We envision a world where Black and Brown girls are healed, empowered, & free.
"Every space, system, relationship, and experience where the voices of Black and Brown girls have been silenced represents the opportunity to create a radically different healing space where their voices are valued, empowered, and forefronted."
~Nina Walker, PhD
Dr. Nina Walker is an advocate, educator, and researcher committed to transforming systems and fostering healing-centered spaces for marginalized youth, especially Black and Brown girls. Growing up within an African immigrant family, she developed a profound awareness firsthand of the societal and systemic challenges faced by those often overlooked or undervalued, particularly within the educational system. Her interdisciplinary lens stems from her dynamic career as a school counselor, outpatient therapist, nonprofit founder, researcher, educational consultant, and PhD. Having spent eight years as a school counselor in the School District of Philadelphia, she witnessed the troubling adultification, criminalization and sexualization of Black and Brown girls. Despite their joy, love, strength, laughter, power, brilliance, and creativity, she witnessed these young individuals navigating environments that failed to affirm their humanity. Instead, their natural curiosity was misconstrued as combative, their leadership as a challenge, and their moments of out-loud-job as disruptive. Rather than healing and support for any trauma they'd experienced, systems often exacerbated their trauma and pushed them out of schools into harmful situations.
Dr. Walker decided to pursue her doctorate in order to make an impact on a larger scale. Dr. Walker’s doctoral studies focused on the disproportionate exploitation of Black and Brown girls through sex trafficking and how schools can play a pivotal role in prevention. Her experience as a K12 educational consultant, researcher, and expert in equipping young people to engage in research themselves equips her to approach and partner with schools and communities (educators and students alike) with expertise and empathy. She understands the challenges faced by educators and administrators, having experienced the chaos of school days firsthand. Nevertheless, her interdisciplinary lens and unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of Black and Brown girls drive her to partner with schools and organizations to recognize the power and brilliance inherent in every young person. Schools have the opportunity to be amazingly protective and empowering spaces in the lives of young people. And Dr. Walker is excited to partner with schools, youth-serving organizations and communities in achieving just that.
