Mariame Kaba is a prominent American activist, community organizer, and educator, born in New York to Guinean parents. A leading figure in the contemporary abolitionist movement, she is known for her commitment to dismantling the prison and policing systems in the United States. As the founder of several influential organizations, including Project NIA in 2009, she has worked for over three decades toward social justice, violence prevention, and youth leadership development.
Author of the best-selling book "We Do This 'Til We Free Us" (2021), Kaba has also written numerous other works and articles on transformative justice and prison abolition. Her approach combines grassroots activism, education, research, and art to promote a vision of society grounded in restorative justice rather than punishment. After more than 20 years of activism in Chicago, she returned to New York City in 2016, where she continues her work as an organizer and educator while pursuing studies in library and information science.
Introduction
Mariame Kaba is an American activist, community organizer, and educator known for her commitment to abolishing the prison-industrial complex. As a leading figure in the contemporary abolitionist movement, she has significantly shaped the landscape of social activism in the United States through her numerous initiatives, publications, and anti-violence projects.
Early Life and Education
Born in New York City to Guinean parents, Mariame Kaba grew up in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Her mother, originally from Côte d'Ivoire, and her father, a participant in Guinea's independence struggle, likely influenced her worldview and future activism. During her childhood, she attended the Lycée Français and developed an early political consciousness through the lens of Black nationalism, constantly seeking ways to help others.
Her academic journey began at McGill University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology in 1992. In 1995, she moved to Chicago to pursue further studies in sociology at Northwestern University. She later completed a Master's degree in Library and Information Science at Pratt Institute, reflecting her interest in knowledge preservation and dissemination.
Professional Career
Mariame Kaba's career is marked by deep involvement in education and youth development. She has taught sociology and African American studies at several prestigious institutions, including Northwestern University, Columbia University, and Northeastern Illinois University.
Before founding Project NIA, she worked as a program officer for youth education and development at the Steans Family Foundation, focusing on grant-making and program evaluation. Her career also includes coordinating emergency housing services at Sanctuary for Families in New York and managing prevention and education at Friends of Battered Women and their Children.
Activism and Social Engagement
Kaba's activism is characterized by the creation and co-creation of numerous influential organizations:
- Chicago Freedom School
- Rogers Park Young Women's Action Team (YWAT)
- Chicago Taskforce on Violence against Girls and Young Women
- Chicago Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander
- We Charge Genocide (WCG)
- Project NIA (2009)
- Survived and Punished
Her vision of prison abolition extends beyond merely dismantling prisons and policing; it seeks to completely reimagine community services. Her work has provided a conceptual framework for many contemporary abolitionist organizations, such as Black Youth Project 100, Black Lives Matter Chicago, and Assata's Daughters.
Anti-Violence Projects
Kaba has initiated and participated in numerous artistic and educational projects to raise public awareness about systemic violence:
- "A World Without Prisons" Exhibition
- "Restorative Posters" Project
- Co-curation of "No Selves to Defend"
- "Blood at the Root" Exhibition
- "Making Niggers: Demonizing and Distorting Blackness" Project
- "Black/Inside: A History of Captivity & Confinement in the U.S." Exhibition
Publications
Mariame Kaba's written work is extensive and varied. Some of her major publications include:
- "We Do This 'Til We Free Us" (2021) — A New York Times bestseller
- "Let This Radicalize You" (2023) — Co-authored with Kelly Hayes
- "No More Police: A Case for Abolition" (2022) — Co-authored with Andrea J. Ritchie
- "Missing Daddy" (2019) — A children's book
- "Lifting As They Climbed" (2023) — Co-authored with Essence McDowell
- "Fumbling Towards Repair" (2019) — A manual for community accountability facilitators
She also maintained the influential blog “US Prison Culture” from 2010 to 2019 and has contributed to prestigious publications like The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post.
Awards and Recognitions
Her work has been widely acknowledged through various awards and honors:
- Soros Justice Fellowship (2016-2017)
- War Resisters League Peace Award (2017)
- Ann Snitow Prize (2022)
- Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Chicago Theological Seminary (2022)
- Marguerite Casey Foundation Fellowship (2022)
Personal Life
While active and visible in public advocacy, Mariame Kaba maintains a level of privacy about her personal life. After more than 20 years of activism in Chicago, she returned to her hometown of New York City in 2016, where she continues her studies in library and information science.
Conclusion
Mariame Kaba is a powerful and influential voice in the fight for social justice in the United States. Her holistic approach to prison abolition, combined with her commitment to education and transformative justice, has left a lasting impact on the contemporary activism landscape. Her legacy endures through the organizations she has founded, her influential writings, and the generations of activists she has inspired and mentored. Her work continues to shape discussions on criminal justice, systemic violence, and social transformation in the U.S. and beyond.
