Our Team

Our team brings together organizers, creatives, and leaders committed to building a more just and connected future. Rooted in Bayard Rustin’s legacy, we work collaboratively to develop leadership, strengthen community, and turn vision into action.

Tim’m West

Tim’m T. West (He/they), is a pioneering author, poet, educator, and Hip Hop artist whose work bridges art, education, and advocacy in service of marginalized communities. Often described as a modern Renaissance figure, he leverages a broad, interdisciplinary skill set to advance equity, belonging, and civic leadership.

Executive Director

Nathan Esparza

Nate M. Esparza (they/he) is a strategist, writer, and community builder working at the intersection of leadership, care, and organizational design. As Executive Admin for the Rustin Institute for Leadership Development, they support the Institute’s vision through strategy, communications, and systems that strengthen justice-centered leadership.

Executive Admin

Walter Naegle serves as a strategic advisor to the Rustin Institute. Walter is an American artist and photographer who is the surviving partner of late American Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin, and the executive director of the Bayard Rustin Fund, which commemorates Rustin's life, values, and legacy. 

Bayard Rustin Consultant

Walter NAEGLE

Our Summer 2026 Rustin Interns

NATHAN bARNES

Hampton University Class of 2027

Economics

  • Nathan Barnes (he/him) is an Economics major at Hampton University from Charlotte, NC with interests in economic development, financial analysis, and community-focused research. His work and academic interests center around understanding how economics, public policy, and data can be used to address inequality and improve opportunities within underserved communities. 

    Nathan has experience conducting research and data analysis using Excel and economic datasets, with projects focused on topics such as inflation, banking risk, GDP trends, and economic mobility in the United States. He enjoys combining analytical thinking with real-world problem solving and has developed a strong interest in nonprofit strategy, financial sustainability, and community development initiatives.

    Outside of academics, Nathan is involved in campus organizations and leadership activities and enjoys sports analytics, financial markets, and exploring how data can be used to better understand both business and society.

Haviland Brown

Spelman College Class of 2027

Biology and French

  • Haviland Brown (she/her) recently graduated from The George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where she was an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma candidate, a member of the varsity rowing team, and an active participant in Jack and Jill of America, Inc. This fall, she will begin her studies at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she plans to pursue a pre-medical track while majoring in Biology and French.

    Deeply passionate about healthcare equity and supporting marginalized communities, Haviland has pursued numerous opportunities in service and advocacy. She has volunteered at local women’s shelters, food banks, and the Ronald McDonald House, providing critical assistance to families during times of hardship. Her commitment to underserved populations has also extended to internships with an immigration attorney representing asylum seekers in the United States, in the cardiac unit of a hospital serving an economically challenged area of Philadelphia, and in the operating rooms and patient care units of a hospital in Saint-Chamond, France.

    Through these diverse experiences—engaging directly with patients, supporting families, and observing healthcare professionals at work—Haviland developed a strong interest in comparing healthcare systems in free-market economies, such as the United States, with nations that provide universal or socialized healthcare. She is particularly interested in researching disparities in health outcomes among immigrant communities and examining how cultural, linguistic, and structural barriers influence access to care.

    At Spelman, Haviland hopes to build upon her experiences through interdisciplinary study in the sciences, language, and global health. She plans to explore the sociocultural determinants of health and investigate how different healthcare systems shape patient access, quality of care, and long-term outcomes across diverse populations. Ultimately, she aspires to become a physician who advances health equity through both clinical practice and advocacy.

Malcolm DeLuca

Hampton University Class of 2027

Kinesiology

  • Malcolm DeLuca (he/him) is a rising senior at Hampton University majoring in Kinesiology with a strong interest in sports medicine, injury prevention, and equitable athlete care. Originally from Little Neck, Queens, New York, Malcolm has combined his academic training in anatomy, physiology, rehabilitation, and athletic injury care with years of experience as a competitive soccer player and team leader. His experiences as both an athlete and aspiring healthcare professional have shaped a deep commitment to helping athletes recover safely, fully, and with dignity regardless of their background or access to resources. At Hampton, Malcolm has focused on building expertise in movement analysis, fitness assessment, and rehabilitation strategies while exploring how sports can serve as a vehicle for leadership and community impact. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Stop Insult 2 Injury (SITI), a student-led initiative advocating for equitable injury care and amplifying the voices of student-athletes navigating recovery challenges. Beyond academics, Malcolm’s leadership and service experiences reflect a broader dedication to mentorship, teamwork, and community wellness. He aspires to become a physical therapist working with professional sports organizations while continuing to advocate for more accessible and inclusive approaches to athlete health and recovery.

