Staff Profile

Niki grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia with the belief that they were responsible for helping people in their community. Even at a young age, they sensed something wrong with the sentiment - often expressed by white peers - that they should avoid certain neighborhoods that were predominantly Black or had reputations of crime. Niki's calling to work in racial justice organizing became clear to them while attending St. Joseph's University, where the social change movements of the 60s and 70s inspired them. For Niki, these were more than stories from a past time. "I realized that the things I was learning about in class were not just historical events,” Niki said. “I wanted to be part of the current movement for progress." Niki volunteered in various organizations during college, including tutoring middle school and high school students at a local juvenile detention center and elementary school students whose families were in a homeless shelter, before they graduated from St. Joseph's in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and English. In Niki’s professional career, they have worked on a wide range of issues that include environmental protection, voting rights, police accountability, and advancing diplomacy ahead of unnecessary war. Before joining CAJM, Niki was the assistant director for the Coalition for Peace Action, a grassroots organization focused on the global abolition of nuclear weapons, a peace economy, and a halt to weapons trafficking at home and abroad. In that role, Niki mobilized the organization to influence firearms legislation, led lobby meetings with elected officials, partnered with various organizations and leaders, recruited and managed volunteers, designed website content, and more. Niki also spent a significant amount of time volunteering as part of the Leadership Team for the New Jersey Chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ-NJ). In this role, Niki helped facilitate direct actions and mutual aid efforts that centered Black and Indigenous leadership throughout the state. When they aren't working to make our communities a more just place to live, Niki enjoys nature walks, exploring new areas, live music, playing guitar, singing, and writing songs. Niki joined CAJM in 2023 and looks forward to connecting with the people of the Charleston area.