Octavia Around the 2nd
Be the action in better advocacy
Click ‘DONATE’ below to get started.
Checks payable to: “Octavia Coleman for Congress”
Send donations & correspondence to the following:
PO BOX 134
Evergreen, AL 36401
pLATFORMS
Family Health Care
Families within our District deserve equitable, comprehensive mental and physical health care coverage. Octavia has strategized on federal legislation to improve Maternal Wellness through Universal Healthcare and Medicaid Expansion. She has Organized campaigns to mobilize communities around State Based Universal Health Care.
- Introduce a Resolution for Birthing Families that are Descendants of American Slavery to have access to free health care through a State Based Universal Health Care Plan.
- Present a Resolution that legalizes the practice of Certified Direct Entry and Certified Wholistc Midwives.
- Supply a Resolution that makes it lawful to Expand Medicaid.
- Offer a Resolution to make access to affordable, racially non biased, comprehensive health care lawful.
- Submit a Bill to include the services of Certified Direct Entry and Certified Wholistic Midwives to be covered by insurance plans as specialty healthcare providers.
Agriculture
For a more sustainable 2nd, we must ensure that resources, subsidies, and clean energy incentives are streamlined and nondiscriminatory. As the Director of Acquisitions and Mergers of the Gullah Nature Preserve, Octavia manages a Half Million dollar portfolio through Environmental Justice and Land Conservation and sustainability efforts.
- Produce a Resolution to protect the right of landowners who are Descendants of American Slavery from property theft by way of eminent domain, over development, and urbanization.
- Pose a Bill that protects Homesteading and Land Conservation rights.
Affordable Housing
We are a district slated to growth and expansion. Yet, many of our residents are one (1) paycheck away from eviction. While our population grows, the rate of homelessness grows. Affordable and supportive housing is our right. Octavia has submitted her proposal in partnership with the Georgia Community Affairs Department to transition the unhoused population into transitional and low income housing.
- Usher in a Resolution that makes it easier for Homeowners who are Descendants of American Slavery to access and use their home’s equity.
- Bring forward a Bill to allow for affordable sustainability upgrades for homeowners.
- Roll out a Bill to provide more opportunities for the unhoused population to transition into low income and affordable housing.
Education & Technology
School systems within our District MUST receive equitable funding and resource provisions to improve learning experiences and increase academic morale. This includes training accessibility & financial support to our homeschool programs. Our children are our future. Technology is here and advancing. We must equip our future generations with the tools necessary for a successful global impact. Octavia has partnered with the Georgia Technology Authority to bring equitable education technology to the 13th through training and access to devices.
- Launch a Resolution that makes school district gerrymandering unlawful.
- Create a Resolution to protect the safety of children who are Descendants of American Slavery from abduction by Government Agencies/Representatives during school hours or anytime that child is not with their parent, guardian, or legal caregiver.
- Deliver a Resolution to make racial discriminatory practices from AI and predictive technology software unlawful.
- Put forward a Bill that makes it easier for Homeschooled children to access digital connectivity devices and to receive training on technology services and industry innovations.
Pave the way for a Bill that brings sustainable digital connectivity to rural areas.
Economic Development
Octavia envisions sustainable and supported communities.
The constituents of the 2nd are speaking, clearly: fortify our small and family-owned businesses by fostering cohesive local partnerships that increase the circulation of our District’s dollar. We believe in normalizing cooperative efforts to support the true backbones of our community; ensuring they receive the resources needed to grow and succeed.
Collaborating, across the aisle, to inform decisions that increase living-wage jobs are front-of-mind. Octavia cares and will work to ensure long-term stability for future generations.
She continues to advocate for Reparative Justice that directly addresses the needs of systematically marginalized demographics.
- Construct a Resolution to make access to business grants and non repayable funding easier for Descendants of American Slavery.
- Provide a Resolution to prohibit personal bias, institutional racism, and AI / predictive software discriminatory measures in the business loan process that negatively target Descendants of American Slavery.
- Design a Bill to regulate retail and commercial property costs to rent and lease spaces that promote successful small and local business viability.
KEEP THIS WORK GOING
Click ‘DONATE’ below to get started.
Checks payable to: “Octavia Coleman for Congress”
Send donations & correspondence to the following:
PO BOX 134
Evergreen, AL 36401
aBOUT oCTAVIA (lODÉ) cOLEMAN
Bio
Octavia Jare'l Coleman is an Epidemiologist with over 23 years of experience; specializing in Environmental & Reproductive Justice Initiatives. Octavia is a proud wife of 14 years to a loving and supportive husband, Henry. Together, they are parenting 4 beautiful children; three (3) boys (Kingston, Bishop, & Prince) and one (1) baby girl (Xora). Although native to Philadelphia, PA.; The Great State of Alabama is Octavia's ancestral home.
Childhood & Education
Octavia was born in Philadelphia, PA; to Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Roy Jones Jr. She is one of the first in her lineage to be born outside of Gullah Geechee territory. Raised by her Great Grandparents, pride for her culture and traditions were instilled within her. So much so, Octavia found her way back to the State of Georgia to effectively organize for the betterment of Georgia residents.
From a small age Octavia knew her purpose was to help and assist people. When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” her answer was always, “IDK… I just want to help make things better.”
She has her Great Grandparents, Deacon & Saint Eddie Blackmon, to thank for igniting this passion and nurturing a mindset to see things through.
“You can’t stop the ocean once she’s in motion.”
Octavia grew up watching her guardians champion some of the most unsavory and non-complementary conditions with this very logic.