Amanda Draznin

Elon University Class of 2027

Creative Writing and Spanish

  • Amanda Draznin (she/her) is an emerging writer, researcher, and translator pursuing degrees in Creative Writing and Spanish at Elon University. Originally from Fairfax, Virginia, she has developed a deep interdisciplinary focus on Argentine literature and the poetry of the Dirty War, examining how creative expression functions as testimony, resistance, and historical memory under authoritarian regimes. Her work sits at the intersection of literary craft, translation, and political history, exploring the ways language preserves and transmits experiences of state violence across generations.

    A published author, Amanda's writing has appeared in Neon Origami, The Word's Faire, Beyond Words Magazine, and Half and One. Her training in both creative writing and Spanish allows her to engage with texts not only as a scholar but as a writer deeply attuned to voice, form, and the nuances of cross-linguistic meaning. Outside of her academic work, she channels her creativity through collage-making, saxophone, and an ever-growing book collection.

    This summer, Amanda will serve as a translation intern with The Rustin Institute for Leadership Development, where she will apply her linguistic expertise and commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices to the organization's ongoing research and advocacy work.

Grayson Giguere

Duke University Class of 2027

Public Policy and Economics with a concentration in Financial Economics

  • Grayson Giguere (she/her) is a sophomore at Duke University studying Public Policy and Economics with a concentration in Financial Economics, where she serves as a Woodman Scholar and Reginaldo Howard Fellow. As Finance Chair of the Reginaldo Howard Leadership Program, she collaborates with faculty and fellows to design programming that strengthens community engagement and leadership development. Grayson also serves as a Research Assistant in the Duke Economics Analytics Lab, supporting faculty research on the public reception of economic ideas. A graduate of The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, she previously led HeART for Charity's outreach efforts, launching three new chapters and building partnerships with hospitals and senior centers to bring joy through art. Grayson is passionate about health equity, policy, and ensuring that young people have the support and opportunity to thrive.

SHREYA Joshi

Duke University
Class of 2027

International Comparative Studies Major; Minors: Economics & Asian American and Diaspora Studies

  • Shreya Joshi (she/her) is an emerging scholar, researcher, and advocate pursuing a degree in International Comparative Studies at Duke University. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, she has developed a strong interdisciplinary focus on global justice, migration, racialization, and public policy through both academic research and community engagement. A Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and Duke Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow, Shreya has conducted research on South Asian racialization, oral histories, and the relationship between arts and community advocacy. She also previously led the development of an AAPI history curriculum initiative that reached more than 55,000 students in her school district while facilitating youth-centered workshops on advocacy, debate, and gender-based violence prevention.

    This summer, Shreya will serve as a research intern with The Rustin Institute for Leadership Development, where she will focus on Bayard Rustin’s international advocacy and its relevance to contemporary public policy and coalition-building efforts today.

FREDDI Rogers

Agnes Scott College- Class of 2029

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Anthropology, Human Rights, and Sociology

  • Freddi Rogers (they/them) is a first-year student at Agnes Scott College who is interested in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, as well as Anthropology, Human Rights, and Sociology. Originally from Brookhaven, GA, they were active in the GSA at Dekalb School of the Arts and co-founded a group called Gayme Day with their twin sister and dad who is pastor where youth played games and had boba or coffee while talking about issues facing queer and allied youth. A dynamic leader, Freedi was part of the youth leadership team at the Oak Grove UMC Youth Group and on the committee for queer inclusion. Finally, Freddi is a first-year representative on the Exec Board of ASCEND!— an organization that works to creative events that are inclusive of queer people.

Sydney sims

Howard University Class of 2030

Political Science

  • Sydney Sims (she/her) is an incoming freshman at Howard University from Atlanta planning to study political science with a focus on social justice, advocacy, and community-centered change. Passionate about using policy and public engagement to address inequality and support underserved communities, she has spent much of her time at Marist School pursuing leadership opportunities rooted in communication, creativity, and service. Through speech and debate, Sydney developed strong skills in policy analysis, public speaking, and civic discourse while conducting extensive research on intellectual property law and other complex policy issues. Her experience examining how legislation impacts innovation, access, and equity strengthened her interest in the intersection of law, government, and social advocacy. That same interest in storytelling and public engagement carried into her work as Director of Studio Operations for Marist Broadcasting Club, where she helped lead student-produced media and collaborative productions, as well as her involvement in Black Student Alliance, peer leadership, student ambassador programs, and community service initiatives throughout Atlanta.

    In addition to her leadership and advocacy work, Sydney is deeply involved in the arts. She has participated in more than ten theatre productions through Marist Theatre, performed as a singer and soloist with Marist Singers, and worked both as a student and instructor at Young Chef’s Academy. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, crocheting, editing, watching movies, and playing guitar and accordion.