Human Development Center

Presentation: Disability Policy, Mutual Aid, and Community Building

Dom Kelly is the Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South and New Disabled South Rising. A disability advocate since age four, Dom has led organizing, fundraising, and narrative change efforts across the South. He’s a 2025 Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity and a 2023 J.M. Kaplan Innovation Prize winner. A former touring musician turned movement leader, he focuses on advancing disability justice and building power for marginalized communities. Dom lives in Atlanta with his wife and daughter.

Panel: Building Care Networks with Louisiana Mutual Aid Groups

Roishetta Sibley Ozane is originally from Ruleville, MS. She moved to Louisiana in 2003 to attend McNeese State University and has been here ever since. She is the founder, director and CEO of The Vessel Project of Louisiana, a small mutual aid and environmental justice organization that assists our most vulnerable community members with bill assistance, food, emergency shelter and more. Her organization has also sponsored several local community events and organizations such as SWLA Center for Health Services Juneteenth Festival, Black Men Wear Suits, The Fellowship Breakfast, SWLA Center for Health Services, the Zeta Amicae of Lake Charles Walk with a Purpose for PEDIATRIC HEART AWARENESS, Washington Marion High School Educator’s Rising Program, Combre Fondel Beta Club, Molo Middle school Beta Club, Westlake High School FBLA, Lewis Middle School Cheerleaders and many more. She is also co founder and co director of the Gulf Fossil Finance Hub where she tracks the money that finances fossil fuel pollution in low income, predominantly black communities and in turn she educates and empowers community members to demand that those banks defund fossil fuels and invest in communities. Roishetta is an award winning, internationally known environmental justice advocate and has spoken on stages Nationally and abroad including in Egypt, Canada, Dubai, Malaysia, Japan, and Vienna championing for Black, indigenous, and other people of color and their right for clean air, clean water and sustainable communities that aren’t overburdened by pollution.  Roishetta is an author having written several OpEds and think pieces. She has been honored and featured in Essence Magazine as a hometown hero. Roishetta holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master of Science degree from McNeese State University, Master of Philosophy in Criminal Justice from Walden University and is currently a PhD candidate at Walden University. Roishetta is a member of several organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, National Association of University Women, McNeese State University Black Alumni, and a She Leads Fellow Alum for the Power Coalition of Equity and Justice. Roishetta sits on several boards including the People’s Justice Council, Lake Area Regional Business Chamber of Commerce, and participatory grant decision making group for the Hive Fund for Equity and Justice. Additionally Roishetta is a mom of 6 and a grandmother of 1. Her children are who she’s trying to make the world a better place for. Roishetta truly believes that no one is good until we are all good and she proves that daily through her giving heart and philanthropy.