LIZ COURQUET-LESAULNIER
Managing Director
Los Angeles-based journalist Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier is the managing director of Word In Black. She has written about racial justice, gender equality, education, health, and culture for several national websites and print publications, including Ebony, BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, and Good Housekeeping.
Previously, she held the position of communications director at 826 National. She also served as the founding managing editor of Shondaland.com, a platform dedicated to women’s empowerment and lifestyle, spearheaded by television icon Shonda Rhimes. Prior to that, Courquet-Lesaulnier took on the role of education and culture editor at TakePart, the digital news arm of Participant Media, where she specialized in coverage of equity in public schools, access to and preparation for college, and the intersection of public health and systemic racism. Before that, she worked as the education editor at GOOD magazine.
Prior to journalism, Courquet-Lesaulnier taught in classrooms in Guangzhou, China, and Compton, California. She also worked on the staff of Teach For America’s Los Angeles office, providing professional development and support to first and second-year K-12 teachers in the Compton, Lynwood, and Los Angeles Unified school districts.
JOSEPH WILLIAMS
Deputy Managing Director
A veteran journalist, political analyst, and essayist, Joseph Williams has been published in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, and US News & World Report. A California native, Williams is a graduate of the University Of Richmond and a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He lives and works in metro Washington, D.C.
NADIRA JAMERSON
Digital Editor
Writer and content creator Nadira Jamerson is the Digital Editor for Word In Black. Nadira graduated from Howard University with a B.A. in English. She has worked as a journalist for various print and digital publications for the past five years, and as a creative director with SiKK Magazine and Converse. Her focus is to create space for Black individuals to express the complexities of their communities and identities through an honest and inspiring lens.
ANISSA DURHAM
Health Data Reporter
Anissa Durham is the health data reporter for Word in Black. She earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from National University. As a former general assignment reporter for inewsource, Anissa reported on historically neglected communities and systemic racism. Her work has also appeared in The San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Voice of San Diego, and more.
DOROTHY BOULWARE
Religion & Social Justice Reporter
Rev. Dorothy Boulware is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience with the Black press, specifically with the AFRO American News. She is the Religion and Social Justice reporter for Word In Black and is happy to highlight how religious communities create and drive social justice movements.
WILLY BLACKMORE
Climate Justice Correspondent
Willy Blackmore is a freelance writer and editor covering food, culture, and the environment. He lives in Brooklyn.
KEITH BOYKIN
Black Vote, Black Power Correspondent
Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show “My Two Cents,” and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.
JENNIFER PORTER GORE
Health Reporter
Jennifer Porter Gore’s writing has been published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. She is a Connecticut native who lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area.
QUINTESSA WILLIAMS
Education Reporter
Education data reporter Quintessa Williams is deeply committed to reporting on the multifaceted experiences of Black culture, womanism, and social justice. Her work has appeared in The Root, MadameNoire, Travel Noire, and Medium. Williams graduated with honors from the University of North Florida in 2018 with a degree in English. She enjoys writing, storytelling, and engaging with books and documentaries.
QUENTIN BROWN
Racial Healing Fellow
Quentin Brown is a Northern Illinois University senior pursuing a major in journalism with a minor in political science. With a fervent passion for community service, social justice, and storytelling, Brown has dedicated his time to the Northern Star, his university’s news organization, where he has honed his skills as both a videographer and a reporter.
AALIYAH AMOS
Racial Healing Fellow
Aaliyah Amos is a Rutgers University-Newark senior majoring in journalism with a minor in social justice. Through her writing, she focuses on solutions journalism, working with organizations to address information gaps in urban communities. On campus, Amos is actively involved in several organizations, including serving as the treasurer for the Gamma Zeta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
AARON FOLEY
Racial Healing Fellow
Aaron Foley is a journalist and author of fiction and nonfiction. Previously, Aaron was news editor of the New York Amsterdam News, the oldest Black newspaper in New York. He was a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and a Maynard Institute for Journalism Education 200 fellow.
DENIM FISHER
Racial Healing Fellow
Denim Fisher is a first-year student at Spelman College studying sociology and creative writing on the pre-law track. Developed from a childhood where her mother encouraged her to learn about Black history, Fisher has a fervor for activism and storytelling that captures the depth of the human experience. She is an awardee of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and the 2024 recipient of the NAACP ACT-SO gold medal for poetry.
MEKHI ABBOTT
Racial Healing Fellow
Mekhi Abbott is a graduate student at the University of Maryland in pursuit of his Master’s of Journalism. Mekhi is currently a freelancer for the Afro-American Newspaper where he primarily writes about HBCU sports, but has reported on many other topics ranging from politics to music. Mekhi graduated from Howard University and was formerly a student-athlete. He holds the school record in javelin at the University of Maryland.
ADRIENNE C. MCWILLIAMS
General Manager
Adrienne C. McWilliams is a media strategist, digital platform builder, and entrepreneur leveraging her 20+ years of experience at the intersection of media, technology, and community. She began her career in media at the local network CBS-4 Miami and in the Communications Department at Miami-Dade County covering the Board of County Commissioners and government departments at Miami-Dade TV, where she gained valuable experience before leading a content agency for 13 years.
As a solo founder, Adrienne oversaw production in over 40 countries for global brands and led communication strategies for corporate social responsibility projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. She generated over $7 million in revenue for her content agency and drove over $30 million in revenue for clients.
Adrienne is the co-founder of AMP Local, a nonprofit network that amplifies communities and distributes local news and information to help people feel more connected to where they live. She is also a passionate advocate for Black entrepreneurship, coaching entrepreneurs and providing strategic support to business incubation projects in Miami’s Historic Overtown neighborhood. Her family owns the oldest Black-owned business in Mississippi, a legacy that connects her deeply to the history and enduring importance of the Black Press.