To Be Young, Black and Employed?

Wisdom O. Cole is the Senior National Director of Advocacy for the NAACP. 

In his previous role as National Director for the NAACP Youth and College Division, he served more than 700 youth councils, high school chapters, and college chapters actively involved in the fight for civil rights. 

Wisdom brings extensive experience in civil rights advocacy training institute, electoral action training, grassroots organizing, issues toolkits, and webinars at the local, state, and national level. He has managed national campaign efforts focused on building Black political power through youth leadership development, advocacy, and direct action organizing for the past 5 years with the NAACP, formerly as the National Campaigns & Training Manager.

In his time at the NAACP, he has worked on campaigns around the cancelation of student debt, removing police from schools, as well as increasing voter access for young Black people. He has been featured on Politico, NPR, VICE, NBC Washington News, Brooking Institute, and The Economist as an advocate for Black youth voter turnout through issue-based campaign organizing. In 2023, he was recognized in Politico's Recast Power List 2023, honoring those who are changing the world through race and politics.

Wisdom was previously a field and state conference organizer for the Afrikan Black Coalition (ABC), the largest Black collegiate organization in California. In 2014, he collaboratively organized the Afrikan Black Coalition conference that featured keynote speakers such as Marc Lamont Hill, Angela Davis, Bobby Seale, and Attallah Shabazz. For this effort, he received the Chancellor's Achievement Award for Diversity in recognition for outstanding contributions to furthering diversity, inclusion, and excellence at UC Santa Cruz.

Wisdom grew up in California where he earned a B. A. in Chemistry, with a minor in STEM Education, from UC Santa Cruz as well as a M. A. in Teaching from the University of San Francisco.

Kristal Knight is a panelist for "To Be Young, Black and Employed?" for NAACP Labor Action Week. 

Shevann Steuben is a distinguished leader, passionate advocate, and proud native of San Francisco, California. An alumna of Baylor University, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication Studies and is currently pursuing her MBA at Johns Hopkins University, where she is further refining her strategic acumen and leadership expertise.

Shevann's unwavering commitment to civic engagement and social justice is exemplified through her extensive involvement with the NAACP. She currently serves on the NAACP National Board of Directors, where she made history as the fourth woman to represent Region VI in the organization's history. After completing her youth term on the Board in 2024, Shevann was reinstalled to the NAACP National Board of Directors in 2025, just one year after aging out of the Youth & College Division — a testament to her exceptional leadership and enduring impact. She also serves as the 1st Vice President of the NAACP Houston Branch and the Advisor of the Texas NAACP Youth & College Division, a role in which she was honored as the 2024 State Advisor of the Year.

Shevann's journey with the NAACP began during her freshman year at Baylor University, where she became an active member. Rising through the ranks, she was appointed Political Action Chair in 2017 and elected President of the Baylor NAACP Chapter in 2018, serving two terms and leading the chapter to be named NAACP's National College Chapter of the Year in 2018 and 2019. Her dedication to the organization continued at the state level, where she served as Youth State Treasurer in 2018 and was elected Texas Youth & College Division State President in 2019, a position she held until 2023.

Beyond her NAACP leadership, Shevann is a Generation Vote National C4 Board member, where she supports the development of the next generation of civic leaders committed to electoral justice. Her dedication to service is further reflected in her membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Professionally, Shevann is a skilled Management Consultant specializing in change management and organizational learning. She is also the founder of B RARE Consulting, a firm that provides expertise in marketing, communications, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and strategic growth.

Shevann's leadership and advocacy have garnered widespread recognition. In 2022, she was crowned 1st runner-up at the Miss Black International Ambassador pageant and currently reigns as Miss Black Texas International Ambassador 2025. Through her platform, *Yet to Be*, inspired by Maya Angelou's vision of the "Yet to be United States of America," Shevann focuses on voting accessibility and the intersectionality of issues impacting humanity, particularly within the Black community.

A sought-after speaker, Shevann has been invited to share her insights at prestigious events, including a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris on behalf of the NAACP. Her presentations often address critical topics such as civic participation, the impact of student debt on marginalized communities, transformational leadership, and the importance of intergenerational collaboration in driving social change.

With a career defined by advocacy, leadership, and service, Shevann Steuben continues to inspire and empower those around her. As she advances in her professional and personal endeavors, she remains steadfast in her mission to foster inclusivity, champion innovative solutions, and create lasting impact in every community she serves.