Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr.
President and CEO
Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. is the President & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, a minister, community activist, U.S. Air Force veteran, and one of the most influential people in Hip Hop political life. He entered the world of Hip Hop Politics as the Political and Grassroots Director for the Hip Hop Summit Action Network in 2003 and 2004, and as a key architect of P. Diddy’s “Vote Or Die!” campaign in 2004. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he established the award winning Gulf Coast Renewal Campaign where he led a coalition of national and grassroots organizations to advocate for the rights of Katrina survivors. In 2008, he led Hip Hop Caucus’ launch of Respect My Vote!, a campaign and coalition that works with Hip Hop artists to engage young people in the electoral process. As a national leader and pacemaker within the Green Movement, he works to bridge the gap between communities of color and environmental advocacy. He is a leader in campaigns calling for divestment from fossil fuels causing climate change, increasing diversity in the climate movement, ensuring everyone has clean water and air, and international efforts to address climate change. In 2018, he helped launch Think 100%, Hip Hop Caucus’ award-winning climate communications and activism platform.
NATIONAL TEAM
Liz Havstad
Liz is Hip Hop Caucus’ Managing Director and COO, leading the diverse team, grassroots leaders, and cultural influencers that make Hip Hop Caucus one of the nation’s most dynamic 21st century civil and human rights organizations.
Dr. Cynthia Swann
Dr. Cynthia Swann is Chief of Staff and Interim Operations and HR Director at the Hip Hop Caucus. She is concurrently President & CEO of Swann Group Global.
Tanya Clay House
Tanya Clay House is the Executive Vice President for Campaigns and Advocacy at the Hip Hop Caucus and the Hip Hop Caucus Action Fund. She most recently was the Senior Program Officer for Voting Rights at the State Infrastructure Fund.
Chauntel Cannon
Chauntel Cannon is the executive assistant to the President and CEO, Managing Director, and Executive Vice President at the Hip Hop Caucus.
Brittany Bell Surratt
Brittany Bell Surratt is the senior director of storytelling and communications for Hip Hop Caucus. Brittany takes pride in creating strategic integrated communications plans to tell stories that position brands and organizations favorably with stakeholders across agency, corporate, non-profit and academic environments.
Russell Armstrong
Russell Armstrong is the Policy Director for Climate and Environment at the Hip Hop Caucus. He works on federal policy that provides environmental justice and for marginalized communities most impacted by environmental racism.
JaRel Clay
JaRel Clay is the Digital Director of Hip Hop Caucus, overseeing its digital organizing and online strategy. He is an activist, entrepreneur, and expert in digital engagement and brand development.
Stephone M. Coward II
Stephone Coward is the Economic Justice Director at the Hip Hop Caucus. He has worked in the banking industry for the last two decades, and has spent that time as an economic empowerment advocate for underserved communities.
Lamar Gibson
Lamar Gibson is the Development Director of Hip Hop Caucus, a community organizer, and a coach for fundraising professionals and nonprofit organizations.
Kelsy Horton
Kelsy Horton is the Finance and Operations Director at Hip Hop Caucus (HHC). An experienced financier, he brings years of finance and operations experience with large NGOs to HHC.
Candice Owens
Candice is the Director of Production of Hip Hop Caucus. She is an award winning producer and entrepreneur. She leads both virtual and physical production at HHC. She has worked in the entertainment industry for over two decades shepherding all aspects of multi-platform content from conception to completion.
Joseph Pate
Joseph Pate is an experienced communications strategist with a background in media relations, digital communications and public affairs. Joseph has developed creative and effective PR campaigns for nonprofits, Fortune 500 companies, entertainers, elected officials, restaurants, higher education institutions and startup companies.
Dawn Richard
DAWN RICHARD has been one of music’s most distinctive voices and songwriters since 2004, as a member of Danity Kane and then Diddy-Dirty Money, releasing the cult R&B classic Last Train to Paris. However, it’s as a solo artist that she’s really soared.
Calvin Spann
Calvin is the Cultural Ambassadors Field Director of Hip Hop Caucus, driving the organization’s engagement strategy of cultural leaders at the national and regional level. He has garnered over 14 years of experience in cultivating organic relationships and an expansive network within the music, media and entertainment industry.
Christopher Walton
Chris Walton is the Public Policy Director for Hip Hop Caucus. Chris has over a decade of experience ranging from local, state, and federal election campaigns. He has gained extensive knowledge on foreign affairs having liaised with several diplomatic corps in his capacity as Chair of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County.
Brandi “Bea” Williams
Brandi “Bea” Williams serves as the Organizing Director for the Hip Hop Caucus. She is an award-winning and Accredited public relations professional turned broker for change who uses her diverse public relations background to negotiate opportunities, equity and liberation for Black people.
Reggie Weaver
Reggie Weaver is the Respect My Vote! Campaigns Director for Hip Hop Caucus. In this role, he guides the organizing strategies to move the Caucus’ democratic policy, through the Respect My Vote! Campaign.
Dejuan Cross
DeJuan Cross is an American record producer, audio engineer, songwriter, arranger, and DJ. He has amassed platinum and gold selling records, millions in streams, billboard #1 chart placement, and film & television credits, while working with top talent in the entertainment industry.
Brandon Edwards
Brandon Edwards is the Social Media Manager of the Hip Hop Caucus. His passion for digital organizing, strategy, and content has led him to expand email and social audiences for high-profile clients and be at the forefront of issues that matter the most but are talked about the least.
Malikah French
Malikah French is the Development Associate at the Hip Hop Caucus, a passionate learner, and a mentor for underserved youth. She has worked in education for the last ten years, advocating for access to information, curriculum modification, and systemic scholar-centered revitalization.
Marsha Gosier
Marsha N. Gosier is the Good Trouble Campaigner for Hip Hop Caucus. Born in East Point, GA who proudly hails from Fort Valley, Ga., Marsha is a whole lot of country and a little bit of rock and roll. She pays homage to her parents for grooming her for “this work” and planting an unbossed and upbrought seed of Black Excellence within her.
Destiny Hodges
Destiny Hodges is a junior School of Communications Interdisciplinary major at Howard University from Birmingham, Alabama. Her mission is to educate and uplift the stories of marginalized communities–specifically the Black community — impacted by issues of environmental justice by using media as a form of narrative organizing.
Terence Muhammad
Terence “TC” Muhammad has been a community activist and organizer for over two decades. His experience spans voter mobilization campaigns, issue advocacy, and coalition building in African American communities, faith communities, on college campuses, and among civil rights and progressive organizations.
Isaiah Joseph
Isaiah Joseph is the Economic Justice, Justice Paid in Full Campaigns Intern at Hip Hop Caucus. Here, he will provide key research on the Hip Hop economy and create tools and resources for those first and worst impacted by economic injustice.
City Coordinators
Linzy Jackson
Natasha White
Bijou Star
LaRonn Harris
Kumasi
Mike Hooks
Asa
Sess 4-5
