MEET OUR NEWARK PROGRAM COORDINATOR, MYIA GRAHAM (they/them)

Here at Sadie Nash Leadership Project, we are so lucky to have an incredible team that allows us to become the organization of our dreams. For our next installment of our staff interview series we were lucky enough to sit and chat with Program Coordinator, Myia Graham (they/them).

Myia Graham (they/them) is a creative and passionate youth worker born and raised in Newark, NJ. Myia has worked in youth work as an educator for three years and uses their knowledge in the arts to expand creativity and activism within their communities. As a former Nasher (2015-2017), Myia returned to Sadie Nash to share their imagination and creative activism with other young leaders in Newark. Myia still creates art in their free time and has participated in a mural project for Black Lives Matter with art collective Manufacture Village Arts and participated in the curation of the Creation Nation parade with The Barat Foundation. Myia's goal is to fight for liberation and freedom with one paint brush at a time.

“I think of my art and activism in the same way, both as a means of expression and in any form.”

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m Myia, I use they/them pronouns, and I’m a program coordinator here in Newark. I was a Nasher from 2015 to 2017, and then I came back as a dean. I went from dean to faculty and then to program coordinator. I’m also from New Jersey. I’m almost born and raised in Newark– by that, I mean the hospital I was born in wasn’t in Newark, but the rest of my life was!

I’m a self-taught artist. I think of my art and activism in the same way, both as a means of expression and in any form. My art doesn’t only consist of painting, but also textile work like clothing and fashion design. I use my art as a way of activism and have also taught multiple classes to Nashers about fashion and advocacy and about using different mediums to share their voice. 

“The community kept me coming back, as well as the amazing support system.”

What brought you to Sadie Nash Leadership Project? And in your case, what kept bringing you back to SNLP?

I remember this so vividly– I was in my homeroom in high school, and we got those little announcements on our smart board every morning, and there was one about Sadie Nash Leadership Project as an option outside of school. I wanted an extracurricular, but didn't want it to take place in my school. I was so sick of being in that building, and I wanted to get out. When I joined Sadie Nash, I thought it was cool that there was a stipend attached. Yet, as I was in the program, I forgot I was getting paid. At the end of the program, they were like, “Oh, you need to give us this information,” and I was like, “For what?” Then I realized it was so they could give me a check! And I was like, “I get a check?!”

That is a testament to how intentional Sadie Nash programming was because I had a great time with the people I met and I was getting paid for my time there. The community kept me coming back, as well as the amazing support system. Even after graduating high school and aging out of Nasher-related programs, I still had very fond memories and I thought... I want to come back.

I applied to be a dean during the pandemic in 2020 and this was around the time when everyone was so unsure about what was happening. I applied to be a dean in the summer and I didn’t get it, so I started working at a grocery store and absolutely hated it. Then I saw there was another opening for a dean during the school year, so I applied again. And now, here I am!

“There is that moment where Nashers say, “Oh, I understand where this is coming from now!” Even later down the line, when they say, “I experienced this thing today, and you taught us about that!” And I’m like, “Yes!” That is so fulfilling.”

What has been the most memorable part of your experience so far? As a Nasher and working at SNLP?

Honestly, I think a lot of it is seeing the ins and outs of how most nonprofits work, but not only that, it’s about how equitable and incredibly thought-focused Sadie Nash is. Whenever I think about adding something to my personal schedule, it doesn’t take away from what I’m doing here. There is a really good ebb and flow. There is a nice balance between still being a person outside of this institution that is Sadie Nash, while also understanding where I am professionally with Sadie Nash. I am able to carry those practices and beliefs into my daily life. I try really hard not to be a hypocrite, and really live by what I believe and practice, especially because I teach other Nashers. The best thing I can do is lead by example.

I am really grateful to work for Sadie Nash, and I experience that every day. I hear many people say, “I don’t like my job” or “I feel so unfulfilled,” and I’ve never had that feeling while I was here. I genuinely really enjoy what I do! When I engage with young people and see them understand a concept and put the pieces together, I’m so fulfilled. There is that moment where Nashers say, “Oh, I understand where this is coming from now!” Even later down the line, when they say, “I experienced this thing today, and you taught us about that!” And I’m like, “Yes!” That is so fulfilling.

