CN Initiative

Community care. Connection. Stability.

About CN Initiative

Cwiny Nia Initiative (CN Initiative) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the well-being of individuals and families impacted by poverty, housing instability, and involvement with the justice system.

Founded by Brenda Piloya Todwong, Cwiny Nia (Heart of Purpose) Initiative grew out of community‑led efforts to support those facing financial barriers to freedom and stability — people who were unhoused, detained due to their inability to pay bail. CN Initiative combines behavioral science, cultural understanding, and trauma‑informed methods to provide specific support services.

Our programs offer individualized pre‑release planning, professional mental and behavioral health counseling, help securing stable housing and accessible transportation, and structured community education to promote sustained stability. All services occur in a welcoming, nonpartisan setting that emphasizes dignity, equity, and healing.

Our vision is communities where healing, support, and opportunity are accessible to all, regardless of past or income. Through direct services and community-rooted education, we help people rebuild their lives with dignity and connection.

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Meet Our Team

Brenda Piloya Todwong

Brenda Piloya Todwong

Brenda Piloya Todwong is an advocate, organizer, and strategist dedicated to empowering marginalized communities and advancing systemic reform. Drawing on her Ugandan heritage and lived experience, she centers the voices of those most impacted by immigration, decarceration, and social injustice.

Her work is informed by experience with the United Nations, Immigration, and Bail reform. Brenda holds a B.A. in Community-Based Development and a Diploma in International Air Transport and is pursuing a B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. She also engages in art and design.

Paula Woodruff Keeth

Paula Woodruff Keeth

Paula Keeth has been involved in social justice issues at many levels for more than 25 years. She especially cares about how mental health impacts a person’s involvement in the criminal justice system and is also impacted by it.

She lives in Dallas and serves as a grounding voice for trauma-informed, compassionate approaches to justice.

Cody Marsh

Cody Marsh is a writer, educator, speaker, and prison reentry strategist whose expertise bridges personal experience with professional advocacy. His work centers on education, skills development, and empowering individuals navigating reentry.

Cody’s leadership brings both lived insight and strategic vision to CN Initiative’s reentry and community reintegration efforts.

Daniel Engole

Daniel Engole is an out-of-the-box thinker passionate about innovative problem-solving. With extensive experience in media, communication, sales & marketing, logistics, and community leadership, he has built a reputation for delivering impactful solutions. His passion for people fuels his creative approach, enabling him to address challenges effectively in the workplace and his community. Daniel’s ability to blend creativity with practical strategies not only enhances organizational performance but also fosters positive social change.

His passion for people and community drives his commitment to fostering positive social change and strengthening CN Initiative’s community partnerships.

Rev. Edwin Robinson

Rev. Edwin Robinson is a strategic organizer and coalition builder dedicated to building civic and community power at the intersection of faith, culture, and liberation. He is the founder of Bridge North Texas, a 10-year regional effort to build political, economic, and narrative power.

He is also co-founder of the Black Faith Coalition, a generational initiative advancing political, economic, narrative, and cultural power through the legacy and futuring of Black faith traditions.

His advisory role supports CN Initiative’s movement-building and coalition strategies.

Dr. Whitney Mathison, PhDS, LPCS, NCC

Dr. Whitney Mathison brings more than two decades of expertise in behavioral health, trauma recovery, and community-centered program design to the CN Initiative Advisory Board. As a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and clinical strategist, she provides the clinical insight and informed guidance that helps CN Initiative build programs rooted in the real needs of the people they serve.

Dr. Mathison’s advisory role centers on strengthening the human side of reentry — ensuring that the path back to work is supported by trauma-informed practices, mental health awareness, and service models that account for the full lived experience of formerly incarcerated individuals. She understands that sustainable workforce reintegration isn’t just about job placement; it’s about healing, identity, and belonging.

Through mentorship, clinical expertise, and hands-on program guidance, Dr. Mathison helps CN Initiative develop services that are compassionate, culturally responsive, and built to create lasting change — for individuals, families, and communities.

Support Us!

CN Initiative turns shared values into real change for people impacted by the justice system. Your donation helps respond to a crisis of poverty-based detention in the most immediate way: supporting families in our community return home, access care, and rebuild with dignity.

✓ Community-based alternatives work

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