Sincere Born Allah was born in Boston, MA, to Durrell Fox and Patricia Venable on March 16, 1980. Sincere’s birth name was Darnell Willis Venable and he grew up in Lynchburg, VA, and returned to Boston during his teenage years. He attended Fenway Middle College High School in Boston and also participated in the College Opportunity Inc, Historical Black College and University Tour, and attended the Million Man March. In his formative years, Sincere spent time working on political campaigns for his grandmother, former Massachusetts State Rep. Gloria Fox. He gained firsthand experience learning about and understanding the legislative process, as well as meeting many advocates, legislators, and policymakers in the Massachusetts State House and House of Representatives.

He worked as a peer leader and educator in Boston for many community health center programs and honed his advocacy and policy development skills. He was a member of Teen Empowerment and Concerned Black Men of MA Paul Robeson Institute for Positive Self-Development (PRI). Through these programs, he received specialized training and education as he educated youth and adults on subjects like sexually transmitted diseases, violence prevention, and substance use disorders. It was evident he had that “it” factor; that glow that many of us aspire to achieve. He was able to connect with many and make a positive impact on the lives of those in his community.

At the age of 18, Sincere entered the Virginia Department of Corrections, where he would go on to serve 24 years. Throughout his incarceration, he was active in the correctional community. He earned his G.E.D and participated in several programs. He joined the Shared Allied Management Community (S.A.M) as a therapeutic aide and mentor. Through the S.A.M program, Sincere earned certifications in Mental Health and Recovery, Anger Management for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Distress Tolerance, and DBT Mindfulness Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills. He also created his own program entitled” Personal Growth,” a 12-week therapeutic program that taught goal setting, leadership building, and action planning.

In 2020, while still incarcerated, along with two other men, he became the inspiration behind Second Look legislation. He helped to co-author the bill and went on to become one of its biggest advocates. In 2022, Sincere was granted a conditional pardon by former Governor Ralph Northam and released on January 14, 2022. Two days after his release, he was welcomed on the Senate floor during the 2022 General Assembly. From this day forward, he hit the ground running in advocacy and criminal justice reform.

He joined the Reform Alliance in 2023 as the Virginia State Coordinator. In this role, he helped pass major probation reform legislation with bipartisan support. He was a dedicated community advocate who participated in many initiatives in different capacities. Sincere organized support for the Federal Safer Supervision Act, testified for many legislative reform efforts, and was a member of the strategic planning team for the Virginia Consensus for Higher Education in Prison, to name a few. He was a fixture at community events, often participating as a speaker, a guest, or a volunteer. Having grown up as a youth who experiences many traumas and challenges, he had an affinity for young people, especially those youth who may face similar challenges. He was on the advisory council for the Rise for Youth Coalition and served as a mentor with Creating a Safer Environment (C.A.S.E). Sincere understood the purpose of reaching back, where he often found time to do outreach in prisons, detention centers, and schools. He fought to re-establish voting rights for returning citizens, including his own, in 2023. He received numerous awards and accolades. This is just a small testament to the enormous amount of his advocacy legacy.

In 2024, Sincere launched Sankofa Academy Consulting, LLC., an idea he dreamt of while incarcerated. Sankofa is an agency established to assist individuals impacted by the justice system through advocacy, policy, education, as well as personal and interpersonal development, mentorship, and community engagement.

Sincere's steadfast work ethic reverberated throughout the community and in the relationships he cultivated. From legislators and policy makers to colleagues, to friends; and even those he only briefly met he left a lasting impression and made an impact. He was a shining light, he was genuine, kind, and aptly named Sincere.

While he loved his community and his work, his greatest joy was fatherhood and spending time with his daughter.

Sincere is survived by his daughter, Serenity, his Godson Sereil, his parents, Patricia (Danny) Reeves and Durrell Fox. Stepmothers Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox (Durrell’s wife) and Robin Booker. He is survived by siblings Anthony, Dallas (Angela), Andrea, Daysia, Shey, and Carley. Uncle Joe (Yvette), cousins Jovani and Joseph (BJ). He also leaves behind his long-time best friends, Juanita, Tony, Angel, and a host of loving family, extended family, and friends.

The family expresses heartfelt thanks to all who have supported, comforted and were part of the movement alongside Sincere and all of you who are supporting and comforting the family and each other.

Please continue to say his name, Sincere Born Allah, and continue to fight for youth to have a Second Look and for all the causes Sincere cared about, championed and worked tirelessly for across the country.

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