Nyia Hawkins (she/her/hers - hear my name) is Fellow, AmbitioUS. AmbitioUS encourages the development of nascent alternative economies and fresh social contracts that make it possible for artists and cultural communities to achieve financial self-determination. Her work will build on the existing and future work of the portfolio with a focus on exploring a variety of integrated capital and impact investing tools rooted in real-life examples.

She is also a seasoned business and economics journalist who profoundly understands the impact of financial disparities and systemic inequality. Her strong desire to align her passions with her career has led her to transition into the impact space. Nyia has successfully led initiatives aimed at disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline and advancing economic and racial equity in Latin America through narrative change.

Before joining CCI, she was Cheddar News Executive Producer for Special Projects. She has also reported and produced content for CGTN and Associated Press. Nyia has an M.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.