Ayọ Tometi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ayọ Tometi
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| Born | August 15, 1984 |
| Education | University of Arizona (BA) Arizona State University (MA) |
| Occupation | Activist, writer |
| Known for | Black Lives Matter, Black Alliance for Just Immigration |
Ayọ Tometi (born August 15, 1984), also known as Opal Tometi, is a Nigerian-American activist, writer, and community organizer. She is famous for helping to start the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Ayọ also used to be the leader of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI). This was the first national group in the U.S. that worked for the rights of immigrants from African countries. She worked there for more than nine years.
Ayọ began her work as an organizer in her hometown. She spoke up for human rights. She has worked to improve human rights, migrant rights, and racial justice around the world. She also helped people who had experienced domestic violence.
Contents
Ayọ Tometi's Early Life and School
Ayọ Tometi's parents came from Lagos, Nigeria. They are from the Yoruba group and speak the Yoruba and Esan languages. Her great-great-great-grandfather was from Togo. His son, Ayọ's great-grandfather, was from Cameroon. Ayọ's grandfather was born in Cameroon before moving to Nigeria.
Ayọ is the oldest of three children. She has two younger brothers. She grew up mostly in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona. Many other children of immigrants lived there too. Besides Yoruba and Esan, Ayọ also grew up speaking Pidgin English.
Family's Journey to the U.S.
Ayọ's parents moved from Nigeria to the United States in 1983. They were undocumented immigrants at that time. When Ayọ was in middle school, her family faced deportation. Her mother could not go back to Nigeria for her father's funeral because of their legal case. Luckily, her parents won their deportation case. They were able to stay in the United States. Other family members and friends, including her uncle, also faced deportation challenges when she was young.
Later, Ayọ's parents opened a church in Phoenix, Arizona, called Phoenix Impact Center. Her father is a pastor there. The church also helps new immigrants settle into life in the U.S. Ayọ visited Nigeria for the first time when she was 17. She says these experiences helped her want to work for immigrant rights.
Education and Degrees
Ayọ Tometi studied at the University of Arizona. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in public/applied history in 2005. She then went to Arizona State University. In 2010, she earned a master's degree in communication studies. She focused on advocacy and rhetoric.
On May 7, 2016, she received an honorary doctor of science degree from Clarkson University. Before becoming a well-known activist, Ayọ worked as a case manager. She helped people who had experienced domestic violence. She still teaches communities about this important issue.
Ayọ Tometi's Career and Activism
Starting Her Activism
After her parents won their deportation case, Ayọ Tometi started working with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). She observed legal processes at the U.S.-Mexico border. While at the University of Arizona, Ayọ spoke out against Arizona SB 1070. This was one of the toughest anti-immigration laws ever passed in the U.S. She worked with the Alto Arizona campaign. She also led the Black-Brown Coalition of Arizona. In 2010, Ayọ was a spokesperson for the Puente Movement. This group works for immigrant rights in Arizona.
Founding Black Lives Matter
In 2013, Ayọ Tometi, along with other organizers Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza, started Black Lives Matter (BLM). The idea began when Alicia Garza wrote a Facebook post. She wrote it after George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the killing of Trayvon Martin. In response, Patrisse Cullors used the hashtag #blacklivesmatter for the first time.
Then, Ayọ contacted Cullors and Garza. She wanted to buy a website name with the same name. The three agreed. Ayọ bought Blacklivesmatter.com. She also set up Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter pages for the movement. Ayọ reached out to many other Black activists. She told them about the new plans and asked them to join by using the hashtag. Ayọ is also known for choosing black and yellow as the organization's colors. She also created BLM's social media platforms and strategy.
After seeing the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, following the killing of Michael Brown, Ayọ organized a demonstration. She called it the "Black Lives Matter Freedom Ride." About 500 community activists joined. This event, spread through social media, helped turn Black Lives Matter into a worldwide movement. It aimed to fight systemic racism and police brutality. The demonstration brought people together. It made the movement's message stronger and started important conversations globally.
After Eric Garner was killed, Ayọ Tometi helped organize a campaign called "Safety Beyond Policing in New York." She supports the idea of defunding the police.
Work with Black Alliance for Just Immigration
From 2011 to 2020, Ayọ Tometi worked at the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI). She was a co-director and communications director. Later, she became the executive director. BAJI is the first national group in the U.S. that works for the rights of immigrants from African countries. She was leading BAJI when she first saw Alicia Garza's Facebook post in 2013.
In her role, Ayọ managed staff in BAJI's organizing groups. These groups were in cities like Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Los Angeles, Oakland, and New York. They also had groups in the Southern U.S. They worked on various projects for racial justice and immigrant rights. Ayọ also led efforts for a rally for immigrant justice. She also helped with the first meeting in Congress about Black immigrants in Washington, D.C. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, many Haitians lost their homes. Ayọ led BAJI in helping them get family reunification visas. She also helped start BAJI's work with Race Forward's Drop the I-Word campaign.
Other Important Work
Diaspora Rising
In 2020, Ayọ Tometi created Diaspora Rising. This is a center that focuses on building a global Black community. It mostly works through social media.
Other Projects and Appearances
Ayọ Tometi also works with the Black Immigration Network. She is part of the Pan African Network in Defense of Migrant Rights. She has also been involved with the Global Forum on Migration and Commission on the Status of Women. She is on the board of directors for the International Living Future Institute and the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity.
Ayọ Tometi has given speeches at many places. These include Susquehanna University, the Facing Race Conference of 2012, and the Aspen Institute's Ideas Summit. She has also spoken at the Grinnell College Technology and Human Rights Symposium. She has presented at the United Nations. She has also taken part in the United Nations Global Forum on Migration and the Commission on the Status of Women. While at The University of Arizona, Ayọ volunteered with the American Civil Liberties Union. She is also involved with Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity. She is a member of the Theta Nu Xi sorority.
Ayọ Tometi has appeared in several media outlets. These include Glamour, Essence, CNN, MSNBC, and BET. Her writings have been published by The Huffington Post and Time. Ayọ continues to work with communities in Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, Oakland, Washington D.C. and throughout the Southern states.
Ayọ Tometi's Personal Life
As of December 2021, Ayọ Tometi lives in Brooklyn, New York City.
Awards and Recognition
Ayọ Tometi has received many awards and honors for her work:
- Essence New Civil Rights Leader (2013)
- Named to Time magazine's 100 Women of the Year, with Garza and Cullors (2013)
- Featured on the cover of Time Magazine (2013)
- A Los Angeles Times New Civil Rights Leader (2014)
- One of The Root's 100 List of African American Achievers between 25 and 45 (2015)
- Named as an awardee of Politico 50's Guide to Thinkers, Doers, and Visionaries, with Garza and Cullors (2015)
- On Fortune's List of World's Greatest Leaders, with Garza and Cullors (2015)
- Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award Recipient (2017)
- The Guardian's 200 Leaders Who Embody the Work of Frederick Douglass (2018)
- PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award for When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, with Garza and Cullors (2019)
- Coretta Scott King Legacy Award Recipient from the Coretta Scott King Center for Cultural and Intellectual Freedom (2019)
- Featured on the cover of The Guardian Nigeria (2020)
- One of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People (2020)
- One of BBC 's 100 Women (2020)
- Nobel Peace Prize nominee, with Garza and Cullors (2021)
- Featured in National Museum for African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
- City University of New York scholarship named after her, "Opal Tometi Scholarship" (2017)
- Clarkson University Honorary PhD recipient (2016)
See also
In Spanish: Opal Tometi para niños
