2021 Peggy Browning Fellows

Meet Our 2021 Fellows We are proud to introduce you to this year’s Peggy Browning Fellows – bright, progressive law students passionate about workplace justice. After a year of pandemic-related challenges, we were pleased to see interest in our programs continue to soar, as we received over 700 fellowship applications for this year. We awarded 82 summer fellowships and one school-year fellowship, and our fellows and mentor organizations thank you for your continued support. Your support enables us to fulfill this mission. As you read this brochure, you’ll learn about the impressive students you have helped us launch into legal careers as lawyers working for workplace justice. Without your support this would never have happened. Thank you! In solidarity, Joseph Lurie, President & Founder Educating Law Students on the Rights and Needs of Workers Rianah Alexander JD’23 North Carolina Central University School of Law Durham, NC National Employment Law Project (NELP) New York, NY Rianah grew up in Harrisburg, NC and studied political science and strategic communication. Prior to law school, she worked on various political campaigns helping to elect progressive candidates. Her interest in the labor movement deepened after her work as a legislative aide at the North Carolina General Assembly. There, she assisted in introducing legislation for paid family leave, health-care expansion, and fair chance laws for workers with prior convictions. Most recently, Rianah managed constituent claims for unemployment assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. She witnessed the insufficient resources and protections available for workers at the state and federal levels. In law school, Rianah is the vice president of Law Democrats and a member of the Women’s Law Caucus. Brian Allen JD’22 City University of New York School of Law Long Island City, NY IUE-CWA Dayton, OH As a lifelong Georgian, Brian was born in Gwinnett County, attended high school in Cherokee County and most recently lived in several neighborhoods of Atlanta. Before college, he worked at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at one of the largest foodservice operations in North America and was a member of the Teamsters union. Brian became a department shop steward at 21. At Georgia State University, he became active in a United Students Against Sweatshops chapter and interned with the United Campus Workers of Georgia, affiliated with the Communications Workers of America. He is the first person in his extended family to pursue graduate studies and the first in his immediate family to receive a college degree. Brian hopes to use his law degree to build a stronger and progressive labor movement in the South. 2021 Peggy Browning Summer Fellows Each listing includes the student’s graduation year, law school and fellowship location.