Courtney Welch

Courtney is a single mother of two sons and served as the first Black woman mayor of Emeryville, California. She discovered UpTogether seven years ago after a chance meeting with a group of local leaders at a grocery store that changed her life. At one point, Courtney was priced out of Oakland’s rising housing market and experiencing homelessness, but sought resources and found stability through UpTogether’s trust-based approach which unlocked her ability to reimagine what was possible. Nowadays, Courtney continues to champion dignity, equity and investment in community potential—proving that when people are trusted and supported, they can transform not only their lives, but entire cities.