reACTion Resources

Dr. Lisa Richardson (she/her) is a co-Executive Director at The Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies. Prior to rejoining IWES in July 2013, she served as the National Director of Southern Access Project for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She has interests and experience in sexual health education and advocacy (particularly for women of color and youth) and has been involved in community change and participatory action programs for more than 25 years in New Orleans and beyond.

Kelsie Rhodes (she/her) is a Black queer woman originally from Cincinnati, OH. She has been working with people living with HIV for 4 years. A year ago, she transitioned into doing HIV prevention work, where she had the opportunity to educate, support and empower black queer young people in New Orleans.

Social Channels: @fattyfemmebot

Obinaya Brown (They/Them) is a recent graduate of The NET Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana. They chose to participate in both panel discussions because they want to show the youth that there is a place for youth voices and people who want to hear our voices. This August, Obinaya be attending Southern University at New Orleans withi a major in Social Work. Their areas of interest include positive youth development, reproductive justice, gun reform, and policy change regarding homelessness.

Social Channels: @colourmeobiii_

Kailynn Williams (She/Her) is a Louisiana native and a double major in Environmental Science and Nutrition & Health Informatics at Southern University A&M College. Kailynn is a reproductive justice advocate and currently interns with 10,000 Women Louisiana located in Baton Rouge. Her inspiration for working in reproductive justice stems from witnessing her own family members' harmful experiences with poor maternal healthcare rooted in medical racism.

From private and public legal practice to nonprofit leadership and academia, Kristen Rome is dedicated to expanding possibilities for Louisiana families. Since 2011, the New Orleans native defense attorney and doula has worked with Louisiana families navigating interwoven systems that - from conception - define young people’s life outcomes. Kristen currently serves as Co-Executive Director of the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights—an organization that represents and advocates for young people in the criminal legal system.

Social Channels: @kristenarome

Jaelyn “Jae” Stewart (She/They/Her/Them) is from Marrero, a town on the Westbank of New Orleans, and desires to impact Louisiana through medicine and science with career aspirations to become an OBGYN. She aims to help promote the talent of Louisiana and bring resources to a place that deserves it, like any other place in the world.

Social Channels:

TikTok: @u1spook

Instagram: @unit01clothing

Ama Sumbry (She/Her) has been dedicated to working in the mental health field since she was a high school student in her hometown of Washington, D.C. She holds a B.S. in Psychological Sciences from Xavier University in Louisiana, and will be starting Loyola’s Master of Science in Counseling program this fall. She hopes to combine her interests in mental health and working with youth by becoming a professional counselor.

Growth is ingrained in Pell's nature. Since taking the industry by storm in 2014, the electric New Orleans native, born Jared Pellerin, has continued to expand his sound and musicality. His stellar Floating While Dreaming debut garnered attention and praise from press across the board, including FADER, Billboard, XXL, Complex, among others. After touring with G-Eazy, in 2015 he released LIMBO, an EP produced by TV on The Radio’s Dave Sitek, developing his "experimental soul" sound to set him apart from his peers. Pell released his next EP, girasoul (4.5 million streams to date) via Payday Records in December 2017. The project featured collaborations from Saba, Imad Royal, and Vérité. Later in 2019, Pell released his second full-length album "Gravity," an ode to his hometown of New Orleans, featuring performances by PJ Morton and Ambré. Pell has toured with Kehlani, PJ Morton, Doja Cat, Brasstracks, and has performed at prestigious festivals like New Orleans Jazz Fest, Hangout, Firefly, Pemberton.

Social Channels:

Instagram: @pellyeah @glblwrmng504

Twitter: @pellyeah @glblwrmng504

$leazy EZ brings an alternative sound, different from traditional NOLA artists. EZ’s music ties together all the sub-genre’s of rap, in order to unify the genre as a whole. She intends to shed light on female talent, & bringing the experience back between fan & artist. If you miss the old days, but still support the evolution of music, Sleazy is the artist for you!

Social Channels:

$leazy EZ Instagram @sleazyez

$leazy EZ Twitter: @sleazyez

glbl wrmng Instagram @glblwrmng504

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, cierra “cherrybombcee” wyche is a visual artist with deep interests in black empowerment, feminism, and spirituality. Creatively inclined since youth, she began taking herself seriously as an artist in high school enrolling in a four year intensive art program. She’s currently furthering her education at School of Visual Arts working towards a BFA in Illustration.

Since its start in 2019, wyche has been an active member of BElite, the youth-led art collective of local non-profit, Eternal Seeds. It is here where she gets to merge her love of creating with working alongside like-minded youth to serve a purpose greater than themselves.

Social Handle: @cherrybombcee

I’m a 18 year old artist from New Orleans, into any form of art that i can get into and enjoy the simple luxuries in life.

Social Channels:

Instagram: @rex.roth

As a New Orleans native, Jemila grew up surrounded by the arts which she immersed herself in, later developing her musicianship further at the Berklee College of Music, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Professional Music. Since then, Jemila has played bass professionally with chart-topping artists on multiple domestic and international tours as well as serving as an organizing member and instructor at Girls Rock New Orleans, a non-profit youth-focused music education program that encourages creative expression and fosters social consciousness. Understanding the therapeutic role music plays in the human experience, Jemila joined IWES in the hopes of using her skills and knowledge to help heal her community.