TheLoop21.com

 Darrell Williams, Publisher, dwilliams (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Darrell Williams is an economist whose career spans academic, government and business. For more than a decade, he's advised Fortune 500 companies and government agencies on business strategy, competition policy and economic regulation, first as a partner at Economic Analysis LLC, then as a Director at global consulting firm LECG LLC. As an economics professor at UCLA, he focused on methods to help students understand and apply economics in their jobs and in their daily decision-making. Darrell began his professional career in Washington D.C. at the President's Council of Economic Advisors and worked on financial markets while in the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 Crystal P. Smith, Senior Editor and Writer, crystal (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Crystal P. Smith has a Master's in print journalism from New York University and an undergraduate degree from UCLA's School of Film and Television. She worked at GIANT Magazine and ESSENCE Magazine while in school, but it wasn't until a summer in Ghana that she realized her passion for journalism. She does copywriting work for the web and is currently working on an original novel of fiction.

 Devona Walker, Senior Reporter and Blogger, devona (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Devona Walker is a veteran print journalist. She graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia's Journalism School. She helped found a daily community newspaper in the Bay Area. She has worked for The Associated Press and the New York Times Company. She specializes in Business, Politics, Economic Development and Immigration. She currently lives in Columbia, Missouri with her six-year-old son. She is working on a Master's in Public Policy and her first book.

 Alyssa Giachino, Economics writer and Content Manager, alyssa (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Alyssa Giachino is a bilingual journalist who has written stories on politics, economics, immigration, the environment and labor. She has reported from New York City, New Jersey, California and Mexico City. She has a master's in journalism from New York University.

 Annie Gldzhyan, Editorial Assistant, annie (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Annie Gldzhyan is working on her Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in  Psychology at California State University, Northridge. Raised in Los Angeles, she has a wide range of  goals. She has an open mind about where her experience will lead her, but she definitely hopes to write books in the future.

 Cindy Barnes-Thomas, Contributor, cindy (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Cindy Barnes-Thomas has over 10 years of experience in journalism and law. She has written for daily newspapers, trade publications and legal digests. She has worked as a public relations, legal and media consultant. Cindy is a graduate of Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and The Ohio State University College of Law. Her work has been published in The Dayton Daily News, The Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star, BNA’s Environmental Compliance Bulletin and Texas Environmental Compliance Bulletin. She currently works as a consultant and is working on her first novel.

 Cassye Cook, Contributor, cassye (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Cassye D. Cook is a speaker and writer that has dedicated herself to service and leadership. Her work has been published in Urban Influence Magazine and NUL’s State of Black America Report. Cassye also works with non-profit organizations to assist in building young professional service models and is currently working on a campaign to encourage new philanthropy for the 21st century to Generation X. She is the Immediate Past President of the National Urban League Young Professionals. Cassye earned a B.A. in Business Administration/Marketing from Clark Atlanta University and a J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

 Keli Goff, Contributor, keli (at) theloop21 (dot) com

As an expert on youth and minority voters Keli Goff emerged as one of the most recognizable political pundits of the 2008 presidential election cycle appearing on numerous national programs including: “The CBS Early Show,” CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” and BET’s “The Truth with Jeff Johnson”. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence. Keli is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and previously served as an editorial contributor to RushmoreDrive.com. Her writing has also appeared in TIME and UPTOWN Magazines. Keli holds a B.A. from New York University and a Master’s degree in Strategic Communications from Columbia University.

 Lenny McAllister, Contributor, lenny (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Lenny McAllister is a talented public speaker and author of the new book, Diary of a Mad Black PYC (Proud Young Conservative): Editorials, Essays, and Articles from a Hip Hop Republican. He also writes regularly for his new BlogSpot, P.Y.C. From the Hip: Musings of a Hip Hop Republican. A “rising star” among the grassroots for conservatives, politically-savvy moderates, and much of Black America, Lenny also appears as a political commentator and guest on multiple outlets including CNN, XM Radio, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, WVON Chicago, and Fox Charlotte. He has been an occasional co-host for Fox News Rising, the popular Charlotte morning show on which he has regularly provided political commentary. He is a leading force behind the political movement “Hip Hop Republicans.”

 Marvin King, Contributor, marvin (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Mavin King received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Texas. He is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Mississippi and has a joint appointment with the African American Studies Department. He conducts research into how political institutions affect African American politics. His research has appeared in the National Political Science Review, Publius, the Journal of Black Studies and Souls. Additionally, he blogs at King Politics.com and is available for public speaking engagements.

 Kam Williams, Contributor, kam (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Voted Most Outstanding Journalist of the Decade by the Disilgold Soul Literary Review in 2008, Kam Williams is a syndicated film and book critic who writes for 100+ publications around the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada and the Caribbean. He is a member of the New York Film Critics Online, the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committee, and Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to a BA in Black Studies from Cornell, he has an MA in English from Brown, an MBA from The Wharton School, and a JD from Boston University. Kam lives in Princeton, NJ with his wife and son.

 Kevin Eason, Contributor, kevin (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from NJ. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Kevin’s work features include: TVOne, NABJ, WBLS_107.5FM, EURweb and various newspapers and magazines throughout the country. Kevin can be reached at kev@kevineasoncartoons.com.