The Radical Activist and CEO That Helped Turn Georgia Blue (with Nse Ufot)
In this episode of How I Got Here, Dreena welcomes Nsé Ufot, an activist, community organizer, and CEO of The New Georgia Project, a voter support and legal action nonprofit organizationthat’s registering and engaging voters across Georgia. Listen in to gain insight into Nsé’s world and how she has evolved from behavioral researcher at Zoo Atlanta to a CEO handpicked byStacey Abrams.
You’ll learn how Oprah paid for Nsé’s college tuition, what it felt like to turn Georgia blue, and how The New Georgia Project is so successful in registering and mobilizing young, black voters. Plus, she shares powerful advice on inspiring activism and movement-building in the next young activists of color, especially with all the challenges we’re navigating today.
Born in Nigeria and raised in Atlanta with an immigrant family, culture shock was prevalent in Nsé’s childhood. Her difference, or her “otherness”, was always front and center. Thus, Nsé was driven to figure out what made this African-American culture so familiar, yet so foreign.
“Good immigrant kid, I was going to be a neurosurgeon… It was always gonna be medical school, so to be where I am now is actually kind of funny.” - Nsé Ufot
By the age of 14, Nsé was working with the Georgia House of Representatives. With a single mother working three jobs who was also working as an activist… helping people, meeting representatives, and getting curious about the struggles of her community were always parts of Nsé’s life!
“We are constantly listening. What do people care about? What are their hopes? What are their fears for themselves, for their families, for their communities? What DO they want to see in The New Georgia?And then we work to connect the power of the vote to the change that they told us that they want to see because that is the thing that’s going to get people to come out.” - Nsé Ufot
Connect with Nsé:
Visit her website: www.nseufot.com
Follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/nseufot
Follow her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nseufot
Connect with her on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ns%C3%A9-ufot-b0b7b73b
Resources Mentioned:
The New Georgia Project: www.newgeorgiaproject.org
VIBE: www.newgeorgiaproject.org/campaigns/vibe
OASIS: www.newgeorgiaproject.org/campaigns/oasis
Amplify: www.amplify-ga.org
About the Host:
Dreena Whitfield has a proven ability to create tangible outcomes that helps clients exceed expectations. Her diverse career has led her to spearhead the communications and marketing efforts for leaders in the nonprofit, corporate and political sectors, as well as small businesses internationally.
With more than a decade of experience, Dreena and the WhitPR team have a proven ability to spot opportunities for our clients to grow their brand recognition in saturated markets that are in alignment with their overall objectives.
The Huffington Post listed Dreena as one of their “Top 25 African American Millennials in PR to Watch.”
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