About Us
Our Vision
Our vision is that education can serve as a connective force that cultivates leaders who can catalyze community well-being.
Our Mission
In service of our vision, EBI’s mission is to provide community-responsive learning experiences where young people lead and communities gain the holistic supports they need to thrive as radical change-makers in their communities and beyond.
Equity Proposition
In the spirit of the Black community organizing tradition, EBI engages an ecological approach and unique blend of critical education, leadership development, and strategic partnerships to cultivate equity and enhanced well-being for the young people and communities we serve.
Core
Values
Love humanizes our work and fuels us to build upon our ancestors’ legacies
Trust creates the psychological safety necessary to center and amplify youth voice and leadership
Innovation helps us center our creative genius in all we do
Sustainability helps us honor Nature and the resources we need for collective well-being to sustain our work together
Interconnectedness reminds us of our oneness — we need each other to make lasting community change
Our Leadership Team
Ade Cox, MSEd
Co-Founder + Head of
Community Impact
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Ade Cox, MSEd is our co-founder and Head of Community Outreach. Mr. Cox has leadership experience across the K-16 spectrum. He has served as an assistant principal at an elementary school in the NYC Department of Education as well as a middle school educator with certification in science and special education. Mr. Cox has served as leader of the culture team in his school building experience and is highly skilled in forming authentic school to community partnerships. He has deep experience in staff development, organizational management, and entrepreneurship. Mr. Cox has also designed and led key programming and supports for pre-service teachers at Hostos Community College in the Bronx, NY. He steers our outreach and in-community program efforts with the communities we serve and leads our progress monitoring processes. He holds three degrees including a master’s degree in special education and one in organization and leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University.
Dr. Patrice E. Fenton
Co-Founder + Head of
Organizational Well-being
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Dr. Patrice E. Fenton is our co-founder and Head of Organizational Well-Being. She is a proud mom, Brooklyn, NY native and former NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE) special educator. She brings expertise as an equity-centered strategist with a passion for leadership development, teacher education, and generating collective wellness, particularly in Black communities. She is a highly skilled facilitator and has deep experience in leadership and organizational development, as well as measurement and evaluation, particularly regarding impact in Black and Brown communities. Dr. Fenton is the former Director of Leader Support and Development at EdLoC, a nonprofit professional network organization of 350+ education leaders of color across 30+ states. She also served as the first Associate Director of NYC Men Teach at the City University of New York as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the department of special education at Hunter College. Dr. Fenton is currently co-authoring a book accepted for publication entitled, Transforming Collective Power: Building School Communities Where Belonging Is Center Stage. She holds four degrees including a PhD in teaching and learning with a concentration in special education and a bachelor’s in business administration.
Addae Cox, MSEd
Co-Founder + Head of
Partnerships & Sustainability
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Addae Cox, MSEd is our co-founder and Head of Community Partnerships. Mr. Cox is a proud dad, former middle school STEM educator at the NYC Department of Education and current adjunct professor in special education at Hunter College. He has served as a NYC chapter leader for a national nonprofit offering afterschool programming to elementary and middle school students. Experience across these different spaces has brought Mr. Cox deep experience in staff development, nonprofit management, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. He steers our community partnerships and is a primary thought-partner for our programming team and our capacity building efforts. He co-founded EnjoyTech USA, an educational technology startup that proudly pioneered a smart bracelet that is a K-12 classroom response system, health tracker, and scannable ID. He holds three degrees including a master’s degree in special education and one in organization and leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University.
Emani King, MS
Founding Head of
Innovation & Culture
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Emani King is an educational leader with over a decade of experience. Ms. King is a lifelong learner who has traveled extensively, studying in Spain, Costa Rica and Ghana. These travels have supported her in expanding her knowledge and growth as a leader. Ms. King has served in urban education in various capacities from teaching to coaching. She started her career at a Brooklyn Title 1 elementary school which altered the trajectory of her professional career and ignited her passion for equity and advocacy. Since then, she has worked at the collegiate level mentoring pre-service teachers, while also facilitating learning experiences in equity, diversity, and inclusion with educational professionals with various levels of experience. Ms. King holds a master’s degree in Public Administration and Urban Policy.
