Lawren Long joined NBWC as the new Policy Coordinator in the Fall of 2023. She brings a wealth of experience in developing and implementing policy initiatives that uplift Black voices and address the unique challenges faced by Black workers. She is a two-time graduate of Jackson State University where she earned degrees in Business Administration and Public Policy and Administration. She is a former policy coordinator for ROC United where she worked to grow the policy work and reach of the organization. She developed policy briefs, presentations, reports, factsheets, represented the organization at national forums and conferences, and developed and managed the policy campaigns among other critical responsibilities.
Her background includes serving as a professor of political science in public policy, non-profit management, food insecurity and justice advocacy, organizational development, human capital development, childhood obesity, poverty, social justice curriculum development, economic development, and public health equity work. She serves her community in various leadership roles, from being a member of the NAACP, Young Democrats State Vice President, and CFO of For Brown Girls, Inc. In her spare time, Lawren practices yoga, reads books about Black history, enjoys outdoor activities with her children, educating the younger generations, and learning trendy music to keep up with the times.

Ryann Stlouis is a TikTok marketing intern at the National Black Worker Center. She is 18 years old, and ever since she was little, she’s always found a way to thrive in the social media industry. Ryann has spent her time with the NBWC, using her creative skills to create new videos and content for TikTok, uplifting the NBWC and what they stand for. Ryann is very passionate about helping other black people; she enjoys going to rallies and events that help support social justice.
When she is not working, Ryann enjoys running track, reading, spending time with family, playing the piano, and learning everything she can about aerospace engineering in hopes of working for NASA one day.

Prior to becoming the Policy & Advocacy Director at the National Black Worker Center, Tristin was the Policy & Program Director at People’s Parity Project and an Associate Counsel at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. She first joined the Committee as the Small, Webber, Spencer Litigation Fellow of the Georgetown Women’s Law & Public Policy Fellowship Program. Tristin graduated summa cum laude from Florida A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. At Georgetown, Tristin was the President of the Black Law Students Association, a Public Interest Fellow, Student Ambassador, and Online Editor and Special Projects Chair of the Georgetown Journal of Law & Modern Critical Race Perspectives. She was also recognized as a Pro Bono Pledge Honoree and Dean’s Certificate recipient for her special and outstanding service to the Law Center community and elected by her peers to represent her class as a 2019 student commencement speaker. Additionally, at Georgetown, Tristin represented clients in the DC Superior Court as a student attorney in the Domestic Violence Clinic. She has held externships with the former Political Law Group of Perkins Coie LLP, Advancement Project and the litigation division of the Federal Election Commission. In 2018, she was selected as a Ms. JD Fellow. Prior to attending Georgetown, Tristin worked as a staffer for former U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Graham and interned for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Tristin has authored featured pieces in publications like Teen Vogue, The American Prospect, The Grio, and Bloomberg Law. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Shanika Houlder-White is the Deputy Executive Director of National Black Worker Center. Born into an immigrant family from Trinidad and Tobago, she spent her childhood in the countryside of Trinidad playing cricket, riding box carts, climbing mango trees, and making “chow”. Since migrating to the US at the age of 14, she has earned a Bachelor of Education from Granite State University and spent the first half of her career in the classroom educating and supporting children and families in the inner city of Boston, Massachusetts. Like many immigrant and marginalized people, she also had a side hustle as a personal care attendant, which afforded her membership in the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Her 12+ years of experience includes advancing national organizing campaigns and holding leadership positions at SEIU 1199, Massachusetts Early Childhood Educators United, American Federation of Teachers Boston, and most recently as the National Organizing Director at United For Respect. She has built innovative engagement pathways and structures to develop low-wage workers that center Black and brown leadership. Shanika possesses a breadth of experience in organizational structure building and advancing culturally–centered leadership approaches. As a mom to 4 Black girls, she is devoted to leaving a more equitable world where their voices and leadership are centered and respected to ensure that they have the ability to thrive and experience true liberation.