EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Executive Director of Internal Affairs
ALYSE MUNROSE
As Executive Director of Internal Affairs, I direct and oversee LS4BL's operations at Texas Law and develop partnerships to further LS4BL's mission.
I am a rising 3L from Baytown, Texas. As a Black woman, it has been difficult to live through such a polarized time. However I have been grateful for LS4BL--an empathetic and action-oriented community that works to remedy the issues I care about. I am excited to now be apart of the executive board.
.jpg)
CRYSTAL TRAN
Executive Director of External Affairs
As Executive Director of External Affairs, I help oversee all aspects of LS4BL's organization, operation, and outreach. I help develop innovative, impactful projects, initiate community partnerships, and advocate for Black lives on Texas Law's campus and beyond.
I am a third year student in the Law and Master’s of Public Affairs dual degree program at the University of Texas at Austin. I am from Houston, Texas.
My goal for LS4BL is to continue to center Black voices and draw attention to the critical understanding that "Black Lives Matter" at all times. This does not go away when the public forgets about the recent police-on-Black crimes, nor does it end with the recent conviction of the police officer who murdered George Floyd.
FINANCIAL OPERATIONS
Finance Director
RITIKA KUMAR
As Finance Director, I oversee all financial operations of LS4BL. This role entails fundraising, developing a budget, and maintaining alumni relationships. I am a rising 2L from Lowell, Massachusetts. I am also involved in Texas Law Fellowships which provides summer funding for public interest students serving Texas and beyond.
This past summer I worked for Texas Appleseed's Fair Housing and Disaster Recovery team. I wanted to get involved with LS4BL because Black students are severely underrepresented in the legal industry, yet this industry is in the best position to protect the rights of Black communities. Too often, the law instead works to whittle away these rights. As someone with prior fundraising experience, I wanted to serve in this role to foster allyship and amplify Black voices.
OUTREACH
KIRSTEN BUDWINE
Outreach Director
I am a rising 3L from Houston, Texas. During the summer of 2022, I interned at the Travis County Public Defender's Office.
As Outreach Director, I work directly with the Events Director to organize and implement projects both internally at Texas Law and externally within the greater Austin community to push our mission to eradicate racial disparities in America’s legal system, amplify Black voices, and empower all communities in the fight to eliminate institutional and systemic racism in American society.
During my time at Texas Law, LS4BL has served as a space where I can be my true self as a Black woman. It has also taught me the ways in which race and law intersect and practical ways to enact racial justice. I decided to take on a leadership role this year because I have a deep appreciation for the energy that LS4BL has garnered at Texas Law, and I hope to work with the rest of the team to continue the great work this organization has done.
ARACELI GARCIA
Events Director
As Events Director for LS4BL, I coordinate opportunities for the Texas Law community and help those who are passionate about the Black Lives Matter movement form connections with other students, faculty, alumni, and community partners. I help orchestrate and facilitate all LS4BL event programming and event partnerships with other organizations.
I am a rising 2L at Texas Law, and a current summer law clerk with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. I grew up on the South Side of San Antonio and am the daughter and granddaughter of Mexican immigrants. I am the first person in my family to attend college, and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Chicanx/Latinx studies and a minor in Education. I have previously worked with RAICES, aiding detained immigrants seeking asylum, and with IDRA as an Education Policy Fellow advocating for equitable educational opportunities for marginalized students at the Texas Legislature.
I joined LS4BL to find other students who intend to serve and uplift racially marginalized communities. At Texas Law I am also a part of CHLLSA, the Justice Center Student Advisory Board, the Public Defense Group, and look forward to working with the immigration clinic! When not reading from casebooks, I enjoy taking advantage of pro bono opportunities, knitting while listening to audiobooks, and spending time with my loved ones. I am excited to be a part of cultivating this community!
COMMUNICATIONS
YATIKA CHAUDHRI
Co-Communications Director
As Co-Communications Director, I manage our social media presence, write our internal newsletters, and collaborate on content generation and campaigns for the organization. This is my second year with Law Students for Black Lives, and I'm excited to see our organization continue growing and making incredible impacts in our legal and local communities here in Texas. I joined LS4BL because it's the only organization that solely tackles racial disparities in the legal profession, from working in it as attorneys to its impacts, like rates of incarceration. I love knowing that we are making positive, tangible impacts with our advocacy projects.
I am a 3L at Texas Law and am originally from Southern California, where I studied psychology and political science at UC Irvine. Over summers, I clerked at the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and the Office of the Attorney General, Child Support Division. At the school, I'm involved in APALSA, Mock Trial, and am a Themis Bar Representative. I am also a research assistant to Professor Littwin, parsing data about coerced debt as a facet of domestic violence in order to recommend legal solutions to the National Credit Bureau. Outside of school, I like to keep up with my hobbies like painting, cooking, and running. Overall, I'm committed to supporting every effort to increase equity in the legal field and beyond!
ALEXA BUSSMANN
Co-Communications Director
As Co-Communications Director, I maintain the LS4BL website and write the newsletter, among other communications responsibilities. I am excited about serving the LS4BL Board and members in this role. I joined Law Students for Black Lives because I want the legal profession to be more inclusive, diverse, and representative of the communities that it serves.
I am a 2L from Minnesota. I studied Political Science, Economics and Spanish at Vanderbilt University. At Texas Law, I am a Pro Bono Scholar with transactional projects and am a member of TILJ. During my 1L summer, I worked as a summer associate with Baker McKenzie in Houston and was a Summer Client Scholar with Netflix. I am passionate about corporate accountability and human rights in international supply chains. Outside of class, I enjoy trying new restaurants and running, but not in that order. My favorite book is "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, and one summer I climbed a volcano in Guatemala. I also lead a website and community dedicated to social issues, Novelhand.com, and I am excited to use the skills I've gained through Novel Hand to serve the Law Students for Black Lives community.