Amber Hikes facts for kids
AJ Hikes (they/them) is an American leader who works for fairness and equal rights for all people. They are currently the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU is a group that protects the rights of people in the United States.
Before joining the ACLU, AJ Hikes was well-known for leading the Office of LGBT Affairs in the city of Philadelphia. In this role, they started the "More Pride More Color" campaign. This campaign created a special version of the Rainbow Flag that included black and brown stripes. These stripes were added to show support for people of color within the LGBTQ+ community.
AJ Hikes identifies as a Black nonbinary woman. They believe in an intersectional approach, which means they work to make things fair for people from all backgrounds, especially focusing on how race, gender identity, and economic situations can affect people's lives.
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Early Life and Education
AJ Hikes was born in Okinawa, Japan. Their father was in the US military. As a child, they lived in many different places, including Japan, Hawaii, Georgia, Louisiana, and Delaware. This was because their mother, Dr. Zenobia Lawrence Hikes, had a career working with students at universities.
AJ Hikes plays five musical instruments. They were part of their high school marching band and even played in the band for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
In 2006, AJ Hikes earned their first college degree in English from the University of Delaware. They later moved to Philadelphia to study at the University of Pennsylvania, where they received their Master of Social Work degree in 2008.
Career Highlights
AJ Hikes started their career helping students get access to education. For five years, they worked as a program director for Upward Bound at the University of Pennsylvania. This program helps students from low-income families prepare for college. In 2015, Hikes moved to California to lead the Upward Bound program at California State University, Long Beach.
Leading Philadelphia's LGBT Affairs Office
In March 2017, AJ Hikes was chosen to lead Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs. At that time, there were discussions about fairness and inclusion within the city's LGBTQ+ community, especially for people of color. Hikes wanted to make sure that all members of the LGBTQ+ community felt included and represented.
One of their most famous actions was introducing a new pride flag. This flag added brown and black stripes to the traditional rainbow flag. It was meant to show support for people of color in the LGBTQ+ movement. The flag was first flown over Philadelphia City Hall in June 2017 for LGBT Pride Month. This new flag gained a lot of attention and became a symbol of representation for LGBTQ+ people of color around the world. For example, actress Lena Waithe wore it at a famous event, and it was flown at UK Black Pride in London.
Other projects led by Hikes' office included:
- LGBTQ Community Leadership Pipeline: This program trained people from the community to become leaders in local LGBTQ+ organizations.
- LGBT State of the Union: Starting in 2018, this yearly event brought together the Philadelphia mayor, city officials, and major LGBTQ+ groups to discuss important issues facing the community.
In March 2019, the city of Philadelphia also adopted new rules for how law enforcement should interact with transgender and non-binary people. These rules made sure that a person's chosen name and pronouns were respected in official records. They also ensured that people were treated appropriately based on their gender identity in situations like personal searches.
While working for the city, AJ Hikes received several honors. They were named "Person of the Year" by the Philadelphia Gay News in 2017. In 2018, they were listed on "100 Most Influential People" lists by Philadelphia and Out magazines.
Work at the ACLU
In July 2019, AJ Hikes became the first Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In this role, they work to create a fair and welcoming workplace culture at the ACLU. They also focus on helping people from groups that have not always had many opportunities to become leaders within the organization.
See also
- Ahead of the Curve
