Ayọ Tometi

Ayọ Tometi (previously known as Opal Tometi) is a writer, strategist, community organizer and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Tometi grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a Masters of Arts degree in communication and advocacy from the University of Arizona. She is a former case manager for survivors of domestic violence and still provides community education on the issue.

Tometi has been active in social movements for over a decade and has collaborated with a number of civil rights groups in the United States and around the world. At BAJI, she lead the organization of the first ever Black-led rally for immigrant justice and the first congressional briefing on Black immigrants in Washington, D.C. She has presented at the United Nations and participated with the UN’s Global Forum on Migration and Commission on the Status of Women.

#BlackLivesMatter, #BLM