When I reflect on my time as a Nasher, I think a lot about Summer Institute. I did Summer Institute (SI) twice. There was the basic SI level, and then there was SET for people who had done it already. We came back and had our own program and call-to-action spaces where we made something social justice based. I remember both summers, there was this feeling of community care. We held so much responsibility within ourselves and for each other that we looked out for one another in every sense. We were aware of each other's needs. There were times when Nashers went on overnight trips and would be doing the little rock-climbing activities in the woods, we were all encouraging each other. It was a community care collective that we were building and acting on at that moment. And it’s so amazing to think about because I was definitely 16/17 and what does a 16/17 year old know about building a community collective?? Sadie Nash made that collective for us.

“ We want to give trans and gender-expansive youth a space where they can not only learn about different aspects of their identity, but see it in real-time with people in history, and also be in spaces with other people who are gender-expansive themselves.”

Can you tell us more about the Marsha P. Johnson Siblinghood Cohort and how that idea came to be?

Marsha P. Johnson Siblinghood Academy came about because Sadie Nash is moving in the direction of being more gender-expansive and creating programming that is not just for young women. We have our current Siblinghood Academy cohort, and while the program itself is great in its conception, we want to offer another option. We want to give trans and gender-expansive youth a space where they can not only learn about different aspects of their identity, but see it in real-time with people in history, and also be in spaces with other people who are gender-expansive themselves. We hope that through these conversations, Nashers will build that community anyway.  

We normally offer a Siblinghood Academy cohort that only runs one semester, and I think we needed something new. It’s a great curriculum, but we thought, why not do something different? Why not give folks who are gender-expansive and trans that space that they are asking for? We have seen an uptick in Nashers who don’t identify with she/her pronouns and don’t identify with the cis-woman label, and they want a space. So we wanted to open those doors and give that to them!

The name was coined by Ariluz Quiñones after trans activist Marsha P. Johnson and Margarita Villa was also instrumental in getting this program off the ground. 

We’re accepting applications on a rolling basis, our final deadline is February 6th. The program itself starts mid to late February! 

“Most young people already know what they want, and they already know what they need.”

What do you think young people need to thrive?

Young people need to be heard. There are a lot of instances of people writing off young people, especially the age group that we work with which is primarily high school-aged students. People think teenagers don’t know enough or they aren’t at that age where they can speak for themselves. Some people think they need more discipline or more control, when in reality, most young people already know what they want, and they already know what they need.

They just need to be heard. The language that they are using might not be familiar, but they’re still saying it. They’re showing it to you in different forms. Even on social media, you can see it when there is an ask for help or a call to action. They just need to be heard, and often people don’t hear them. That’s not going to help them get anywhere.

“ I walk down the street with my bag that says, “This is what a leader looks like,” and so many times, people stop me and are like, “Oh my gosh, Sadie Nash?” and I get so excited. It’s too good. ”

When you think of our Sadie Nash community, what comes to mind?

When I think of our Sadie Nash community, I think of the word expansive. Not in the sense that it’s just growing, but it is also ever-changing, evolving, and multi-faceted. I think of the Sadie Nash community as a city. It can be really large, but everyone knows each other. You might have heard of this person, and people say, “Yeah I know them!” It holds a lot of different spaces and avenues.

It’s not just about the collective knowledge we have, but what we can create as a collective– the care that we offer and the resources. Sadie Nash is a unique space that just has to be experienced. It can be so expansive within itself. I walk down the street with my bag that says, “This is what a leader looks like,” and so many times, people stop me and are like, “Oh my gosh, Sadie Nash?” and I get so excited. It’s too good. 

Do you have a message for Nashers?

If you believe in something, you gotta stick to it! And doing that really helps with the balance of things. My message for Nashers is – stand on business. If you believe strongly in what you feel and things can get better and change then stand on business.