trevordayschool

Nikiesha Hamilton '12 Founder and CEO of Afeni Creative Studios and City Council Campaign Manager 4 7 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L n S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1 Opposite page: Nikiesha on her patio in Flatbush, Brooklyn; is page, left top: e glass circle in the Goodman Building lobby is an icon fondly remembered by many Trevor alumni; Left bottom: Nikiesha (extreme left) performs in Choreolab 2012; Right: Nikiesha on the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (with the West Wing of the White House behind her) during her White House internship. You came to Trevor in 9th grade. What were your first impressions, when you were deciding on schools? e moment I walked in, I felt like this was home. I liked the students' quirkiness. I looked up and saw the glass circle in the lobby and saw somebody just doing their homework, people sharing that space. … I thought, "is could be a place that I enjoy and love." I saw the dance and photo studios, and there was this sense of freedom of expression. I loved that the arts were embedded in the curriculum. I realized, "I don't have to be just a math person here; I don't have to be just an English person. I can be an English lover who adores history, loves to dance, and who loves to take photos, and who loves to paint and draw." at's something that has served me well moving forward in my career, in college, and even currently, because it has taught me the importance of being a well-rounded person. What impact did your Trevor years have on you as a person and on your educational journey? Trevor shaped everything. Whether it's being comfortable with public speaking or being present onstage, in every job I've had, I've needed to be comfortable speaking up—and not to be afraid of people who are older than I am. Often I'm the only Black woman or the youngest person in the room. Trevor taught me not to be afraid of that. Ms. Roth [Grades 9–12 Dance Teacher and Ancillary Performance Coordinator] also taught me about presence, having great posture, and the importance of owning the space that you're in. at's so important when you're working with politicians. You can't shrink; if you can feel yourself physically shrinking, that means that you are shrinking from the task at hand. Can you summarize your education after Trevor? I earned my BA in Global and Comparative Governance from American University, along with two fellowships from NYC's Urban Fellows Program and the Public Policy International Affairs Program at Princeton University. PPIA is the largest diversity fellowship in the country and that fellowship gives me preferential treatment to apply to Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs or the other top 20 American policy schools for free. I definitely want to get my Master of Public Administration. I also know that I need to sharpen my quantitative skills in data analysis and data gathering through working with the arts and culture sector. My parents, especially my dad, want me to go to law school. e jury's still out on that. Please tell us about your career. I've worked within the U.S. Attorney's Office, U.S. House of Representatives, NYC Mayor's Community Affairs Unit and the Domestic Policy Council's Office of Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity when I was a White House intern during the Obama administration. I lived abroad and traveled to 19 countries in Europe to study the European Union's economics, governance, security, defense, and cultures. For years, I wasn't directly engaged in arts and culture and felt I was missing something critical. So I found my way to the Brooklyn Museum, where I was the head of Government and Community

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