James Woodson is the Executive Director and co-founder of the California Black Power Network where he leads strategy, fundraising, and organizational culture development for a growing team and ecosystem of over 40 Black-led organizations. James is a licensed attorney with over 10 years of experience in entrepreneurship and nearly 15 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector.
Previously, James served as the Redistricting Lead and Policy Director of the California Black Census and Redistricting Hub, a project of California Calls. James began at California Calls as an Organizing Coordinator, where he worked on the African American Civic Engagement Project, coordinating civic engagement programs and providing support to the founding cohort. He also served as Policy and Strategic Projects Manager where he managed work around the 2020 census, redistricting, and the Voters Choice Act (VCA). He is a former member of the California Secretary of State’s VCA Task Force and the Voters Choice Los Angeles Steering Committee.
Before moving to California, James served as the Director of Programs for the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, NJ and a Regional Field Organizer at Organizing For America and the NJ Health Care for America Now campaign. He served as co-Counsel for the New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission in 2011 and 2012. In addition, James was the Founding Director of the Friendship Development Corporation, where he led the effort to create an outreach center that provides food, clothing, and other services to thousands of low-income families in the Baltimore metropolitan area.