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, activist, educator, and poet who has also been involved in politics. They ran for Mayor of Seattle in the 2017 election but did not win. Oliver also ran for a seat on the Seattle city council in 2021.
Oliver was an important leader in movements for civil rights and changes to the justice system in Seattle. They were also involved with the Black Lives Matter movement. 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 and earned a degree in sociology in 2008. While there, Oliver was active in student government. They led a campaign called "Catalyst" that focused on racial justice. Oliver also became involved with the local Black Lives Matter group. Later, Oliver earned a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 2015. They also received a Master of Education degree from the University of Washington College of Education in 2016.
Career and Activism
Oliver worked for the American Civil Liberties Union, which is a group that protects people's rights. They also worked as a specialist helping young people and as a chaplain at a youth detention center. In 2015, the City of Seattle's Human Rights Commission gave Oliver an award for being an Artist Human Rights Leader.
Oliver has worked for several organizations, including Seattle's Union Gospel Mission and Seattle Pacific University.
Running for Mayor in 2017
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In March 2017, Oliver announced they would run for mayor of Seattle. They represented a group called the "Peoples Party of Seattle." This group was made up of community leaders, lawyers, artists, activists, and teachers. At that time, Oliver was a part-time teacher at Washington Middle School and Franklin High School. They also offered legal help to people for free. Oliver also worked for Creative Justice, a program that uses art as an alternative to jail for young people.
Oliver's campaign focused on several important issues. They wanted to rethink how the city spent money on the justice system. They also wanted to make sure there was more affordable housing and to slow down gentrification, which is when neighborhoods change and become too expensive for some people. Oliver also talked about issues like homelessness, unfair treatment based on race, and poverty.
Working for Justice System Changes
Oliver has been an organizer for movements like Seattle’s No Youth Jail and Black Lives Matter. They are also a co-director of Creative Justice Northwest. This is a non-profit organization that helps young people who are most affected by the "school-to-prison pipeline." This term refers to how some school policies can lead students into the justice system.
After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Oliver helped organize and spoke at many protests in Seattle. Oliver has supported the idea of reducing police funding and investing more in community-based programs for public health and safety.
Oliver has also spoken about how outside money affects local political campaigns. In 2017, Seattle Magazine named Oliver one of Seattle's Most Influential people. Oliver also helped write a plan for Seattle to stop investing in the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017.
In January 2020, Oliver was the main speaker for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Edmonds Community College. They have also been a guest speaker at places like the University of Michigan, Reed College, and Town Hall Seattle.
2021 City Council Campaign
In March 2021, Oliver announced they would run for Seattle City Council position 9. However, they were not elected.
Work at Detroit Justice Center
In July 2022, the Detroit Justice Center announced that Oliver had joined their team. Oliver became an Associate Executive Director of Programs & Strategy and moved to Detroit for this role.
Images for kids
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Oliver in 2018
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Oliver speaking during their 2017 mayoral campaign
