BY: JADE LEONARD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Tyla Barnes, Erinn Springer, and Yveneka Lestin
Since middle school, Nupol has implemented change and impact in her community. What makes her different is her willingness to go against the norm, take the hard risks, not "play it safe", and has rallied people behind her to change our world for the better. Nothing about her story is “traditional”. Not only passionate about social justice and reform, but she's a student at the illustrious Hampton University, holds the title of Miss Liberia USA, was featured on Vogue's 21 under 21, received the Mocha Maven Award due to her dedication to service and amazing leadership, and appeared on a major BET broadcasted show. The journey wasn't smooth sailing, she's been beaten, broken, and even arrested in the name of social justice. Noticing a lack of representation in the pageant world, she created spaces when there weren't any for women who looked like her. In 5 years she plans to graduate law school and run her own political campaign. In this special issue, fitting for today's historical event, Nupol shares her personal connection to police brutality, why our vote matters, the importance of investing in our youth, and what you can do today to help deliver change. So inspiring and extremely talented, we present to you Nupol Kiazolu "The Elegant Activist".
The UpNext: You’ve been organizing since you were 12 years old, what event or situation led you to that role?
Nupol Kiazolu: "When I was 12 years old, Trayvon Martin was killed, and that was my push into activism. It was very controversial because I went to a predominantly white middle school in Georgia. I came up with this idea a couple of days after he was murdered. I said, “I’m going to go to school with a hoodie that says ‘Do I look suspicious?’ on the back of it.” Immediately, my teachers did not receive it well. I had support from one woman, and she was a Black woman—my math teacher. Two days later, I was written up, and I was gonna get suspended. Before I went to the principal’s office, I went to my math teacher, who was my only ally, and I told her, “Listen, they’re about to suspend me.” And she was like, “You know what? I’m going to come with you.” So she literally risked her job, put her hoodie on, marched down to the principal’s office with me, and stood by my side the entire time while I was debating with the principal. Instead of suspending me, the principal was like, “I’m going to send you home. Do your research and have your case ready for me tomorrow.”
So I went home, and I did the research for hours on my First Amendment rights as a middle school student in Georgia, and I came across the court case, Tinker v. Des Moines—those were the students that were protesting against the Vietnam War, and they wore black wristbands. The next day, I went to the principal’s office, early in the morning. My math teacher was right there with me again. We argued for about two hours, and he was so shocked. He said, “How do you know about Tinker v. Des Moines at 12 years old?” And I was like, “Well, research.” So I ended up winning, and he said that I was allowed to keep my hoodie on. After that, it was lunchtime. When we stepped into the cafeteria, every student in there had their hoodies on with the exact same message, and I was absolutely floored. My teacher and I just stood there and cried. At that moment, I knew being an activist was my calling, and I haven’t stopped since."
The UN: What is your leadership style like as an organizer?
NK: "My leadership style as an organizer is strategic and cooperative. I am strategic because I know actions without structure are empty threats. I am cooperative because I know this movement is bigger than me and it’s going to take a collective to cultivate radical change.
The UN: Tell us more about your personal connection to police brutality.
NK: "I am a survivor of police brutality; there have been multiple occasions where I have been beaten by officers on the frontlines, guns drawn out on me, racially profiled, and even being criminalized in a place where I received my high school education. I’ve lost people at the hands of the brutality we speak of. I was also raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and in my line of work, I traveled to hoods across this country that was populated by black and brown people; police were there and it wasn’t a good relationship and the piece that connected all of these communities was the lack of resources, and because these communities lacked resources, it increased all the societal issues [crimes, poverty, etc.] they face today. The police forces in these communities do not help solve these issues but exasperate them and all the funding to them. As a child, I grew up seeing that correlation reflected in my own neighborhood and this is why I do the work that I do. This series of events led me to the fight against police brutality."
"Being arrested was life-changing in every sense of the word. It radicalized me and opened my eyes to things I never thought about, but it made me stronger."
The UN: Congratulations on starring on BET’s CopWatch America, a docuseries bringing awareness to the excessive force police officers exert on black people. What is your core message to the world? What do you want people to know?