Octavia went on to earn her undergraduate degree from an Historically Black College/University (HBCU); Saint Augustine's (College) University, where she majored in Human Performance and Wellness while also minoring in Biology and Spanish. Her commitment to education led her to attain a master's degree in Public Health, as well as Health Service Administration from Strayer University.
Professional
Since 2018, Octavia Coleman has been a Direct Entry Wholistic Birth Attendant (Midwife) serving birthing families in their home birth experience throughout rural Georgia. She also assists birthing families in foreign countries where home birth is not an option.
As an environmental justice and reproductive health advocate, she provides birthing support via The Maternal Wellness Suite by FTC Charity, Inc. She maintains an authentic, Indigenous Gullah practice.
As an epidemiologist, her research, The 2019 - 2021 Reproductive Justice Initiative & Data Analysis Report, spearheaded Georgia’s maternal health call to action for medical providers to “check their bias”; identifying implicit bias and benign neglect as threats to public health.
Octavia has:
* Organized community outreach events promoting environmental and reproductive justice as well as patient advocacy,
* Conducted and published public health and medical research reporting on the state of Fundamentally Black Americans in mental and maternal wellness,
* Managed a Half Million dollar portfolio for the Gullah Nature Preserve through Environmental Justice and Land Conservation efforts, and
* Curated public health education curriculum.
* Octavia was a consultant for public and community health initiatives,
* A coauthor for Certified Community Midwives Act 2019. and
* Consultant for GA Public Health Policy and Law.
* She served as a director of Acquisitions, Company Mergers and Purchases,
* Was a curator of statewide, national, and international events promoting healthy mothers, babies, and families, and
* Lead independent research in womb and prostate health for underserved citizens in rural America whose recommendations are supported by the Biden / Harris Administration's Momnibus Act, 2021.
* Octavia has solidified collaborations with international recording artists and athletes for maternal health care funding,
* Supported community advocates in identifying and tracking important legislation that impact underserved communities,
* Strategized and executed grassroots initiatives to push for the passing of legislation of interest to underrepresented communities,
* Introduced legislation to inform and correct community needs with the intent to pass,
* Recruited, and endorsed local candidate campaigns dedicated to the improvement of community conditions, and
* Connected community members with their city, county, and state representatives to encourage self advocacy on the issues that matter to them most.
* Octavia believes in Health Care for All. She works to connect with identified members of the Senate to respectfully urge them into writing a Companion Bill for State Based Universal Health Care.
* She has strategized on federal legislation to improve Maternal Wellness through Universal Healthcare and Medicaid Expansion,
* Organized campaigns to mobilize communities around State Based Universal Health Care, and
* Provided insight on best practices to garner effective change in policy supporting equitable Black Maternal & Mental Health Care.
- Board Memberships -
For the Cause STI Awareness Charity, Inc.. Charlotte, NC - McDonough, GA
APRIL 2009 - PRESENT
Southern Chair, Public Health Research & Education
Founding Board Member
The Gullah Nature Preserve by FTC Charity, Inc., Henry County, GA
SEPTEMBER 2022 - PRESENT
Director of Acquisitions and Mergers
Founding Board Member
We Are One Georgia, Griffin, GA
NOVEMBER 2022 - PRESENT
State of Georgia Legislative Organizer
Founding Board Member
One Payer States, Bucks County, PA
MAY 2023 - PRESENT
Reproductive Justice Advocate, Black Maternal Wellness
Board Member
Community Organizing
Center for Common Ground], Roanoke, VA
JANUARY 2021 - OCTOBER 2023
State of Georgia Regional Organizer
Director, Central Georgia Democracy Center
Octavia's work with Center for Common Ground consisted of organizing post carding, phone banking, and canvassing events across the state of Georgia for midterm and national elections, Facilitate community outreach events through the Central Georgia Democracy Center; A partnership between FTC Charity, Inc. (Environmental & Reproductive Justice nonprofit) and Center for Common Ground (voter rights protection nonprofit), which organizes in 16 Georgia counties (14 rural , 2 metropolitan).
Octavia worked to generate data that would better engage, educate, and mobilize infrequent, registered voters of ‘Color’, and Strategized travel and talking points targeting infrequent voters of ‘Color’ for prominent, local and statewide policy makers during mid-term and national elections.
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Sister Song Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, Atlanta, GA
JANUARY 2020 - OCTOBER 2021
Gullah Geechee Birth Work Referral
Octavia partnered with Sister Song as a reputable birth work referral on their Birth Directory. She also provided training on the Effects of Stress on Womb Wellness for participants of their Doula Training.
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Black Voters Matter Fund, Rural Georgia
JANUARY 2021 - OCTOBER 2023
Through her work with FTC Charity, Inc., Octavia served as a Community Impact Partner for both Environmental and Reproductive Justice Initiatives.
Her top priorities were access to clean water and health care.
Octavia partnered with BVM, in continuation of her Reproductive Justice campaign, offering an Ethics in Birth Equity Corporate Training. The training aims to realign the consciousness of our nation, centering Black Maternal Wellness, historical implications of mental and physical harms, and a code of conduct to improve patient-provider relations. Black Voters Matter made this training available to community members and birth work professionals on a scholarship.
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Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund, Rural Georgia
2021: Octavia partnered with the GA Conservation Voters Education Fund and served as an intervener on behalf of Georgia Power customers suffering from utility instability due to an inequitable rate hike.
2023: Octavia supports the #StopCopCity movement. In solidarity, We Are One Georgia, Inc. conducted digital campaigns (social media, emails, and text messaging) to urge Georgia residents to sign the GCVEF Petition.
Certifications
Early Childhood Education
Holistic Wellness
Wholistic Midwifery
HIV Counseling, Testing, & Referrals