Nikkita Oliver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nikkita Oliver
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Oliver in 2018
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Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
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Nikkita R. Oliver is an American lawyer, educator, and poet. They are also an activist and a politician. An activist is someone who works to bring about change in society. As a politician, Oliver has run for important positions in the city of Seattle.
Oliver was a leader in movements that supported civil rights and fair treatment for all people. This included the Black Lives Matter movement. They worked to make the justice system more fair in Seattle. In 2022, Oliver moved to Detroit.
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Early Life and Education
Nikkita Oliver was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Oliver went to Seattle Pacific University. They earned a degree in sociology in 2008. Sociology is the study of how people live together in groups and societies. While at college, Oliver was active in student government. They also led a campaign called "Catalyst" to promote fairness for all races.
Oliver also became involved with the local Black Lives Matter organization. This group works for the rights and freedom of Black people. Later, Oliver earned a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 2015. They also earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Washington College of Education in 2016.
Career and Activism
Oliver has worked for several important organizations. They worked for the American Civil Liberties Union, which protects people's rights. Oliver also worked as a specialist helping young people. They were also a chaplain at a youth center.
In 2015, the City of Seattle gave Oliver an award. It was called the Artist Human Rights Leader Award. This award recognized their work for human rights through art.
Running for Mayor in 2017
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In 2017, Nikkita Oliver announced they would run for Mayor of Seattle. They represented a group called the "Peoples Party of Seattle." This group included community leaders, lawyers, artists, and teachers. They started organizing after the 2016 presidential election.
At that time, Oliver was a part-time teacher. They taught at Washington Middle School and Franklin High School. They also offered free legal help to people who needed it. Oliver also worked for Creative Justice. This program uses art as a different way to help young people instead of sending them to jail.
Oliver's campaign focused on several key ideas. They wanted to rethink how money was spent on the justice system. They also wanted to make sure there was more affordable housing in the city. Oliver worked to slow down gentrification, which is when neighborhoods change and become too expensive for some residents. They also looked into raising the minimum wage even higher than $15 an hour. Oliver also brought attention to issues like homelessness, unfair treatment based on race, and poverty. They finished third in the primary election.
Running for City Council in 2021
In March 2021, Oliver decided to run for the Seattle City Council. This is a group of people who make laws and decisions for the city. Oliver ran for position 9 but was not elected.
Work at Detroit Justice Center
In July 2022, Oliver joined the Detroit Justice Center. This organization works to create a more fair justice system. Oliver became an Associate Executive Director of Programs & Strategy there. They moved to Detroit for this new role.
Images for kids
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Oliver speaking during their 2017 mayoral campaign
