicated advocate, educator, and leader with over 20 years of experience in the developmental disability field. With expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and a foundation in special education, she has impacted countless lives through evidence-based interventions, program development, and inclusive advocacy. Maliaka holds a Master of Science in Counseling with a focus on Rehabilitation and has contributed her expertise to initiatives such as police disability training, international outreach, and work at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Safiyyah Muhammad is a nationally respected disability policy advocate, transition specialist, and Accessibility Navigator. She is the founder of Urban Matters Advocacy & Action (The UMAA Network) and a proud mother and grandmother raising five neurodivergent children across the lifespan. Safiyyah also served on the ADA Advisory Council at the Newark Museum of Art. She is a founding member of the National Black Disability Coalition and a former chair of NJCDD's Ad Hoc Committee on Equal Access. 

Liza Lawrence is an award-winning healthcare executive, community advocate, and visionary nonprofit leader with over 15 years of experience in healthcare operations and a deep-rooted commitment to autism awareness and advocacy. As the CEO and Founder of Perfect Connection, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2019, Liza has transformed her personal journey into a powerful movement aimed at creating access, awareness, and equity for families impacted by autism.

Andrew Burger is a gifted artist, dedicated educator, and powerful voice within the autism community. Andrew, who is autistic himself, was nonverbal until the age of 4 and received special education services throughout his school years. Today, he holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Graphic Design from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and creates stunning artwork on commission. Andrew also serves as a Registered Behavior Technician.