Nikki joined Americans for the Arts in February 2020. As the Equity in Arts Leadership Program Manager, she will work to envision, design, and implement programs to improve the entry, advancement, and leadership opportunities for historically and currently marginalized or underrepresented arts administrators in the arts and culture field.

Nikki holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Linguistics from Pitzer College in southern California, where she solidified her interests in language, human rights, and cross-cultural understanding. She also holds a Master's degree in Arts, Festival, and Cultural Management from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she researched the impact of programming at the intersection of arts and social justice.Her previous work experiences include organizations across the US, such as the Massachusetts Cultural Council, El Sistema USA, Berklee College of Music, and The Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, among others.

One of Lester’s favorite memories growing up is gathering aroundthe living room piano and singing songs with friends and family. Little did heknow, moments like that can happen in any place at any time, and Lester isthrilled to be bringing the joy of art and music to the community.

With ten years of non-profit experience, Lester helps bring theSing for Hope Pianos program to live both in NYC and across theglobe, creating pockets of living room singalongs throughoutpublic spaces for everyone to be a part of. Check out more of Lester’sexperience with the SFH Pianos in his TEDxBroadway talk here.

Harrison Clark (he/him/his) is a junior at Tufts University majoring in International Relations with a language concentration in Arabic. A composer, lyricist, and playwright, Harrison has dedicated his artistry to the celebration, performance, preservation, and advancement of Black Art in America. At Tufts, he serves as music director for the S-Factor vocal group, conducts archival research on the institutional legacies of Black art and artistry, and serves on the Tufts Diversity Admissions Council. Currently, Harrison is writing his first stage musical, an original story concerning questions of cultural and artistic agency from the perspective of young Black artists. His ultimate goal is, through his artistry and advocacy, to unlock the gates to a reimagined future in which anti-Blackness is removed from the foundational DNA of the arts in the United States and globally. Harrison is eager to get to know the world of nonprofit arts leadership this summer through DIAL.