Steven Merrick
Senior Community Organizer
Email: [email protected]
Steven Merrick, a passionate grassroots community organizer whose faith and dedication to social justice guide his work. His journey began at Morgan State University, “The Illustrious” HBCU, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he first encountered the power of civic engagement. As a student leader, Steven worked to address funding inequities between HBCUs and TWIs, forging connections that reflected his commitment to uplifting underserved communities—a spirit he carries into his work today.
With years of organizing experience, Steven has dedicated himself to empowering Black communities. His work with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and the Fight for $15 Coalition helped secure legislative wins for Maryland’s working class, including raising the state’s minimum wage. These efforts are a testament to his belief in taking action to create systemic change.
Now based in the Inland Empire, Steven serves in the esteemed position of Senior Community Organizer at Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), a Black-led and faith-rooted organization. He works closely with clergy and community leaders to build their capacity for grassroots organizing, civic engagement, and leadership development—core to COPE’s mission of revitalizing and protecting the neighborhoods where they live, work, and worship. Steven’s efforts are focused on building transformational relationships with congregations, listening to community needs, and shaping COPE’s policy agenda to create meaningful, long-term change.
In addition to working alongside a dynamic network of faith leaders and social justice organizations across California, Steven finds balance in spending time with family in his travels back to the East Coast, enjoying time with his wife Rae and their Dalmatian, Ace, and the day to day life with his COPE family. Whether at rooftop gatherings in LA, hiking scenic trails, lounging at one of California’s various beaches, or embracing Tupac’s “California Love,” Steven remains grounded in his mission to serve while savoring the simple joys of life.
