India Woods is a native of Kansas City, Missouri but has spent the last year and a half making Los Angeles her home. While much of her work has been influenced by challenges in her childhood, India has dedicated her career to public service on all levels.
India graduated from the University of Missouri with her Bachelor’s in Social Work. While pursuing her degree, she worked at the University’s Black Culture Center, to plan and host social justice events for minority students on a predominately white campus. Just before her final year of undergrad, India interned in the Office of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, in the United States House of Representatives. During her time in the House of Representatives, she supported legislative staff through legislative research, attending briefings on behalf of staff, and working with staff to find techniques for youth to engage in the legislative process.
After graduating, India worked as a Care Manager for youth in the Foster Care system. India served youth across the state of Missouri navigate the foster care system, and build emotional and social character capacity skills. After working in the foster care system, India worked as Community Resource Advocate for the Adhoc Group Against Crime. Here, India worked with victims and families of victims of crime to connect them to community resources such as housing relocation, therapy, food resources, mediation, and connection to law and legal services for information about investigations. During 2020, India felt that there was work she needed to be doing on a wider, systemic and policy level. Therefore, she began working as a Community Organizer. Through this work, India worked alongside community members and elected officials to pass city ordinances for immigrant rights, and organized rallies and worked with local leaders to fight against police abuse.
Although India was grateful for all of the experiences she was exposed to throughout her career, she felt there was still some foundational learning that she felt would help her in her service to the community. Therefore, she decided to pursue her Master’s in Social Work and Master’s in Public Policy at UCLA. Since she moved to Los Angeles last year, India has served as a Clinical Case Manager for Houseless College Students, where she connected students to community resources to support their well-being, and supported any needs that may aid them in completing their degree. She also served as a Site Coordinator for an education program for students in the Continuation High School in the Compton School District. Here, India was able to connect with and serve youth who struggled in traditional school settings, by providing art, music, drivers education, and college and workforce readiness clubs. India also worked in the Diversity, Inclusion, and Admissions department of the Grad Division at UCLA. Finally, India began working as a Restorative Justice Advisor for youth in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Here, she supports LAUSD staff and students in providing safe, equitable, and non-punitive responses to students and peers in all school settings.
India is more than excited and grateful to begin working in the Los Angeles Mayor’s office as a 2023-2024 David Bohnett Fellow. She is excited to have another opportunity to explore and understand more of the diversity and power of Los Angeles. She hopes that through this fellowship she is not only able to support and improve systems in Los Angeles, but also grow as a young Black Woman leader.