Symphony Wilson
McDonough,GA
Summary
Justice-focused social work and nonprofit professional with experience advancing equity-driven initiatives at the intersection of legal advocacy, food security, and systems reform. Demonstrated ability to manage complex, collaborative programs; support grantmaking and policy-informed strategies; and translate community needs into actionable insights for organizational leadership and funders. Deep experience working with system-involved, foster-impacted, and economically marginalized populations, with a strong commitment to youth belonging, wellbeing, meaning, and purpose through effective collaboration and adaptability.
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Coordinator – Legal Intake & Anti-Hunger
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)
Montgomery, AL
01.2023 - Current
- Support legal intake and screening processes for individuals seeking assistance, helping assess eligibility, identify urgent needs, and route cases appropriately within a high-volume justice-oriented nonprofit.
- Work at the intersection of legal advocacy and social services, identifying systemic barriers related to poverty, housing instability, mental health access, and food insecurity.
- Play a key role in EJI’s Anti-Hunger Initiative, coordinating food assistance efforts for economically marginalized and system-impacted individuals and families across multiple counties.
- Manage program logistics, participant tracking, and documentation to ensure equitable distribution of resources and accurate reporting.
- Prepare internal memos, summaries, and operational briefs to support leadership decision-making and inform program planning.
- Contribute program insights and operational feedback used to inform internal planning and resource allocation for community assistance initiatives.
- Engage directly with community members to assess needs, gather feedback, and identify service gaps impacting children, youth, and families.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including legal staff, program staff, and external partners—to strengthen service delivery and improve coordination across systems.
- Key Impact: Strengthened access to legal and food assistance by improving intake processes, data tracking, and cross-sector coordination for system-impacted communities.
- Coordinate resource distribution and participant engagement across multiple counties as part of EJI’s Anti-Hunger Initiative, supporting individuals experiencing food insecurity with financial assistance for groceries and household necessities.
Social Work Intern – Office of the Public Defender
Public Defender’s Office
Montgomery, AL
- 01.2025
- Provided forensic social work support to attorneys representing justice- and system-involved individuals, many experiencing mental health and substance use challenges.
- Conducted psychosocial and mitigation-focused assessments to support holistic advocacy and client-centered defense strategies.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary legal teams to integrate social work perspectives into case planning and advocacy.
- Identified service gaps affecting justice-involved individuals and assisted in connecting clients to community-based supports.
- Analyzed systemic inequities impacting client outcomes, informing recommendations for improved interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Key Impact: Enhanced interdisciplinary advocacy by integrating social, legal, and systemic considerations into client representation.
Social Work Intern – Child Welfare Services
Safe Alternatives for Families & Youth (SAFY)
Montgomery, AL
- 01.2024
- Supported case management and service coordination for youth and families involved in the child welfare and foster care systems.
- Conducted assessments using a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework, emphasizing strengths, developmental needs, and environmental factors.
- Participated in multidisciplinary team meetings focused on permanency planning, youth stability, and wellbeing.
- Assisted with documentation, compliance reporting, and data collection for program oversight and continuous improvement.
- Key Impact: Contributed to holistic, youth-centered service planning for foster and system-involved youth.
Education
Master of Social Work (MSW) - Forensic Social Work
Alabama State University
Montgomery, AL12.2025
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Legal Studies Minor
Alabama State University
Montgomery, AL12.2022
Skills
- College & Career Pathway Strategy
- Foster & System-Involved Youth Advocacy
- Grantmaking & Funder Support
- Policy & Advocacy Ecosystem Analysis
- Program Evaluation & Learning
- Cross-Sector Coalition Building
- Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation
- Data Collection, Tracking & Reporting
- Equity-Centered & Youth-Informed Frameworks
- Justice System Reform & Reentry Policy
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Data tracking systems (Airtable experience)
- Virtual collaboration tools (Zoom, Teams)
- Report writing, briefs, and stakeholder communications
- Social media and digital communication platforms
- Administrative support
Websites
Policy, Research & Systems Analysis
- Conducted program evaluation and research related to criminalization of poverty, foster youth outcomes, and systemic inequities.
- Developed annotated bibliographies and research briefs to inform advocacy, policy discussions, and funding strategies.
- Experience analyzing the impact of fines, fees, housing instability, and service access on marginalized populations.
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHS
- Extensive experience working with Black and Brown communities disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities.
- Skilled facilitator comfortable engaging youth, nonprofit leaders, funders, and policy stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communicator able to translate complex systems issues for diverse audiences.
Timeline
Project Coordinator – Legal Intake & Anti-Hunger
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)
01.2023 - Current
Social Work Intern – Office of the Public Defender
Public Defender’s Office
- 01.2025
Social Work Intern – Child Welfare Services
Safe Alternatives for Families & Youth (SAFY)
- 01.2024
Master of Social Work (MSW) - Forensic Social Work
Alabama State University
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Legal Studies Minor
Alabama State University