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Celebrating and commending Nikki Bagby for her steadfast devotion to using her platform to positively impact the lives of youth and vulnerable communities across the City of Philadelphia, on the occasion of Black History Month.
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WHEREAS, Nikki Bagby was born and raised in Philadelphia to two young parents, aged 19 and 20. Her father had to go to Vietnam, then dedicated his life helping other Vietnam veterans who had no voice. Her mother dedicated her life to service as well, especially within the disability community. They both suffered from multiple traumas, choosing to become Black Panthers. They both used their pain to help others, stirring up Nikki to do the same. She grew up in a poor neighborhood in Nicetown, living on three different blocks: Rowan Street, Dounton Street and Cleveland Street off Wingohocking Street; and
WHEREAS, Nikki was in fifth grade when she met her future husband, who was also at Steel School. She then attended Creative and Performing Arts, which she loved, but when she became a young mom she moved to Gratz High before ultimately graduating from Charles Carroll, which was an alternative High School. She would volunteer in after school programming and kept busy while helping to raise her little sister who also became a community leader; and
WHEREAS, Growing up in Nicetown, there was camaraderie and respect for older community members. Nikki wanted to protect youth within her community, so her home became a safe haven. When she became a young mom, she began to give back to her childhood school, where she played the flute, composed calligraphy, wrote poetry, became a young speaker, and learned so much about her culture and the history of the Black Power movement of the 1960s, grabbing hold of the Black is Beautiful mentality; and
WHEREAS, Nikki was married at 22, she had 5 kids by the time she was 27 and became a mom again with her 6 child at age of 36. Her children are the pride of her life and helped her to love her community more and more; and
WHEREAS, Nikki felt the need to change the environment around her and create a space of change and empowerment on a hard block. She would gather kids during summer and take them to Church, barbecue at her house, and use the space to positively impact the children’s lives. The effort continued for years; and
WHEREAS, Today, Nikki has supported more that 100,000 individuals through her volunteering and advocacy more than 30 years at Edward T. Steel Elementary School in Philadelphia’s Nicetown community, and throughout Pennsylvania, Georgia and New Jersey. She has hosted community events, health fairs, parent meetings, supported individual families and businesses; and
WHEREAS, Nikki lost her father while running for office, and experienced alienation during the course of her campaign. She works closely on state Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP-related issues. She sits on the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Caucus, the board for the Children's Health Insurance Plan, and developed a deep appreciation for the confluence of social determinants that impact health. She wanted to lean in, trust in God, and decided to start her own non-profit, and has supported countless young people through mentorship. She was one of seven women to host the Women’s March in Philadelphia for four consecutive years; and
WHEREAS, Nikki feels compelled to help empower others and teach them about their richness, and to fight for equitable access to life: housing, jobs and education. She worked on a welfare-to-work up the corporate ladder program, and now finding her path to stability, empowerment and wealth where she now owns two businesses; and
WHEREAS, Her passion is to help people be able to share and empower others, and to build amazing communities with great schools, environments and opportunities with homes and apartments safe from the sound of violence; and
WHEREAS, Nikki has vowed to be a voice for her community. She’s a change-maker, and is passionate about making sure that when she looks back at the end of her life, she feels she gave others tools to create their own happiness, peace, and fulfillment, and knows nothing can break the spirit of a Philadelphian; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby celebrates and commends Nikki Bagby for her steadfast devotion to using her platform to positively impact the lives of youth and vulnerable communities across the City of Philadelphia, on the occasion of Black History Month.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Nikki Bagby as an expression of gratitude and admiration of the Council of the City of Philadelphia.
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