NCLF’s mission is to provide financial and technical resources to change makers – working in the arts, non-profit and for-profit small businesses – to strengthen disenfranchised communities.
Since 2012, the NCLF has been a driving force for equity—empowering disenfranchised communities, championing social justice, and fueling sustainable growth for small businesses. Through advocacy, action, and deep community engagement, we’re building lasting change where it matters most.
2023 Business Training Program Provider
100+ Businesses
$1.5+ Million in Grant Funds
Shared Ownership Program
2024: Launched Cafe Melange and Bayview Collective at City Hall
$100,000+ Investment | 3 Bayview Restaurant Partners
2024-2026: Launching SoulStation, 210 Jones Street - Restaurant Hub
Non-Profit Capacity Building
150+ nonprofit organizations; 150+ grants written; $12.4 million grant revenue
Creative Artistry Support & Event Production
200+ Events; 300+ creative artists, musicians, culinary artists & entrepreneurs
2022 Jefferson Award Winners
$1 million Grant Funding - Bayview Small Businesses
2024 Tenderloin-Little Saigon Training Provider
Multilingual (Vietnamese, Mandarin & English) 1 on 1 Training $105,000 in Grant Funds
2024: Created NCLF Mission Possible - Learning Management System
24 Online Business Training Modules - Vietnamese, Mandarin & English
Fillmore-Turk Mini Park Renovation
$1.25+ million raised
Guided SF BLOC (Black-Led Organizations Coalition)
$2+ million Grant Funding | 100+ organizations
The Peacock Lounge, Haight Street
Raised $300,000 for kitchen renovation
2024: Created NCLF Mission Possible - Learning Management System
24 Online Business Training Modules - Vietnamese, Mandarin & English
Fillmore-Turk Mini Park Renovation
$1.25+ million raised
“We rise by uplifting others.”
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Dr. James Lance Taylor is a Professor of Political Science at the University of San Francisco, where he also teaches in African American Studies, Critical Diversity Studies, and the Masters of Public Affairs and Urban Affairs programs.
A native of Glen Cove, Long Island, Dr. Taylor is the award-winning author of Black Nationalism in the United States: From Malcolm X to Barack Obama, named an Outstanding Academic Title by the American Library Association.
His research focuses on the intersections of race, politics, religion, and social movements. He has published widely on historical figures including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Dr. Betty Shabazz.
Dr. Taylor is currently working on a new book exploring the Peoples Temple and Black politics in California. He regularly shares insights on platforms like NPR, KRON 4, and the Commonwealth Club.
In addition to his academic work, Dr. Taylor contributes to public policy efforts in San Francisco, particularly around police reform and racial justice. He also serves as Vice President of San Francisco Achievers, supporting young Black men in the public school system.
Dr. Taylor lives with his family in Oakland, California.
“Prayer and being in service to others was the medicine I needed to lift myself up and find the beauty of living every day in gratitude.”
A proud native of San Francisco’s Fillmore District and an Air Force veteran, Phyllis Bowie has lived a life of transformation—from TV screens to frontline advocacy. After a decade as a lifestyle expert and interior designer in the entertainment industry, Bowie’s career took an unexpected turn when she lost her television contract and agent. Facing skyrocketing rent, she was nearly evicted from her apartment of 25 years.
Hitting rock bottom, Bowie applied for food stamps and feared homelessness—an experience shared by many veterans and Black San Franciscans. Watching her community suffer from gentrification, displacement, and declining Black home and business ownership, she knew she had to take action.
Phyllis launched her nonprofit Living with Phyllis—a local award-winning TV show and food blog that:
Today, she uses media to uplift underserved voices, highlighting programs like Market Match at the Fillmore Farmers Market and providing hope and practical solutions to those in need.
Phyllis focuses her community work on urban food access and education, especially in San Francisco’s Black communities. Her initiatives include:
Phyllis Bowie brings passion, resilience, and lived experience to NCLF’s board. She continues to serve with gratitude, joy, and a camera in hand, sharing stories and creating pathways for health and hope in the Fillmore and beyond.
“The most powerful moment of my life was becoming a community leader—serving the people of San Francisco and Oakland.”
— Katherine Campbell
Katherine Campbell’s commitment to community leadership began in 1969, after returning to San Francisco from a scholarship at Miami University. Inspired by the social movements of the time, she joined the Black Panther Party (BPP) and served as a member until 1978, receiving political education and community organizing experience that laid the foundation for her life’s work.
To better serve the community, Ms. Campbell earned certifications and degrees focused on social impact:
Katherine has worked across sectors to support vulnerable communities, including:
During her time with BPP, Katherine was involved in several key initiatives:
Katherine believes deeply in teamwork, ownership, and generational knowledge. From her early life, working with her mother and siblings to sustain their household, she understood the power of unity and shared purpose.
Her advice:
“Life is a building block. You have to build up to it. If you put your mind to it, you can do it.”
— Katherine Campbell
At just 21 years old, Jada Curry brings powerful lived experience, a passion for innovation, and an unwavering commitment to service as the Board Secretary for the New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF).
Jada’s journey is rooted in strength—having experienced homelessness at age 10, she rose to become a leader and change-maker in her community.
Jada is currently pursuing a degree in Physics at the University of San Francisco, where she’s involved in multiple academic and community-focused initiatives:
She also holds Seat 7 on the DCYF Oversight & Advisory Committee, representing Transitional Age Youth.
Jada brings versatile experience to her role at NCLF, where she handles:
Past roles include:
Jada is accountable, compassionate, and leads with a servant’s heart. Her passion lies in creating access and opportunity for others, especially underserved youth. When she’s not working or studying, you can find her gaming or watching movies
A lifelong Fillmore resident and community advocate, Lily Robinson-Trezvant brings over 70 years of lived experience in San Francisco to her role as Board President of the New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF).
Born in Galveston, Texas, Lily moved to San Francisco at the age of 3. She experienced firsthand the impact of urban renewal and displacement, having lost her family home to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency.
Lily brings a practical, inclusive approach to leadership and a deep commitment to justice, equity, and community well-being. As Board President, she continues to champion NCLF’s mission with passion, persistence, and heart.
She is also a proud mother of four successful sons.
Hugh EMC Gregory is a proud native of San Francisco’s Fillmore District, raised in the Yerba Buena Plaza East Projects, famously known as the "Out of Control Projects." A true multi-hyphenate, Hugh is a community builder, music legend, and lifelong advocate for underserved neighborhoods.
Before stepping into community leadership, Hugh EMC made history as:
He rose to prominence alongside Rappin’ 4-Tay, shaping the city’s musical legacy and uplifting the voices of Fillmore artists.
As a founding member of the New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF), Hugh has led transformative community work:
Hugh's deep commitment to service includes:
Hugh EMC is a visionary leader known for his compassion, persistence, and love for his community. Whether through music, mentorship, or mobilization, he’s spent a lifetime uplifting others and building spaces where people can thrive.
