our mission

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Athena Sharp Papagiannopoulos, 26, is a long-time activist, humanitarian, healer, artist, and entrepreneur who was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Athena founded Visual Black Justice, formerly known as AR-14 for Justice, in 2016 to push her values with boots on the ground activism while simultaneously bridging the economic wealth gap. Athena believes that reinvesting in Black communities is a tangible step we can take towards redistributing wealth and creating a more just and equitable future for us all. 

Outside of organizing, Athena loves spending time with her two dogs, Habibi and Medusa, as well as her family and best friends. Athena is also a tattoo and Adidas enthusiast (#notsponsored) and is always up for Asian food!

Taycier Elaine Elhindi, 22, is a Minneapolis-based chef, author, and organizer who believes in the power of a strong, resourceful community. Taycier began her career in activism in 2016 when she and her family founded Solomon’s Song, a non-profit organization centered around amplifying mental health resources while opening the conversation around mental health in order to reduce stigma. In 2020, Taycier joined Visual Black Justice to propel her goal of healing and strengthening the Minneapolis Community by creating easy access to information and resources, such as affordable housing information and mental health resources. Additionally, she works to bridge the economic wealth gap by highlighting BIPOC owned businesses through her writing for publications such as Minnesota Monthly. She believes that working within communities to fulfill their needs and create opportunities while also forming lasting person-to-person relationships is a direct path to liberation and equality. 

Outside of organizing, Taycier loves to cook, listen to music, and spend time with her friends.

Katie McCarthy, 21, is a junior at Macalester College. Though relatively new to the Twin Cities she has felt the vibrant community through her volunteer work with the English Learning Center of Minneapolis, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Cities, and Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment. In 2021, Katie joined Visual Black Justice to amplify the voices of Black Women and is grateful to serve in the role of Executive Assistant to support Athena and Tay! She believes that we must defund the police and reinvest in community-based alternative services and programs. Katie appreciates how Visual Black Justice both directly supports our community and consistently puts pressure on elected officials to divest from systems of oppression.


Outside of organizing, Katie enjoys arranging music for her a cappella group, playing with her foster cat, and learning new languages!