Rodreshia Russaw

Executive Director, The Ordinary People Society (TOPS)

Rodreshia Russaw is a feminist activist and a human rights defender, working as the Executive Director of The Ordinary People Society (TOPS), with over fifteen years of experience working in the non-profit sector on a wide variety of issues related to Criminal Justice and Voting Rights Reform, Reproductive Justice Rights, Healing and Restorative Justice. Russaw is the visionary of TOPS Voices for the Violated Reproductive Justice Project (VOV) and played an instrumental role in the liberation of Marshae Jones in 2019. Raised in the city of Seattle, Washington, as a young black woman who faced many disparities as a woman of color, she gained a passion for advocacy and community organizing. Russaw’s advocacy started in New York City the year of 1999 where she fought for community change as a youth outreach worker with World Vision. She created domestic and international programs for adolescents impacted by the criminal justice system. As a rising leader under the guidance and teaching of Pastor Kenneth Glasgow, a world-renowned criminal justice activist and voting rights leader who formed TOPS and a national organization Formerly Incarcerated and Convicted People Family Movement (FICPFM), she strives to fight for a fair and justice society. Russaw is the Co-Founder of Alabama Election Protection Network (AEPN), a network of grassroots organizations engaged in mobilizing communities by providing voter education and assistance to Alabamians through all stages of the voting process. She is a board member of Alabama Forward, steering committee member of Southern Power Fund (SPF), National Bail Out (NBO), Saving Ourselves (SOS), Selma Jubilee, Alabama Voting Rights Coalition , New Justice Coalition, and member of Alabamians for Fair Justice, AL Repo Justice Coalition, and National Action Network (NAN). In 2021 Russaw became the Vice Chair of Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) 2nd congressional district in the southeastern region of Alabama. She is a motivational speaker and Wiregrass known radio personality of 99.1 FM “Good-morning Ladies” Radio Broadcast, through TOPS non-commercial radio station. As a dedicated community advocate, she ensures that lives are being changed by bringing her cultural and social experience into everyday practices. She is a beacon for many and finds success in fighting for equal justice.