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 N.
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