OUR TEAM
Yasmin Salina
Executive Director & Chair
For over a decade Yasmin has spent her free time mentoring inner-city youth and preparing them to enter higher education and the workforce. Yasmin dedicated six years serving the Obama Administration at both the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. During her tenure, she has served as a key point person in the Office of Management & Administration and the Office of Partnership and Engagement respectively. Yasmin was inspired to start the Hustlers Guild off of the foundations of her career and things she loves most; outreach, development, music, and youth advocacy. With a love of hip hop and understanding the importance of youth development, she felt it made sense to extend her resources as a blueprint for those in her community who need it most. Yasmin is a graduate of Alabama State University, where she received her BA in Communications.
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Jason Spear
Treasurer
Jason Spear (MPA), a native of Piedmont, Alabama, has a wealth of experience working in the public sector championing causes that positively impact communities of color. He earned a B.A. in Political Science and History from Tuskegee University in 2009 and an MPA from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service in 2019. Currently, Jason works as a Public Affairs Specialist for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. As a co-founder of the Hustlers Guild, Jason is passionate about providing access to youth in under-resourced communities to enter STE(A)M careers.
Kevin Beckford
Secretary
Kevin Beckford recently finished serving the Obama Administration as a Special Advisor at the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he managed a variety of projects related to the expansion of ConnectHome--a White House initiative geared towards providing Internet access to the nation's most vulnerable. As a Special Advisor, Kevin was responsible for research efforts concerning the initiative and advised fellow senior-level officials and desk officers on how to best engage Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and members of the community.
Prior to that, Kevin worked for the White House as the Domestic Policy Portfolio Lead in the Presidential Correspondence Office. Kevin has also worked as a consultant for the New York City Department of Education and taught high school/middle school History and English in Philadelphia. He also interned for Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman before joining the Obama administration. A strong progressive with grassroots organizing experience, Kevin hails from New Jersey where he frequently visits to mentor high school students.
Red Grant
Executive Advisor
Red Grant is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Known for his infectious laugh and his unrelenting work ethic, Red spends a solid forty eight weeks a year on the road doing standup and is currently hosting Katt Williams’ 11:11 RNS World Tour.
Red began his career in 1996 performing at New York’s Apollo Theatre. He’s since gone on to star in such films as “American Hustle” and “First Sunday” alongside contemporaries as Katt Williams, Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan. Red has performed on “Shaq’s All Star Comedy Jam” and appeared in Comedy Central’s “Reality Bites Back.” He’s written for such shows as Snoop Dogg’s “Dogg After Dark” and Comedy Central’s “Roast of Flavor Flav.” And he’s graced the small screen in his own hour-long Showtime special "Caught Red Handed" and Comedy Central Presents’ half-hour special “Red Grant.”
Passionate about the world of entertainment, Red took the next step and made a name for himself as a producer, writer and director for film and television. In 2000, he wrote and produced his first film “Family Reunion.” He then went on to create and produce a number of projects for the Viacom Network through his film company MOVIEOS in partnership with Lionsgate Entertainment.
As an avid golfer and humanitarian, Red takes pride in giving back to the community, which he does with his annual charity golf tournament “Golf Beef.” Some of his cohorts who’ve joined him for the event include GRAMMY winner Snoop Dogg, actor/comedian Cedric The Entertainer, Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Jim Brown, former NBA champion Matt Barnes, and long-drive champion Troy Mullins – to name a few.
Red was born and raised in Washington, DC.
Matt Barnes
Executive Advisor
Matt Barnes is a Retired NBA Champion and Entrepreneur from Santa Clara, California. Matt has had a very successful NBA career from 2002 to 2017 playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, the Golden State Warriors and others. He’s currently making his mark with his podcast “All the Smoke” where he gives authentic, unfiltered perspectives about basketball, culture, social justice, politics, music and more. With a commitment to bettering his community, Matt has joined the front lines to promote awareness around voter education, civic engagement, and equitable opportunities for the under represented.
