Board of Directors
Patrick Ford
President & Co-Founder
Patrick is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specialized in orthopedics who currently lives in Bondurant, Iowa with his wife Sarah and their daughter Elena. Patrick grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago until moving to Ames, Iowa to attend college at Iowa State University in 2010. The events of 2020 involving the murders of innocent Black Americans forced Patrick to reflect on his own experiences as a biracial Black American. In an effort to learn more, he dove into the research about how racism has affected the health and wellness of our BIPOC community members. Out of this reflection and research, Patrick envisioned a program who’s sole focus was eliminating racial health disparities in the United States through educating our communities and promoting diversity and representation in the health and fitness professions. In June of 2020, he approached Elijah with the idea and as a result, ‘Project Onyx’ was created.
Elijah Muhammad
Vice President & Co-Founder
Elijah Muhammad is a Strength & Conditioning Coach, Crossfit Games Athlete & Owner of Unorthodox Fitness. He currently lives in Ankeny, IA with his Wife and four children. Elijah grew up in Columbus, OH and later played basketball & graduated from Tennessee Technological University in 2010. There were many reasons for creating Project Onyx, but it wasn’t until the murder of George Floyd & the lack of diversity in the CrossFit Space in which Elijah occupied that made Project Onyx a reality. The goal was to help you Black Americans to understand they have “choices” rather then what the system is telling & showing them. And give them support in what ever it looks like to succeed in their field of choice! So then came Project Onyx to create the community.
Tamara Empty
Treasurer
Tamara is a Correctional Officer at the Polk County Jail and a Land and Aquatics Instructor. She currently lives in West Des Moines, IA with her Mother after living abroad in Accra, Ghana for two years. She grew up in the West Des Moines school district and a proud Valley Tiger! She continued to be a Tiger at the University of Missouri. It was there at Mizzou in Columbia, so close to the events of the Ferguson shooting, that Tamara had enough. Between the protests and the threats that the students of color were getting at school - Mental and Physical health was getting lost. It is her experiences that she went through, that is fueling her to be a part of Project Onyx! She believes in our mission and assists in any way she can!
Nadia Drake
Secretary
Nadia is an educator in Des Moines Public Schools. She currently lives in Des Moines, IA where she started her education career. She taught kindergarten for four years and first grade for two years, while completing her masters at Drake University in Culturally Responsive Leadership and Instruction. Nadia knew going into teaching she would be teaching kids, but what she didn't realize would be the life lessons her kids would teach her. It was her students who started to open her eyes to the inequities students of color face within the educational system, and it was her master's work that opened her eyes to the systemic oppression in our society and world. It's her experience with her students that has led her to be fully in support of Project Onyx.