NK: "Being on CopWatch America was life-changing, I appreciate BET for highlighting a small, but important part of the work that I do every single day. Police brutality is nothing new, but the only distinct and important difference is that we now have the technology. We now have our phones where we can document and record the gruesome injustices we face every single day and show the world the proof of what’s occurring in today’s world. My message to the world is we have so many more things in common than what separates us, and if we really want a better world, it is going to take a collective; we are stronger together, and the world would be a much better place."
The UN: How has receiving Mocha Maven of the Year and being crowned Miss Liberia USA impacted your life?
NK: "Winning Mocha Maven of the Year, which was the highest award of the night, is still surreal to me. It was definitely an unexpected honor of a lifetime. I never did this work for awards or recognition, but it was definitely really nice to be celebrated and recognized by MY black community. That award means the absolute most to me and it feels good to know that my work is impacting lives.
I have always been in love with pageantry, and growing up one of my favorite shows was “Toddlers and Tiaras” on TLC. My mom was also a former professional model and a part of the pageantry scene along with other family members who have participated in the Miss Liberia competition. I grew up with that beauty influence and that influence sparked my interest in pageantry. For a while, I did not have the confidence and felt as if I didn’t fit the stereotype of a typical pageant queen. I had curves and an outspoken personality, and the work that I did as an on the ground activist made me feel like I did not fit in that space.
I didn’t see myself reflected in that space but then I came to the realization that if I don’t see myself there, then I will create a space for people like me and help open that door so that others can follow. As Miss Liberia USA, I am breaking barriers, I am showing others that I can be both a pageant queen and an activist. In the pageant world, stereotypically speaking, typically pageant queens are not usually on-the-ground organizers and activists in such capacity, but I am looking to change and show that you can be an activist and still pursue other dreams that you have.
NK: "Being arrested was life-changing in every sense of the word. It radicalized me and opened my eyes to things I never thought about, but it made me stronger. Going to jail for Breonna Taylor is something I will never be ashamed of and if I had to do it a thousand times, I would. Breonna is so personal because I am a black woman and that literally could’ve been me. I see so much of myself in Breonna Taylor and the case hits home for me entirely. Being in Kentucky and working alongside organizers from around the country and community organizers from Louisville[Kentucky] were empowering. Our strength is what kept us upbeat, we were singing alongside one another, we were getting on the officers’ nerves with our chants and songs of “Black Lives Matters”; during our time there we cried and exchanged stories of things we overcame. The experience overall was radicalizing and beautifully painful but I'd do it all over again."
The UN: What is the Vote 2000 Campaign? How did you get 100,000 young people to vote?
NK: "In partnership with Dosomething.org, we launched the Vote2000 campaign, with the goal of educating disenfranchised communities, and getting them to vote. By the end of that campaign, we were able to register more than 100,000 young people in 2018."
The UN: What do you have to say to those who feel the popular vote doesn’t matter?
NK: "Voting is a very complex issue, we have the electoral college and the popular vote, which is geared more towards federal politics. I will never shame or judge anyone for not voting. But, what I will say is even if you do not want to take part in a presidential election, local politics are the most important on a scale. Local policies impact your life on a daily. For example, the attorney general is someone that is elected to that position, and what we saw this past year in Breonna Taylor's case, was how the attorney general was a pressing issue in that matter, and if you do not vote for a progressive attorney, you will have situations similar to that case. Through it all, I would educate them on the importance of local politics and hope it will change their perspective. But, I am not someone who will vote-shame anyone, especially black folks because I recognize the historical implications of voters disenfranchised and various voter suppression in place."
The UN: What advice would you give to progressive activists in 2021, hungry to do something but unsure about what to do?
NK: "My advice to young activists everywhere is to take your time when you’re immersing yourself within the movement because it’s very hectic and it can definitely take a toll on you, especially as a student. Moreover, be empowered and don’t let adults—no shade to adults—suppress your voice and make you feel like what you have to say isn’t important. Because at the end of the day, we are not only the future of this country, but we are the present. And if we don’t stand up, then who will? What I say to adults all across the country is invest in us, invest in the young people that are using their voices for social change and social good because we need you. We need everyone to be a part of this fight in order for us to effectively change the things that are going on in this country, and we need this now more than ever. So I encourage young people all across the country to be fearless, to show up, and be a part of this fight. Because the change starts with you."
To keep up with Nupol and her activism follow @nupol_justice
If you know someone or would like to be featured click here!
Comments