Central Valley Political Director Uriah Blackwell

Uriah was born and raised in the farmlands of the Hanford/Lemoore area of Central California. Born to two military parents and the oldest of 9, advocacy through servant leadership became one of Uriah’s most valuable skills. 

Uriah Blackwell is a dedicated community organizer with years of experience advocating for Pacific Islander communities across the country by uplifting the health, cultural empowerment, and the youth and young people of Pacific Islander communities through policy support with local legislators, coalition building, and educating communities on local and statewide civic engagement. As a biracial man of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) and Black descent, he has felt the effects that a lack of advocacy can create. 

After receiving degrees in Earth & Environmental Science and African American Studies from UCLA in 2020 and recognizing the effects COVID-19 had on the Asian American & Pacific Islander communities, Uriah co-founded the Central Valley Pacific Islander Alliance (CVPIA) in 2021 to bring resources and awareness to the Central Valley. 

Utilizing the skills he gained through leadership opportunities at UCLA with groups such as the Pacific Islander Student Association, Student Initiated Outreach Committee and few others, Uriah now serves as the Advocacy Lead with CVPIA, providing social, educational, and political advocacy for Pacific Islander communities throughout the Central Valley and beyond.