Rita Omokha
Rita Omokha is an award-winning Nigerian American journalist. She is the author of Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America. Rita was born and spent her early childhood in Benin City, Edo State. Her writing on politics, race, and vulnerable communities has been featured on CNN and in Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Elle, Glamour, The Guardian, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, and WIRED, among other publications and outlets. She has written about policing in America, federal inaction on growing numbers of COVID orphans, and missing and murdered Indigenous women.
She’s an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she graduated at the top of the 2020 class, receiving some of the institution’s highest awards, including the Pulitzer Prize Traveling Fellowship. During her time at Columbia, Rita Omokha served as co-president of the African Student Association, which spotlighted the intersection of journalism, press freedom, and the African diaspora. She previously worked in digital media for CNN, NBC, and Viacom and served in AmeriCorps in 2013. She lives in Manhattan.
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The story of young Black activists at the helm of fighting injustice over the last century, from the 1920s to the Trayvon generation, and how they transformed America and left an indelible mark on history....Read More
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Young Voices, Bold Change: The Unsung Heroes of American Progress
This is a deeper dive into Rita’s research and latest book, Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America. She discusses the importance of highlighting the contributions of young Black changemakers and their allies to social change and fortifying American democracy.
The Power of Narrative in Driving Progress
From the Brown v. Board of Education demonstrations to Ferguson, storytelling has been the lifeblood of social change. In this talk, Rita explores how narratives have shaped public consciousness, galvanized movements, and, ultimately, driven progress. By examining historical and contemporary examples, she delves into the strategies employed by demonstrators to craft compelling narratives that resonate deeply, inspire action, and challenge the status quo. By understanding how stories have shaped history, Rita illustrates how we can learn to channel their lessons to create the change we desire so that we can all become storytellers in our own lives, sharing our experiences and perspectives to build a more just and compassionate world.
Bridging the Gap: The Role of Media in Promoting Racial Understanding
Media has the power to shape perceptions and influence societal attitudes. In this talk, Rita explores the critical role media plays in fostering racial understanding. She discusses strategies for promoting accurate, fair, and inclusive storytelling by examining how media representations impact public opinion. She also explores the media’s responsibility to accurately and fairly represent diverse communities and how they can be a catalyst for bridging divides and building a more equitable society.
From Nigeria to America: A Journey of Assimilation, Acculturation, and Belonging
In this talk, Rita shares her personal story while discussing broader themes of identity, history, and the American experience. She examines her experiences growing up as an immigrant in America. She walks through the lessons she learned from researching her book, Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America; she discusses how researching African American history led to a deeper understanding of her roots in Nigeria and her journey into Blackness in America; navigating Nigerian, Black American, and White American cultures; challenging misconceptions about African immigrants and Black Americans; the power of narrative in promoting empathy and understanding; and the enduring spirit of Black people, both in America and Africa.
Preserving Cultural Heritage in a Globalized World
Globalization has brought unprecedented connectivity, but it also challenges the preservation of diverse cultures. In this talk, drawing from her experiences, Rita discusses the importance of maintaining cultural identity while embracing diversity. She explores the delicate balance between upholding cultural identity and embracing global influences. By examining the impact of globalization on traditions and values, she discusses strategies for safeguarding cultural heritage while promoting intercultural understanding. She envisions a future where diversity is celebrated, and cultural richness is sustained.
The Power of Storytelling: From Business Pitches to News Headlines
In this talk, Rita leverages her former sales and marketing expertise and current journalistic experience to explore how narrative structures and persuasive techniques overlap in different fields. By dissecting the art of storytelling in both business and media, she reveals how crafting compelling narratives can capture audiences, influence opinions, drive results, and showcase how the power of storytelling can be used to achieve success across various industries.
Beyond DEI & Representation: Building Inclusive Cultures in Media and Business
Achieving true diversity and inclusion requires intentional effort across all sectors. This discussion explores the critical role of media in representing diverse voices and perspectives. Pulling from her experiences, Rita examines the importance of diversity from newsrooms and classrooms to conference rooms and boardrooms, offering practical strategies for developing inclusive environments.
Breaking Into Writing: Your Path to Publication
Want to turn your words into a career? In this discussion, Rita shares insights, practical tools, and techniques to break into the writing world. Whether you’re thinking of penning a nonfiction narrative or crafting compelling articles, Rita provides helpful steps and resources to kickstart or advance your journey or transition out of your current career—something she has personal experience in: she moved from the business world to the writing industry. She’ll discuss crafting compelling narratives, building a strong writer’s network, and navigating the publishing industry.
“‘Resist’ charts the history of Black youth activism”
“How A Century Of Young Black Activists Shaped America”
“Rita Omokha | The PEN Ten Interview”
“On the Fragility of American Democracy… and the Power of Young Black Activists to Save It”
“I Never Expected to Write This Book”
“Civc Cipher podcast: Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America“
“The New York Times Book Review: RESIST by Rita Omokha”
“19 best new books of November 2024, according to literary experts”
“November 2024 Books By Black Authors We Can’t Wait to Read”
“The Next Big Idea Club’s November 2024 Must-Read Books”
“The Anti-Apartheid Movement in the United States Was Fueled By Student Activists”
“In the Shadows: The Orphans COVID Left Behind”
Read select works of journalism by Rita Omokha on her website.
Praise for Resist
One of The Top 10 Most Anticipated History Books for Fall 2024 — Publishers Weekly One of The Root‘s “November 2024 Books By Black Authors We Can’t Wait to Read” One of BookRiot‘s “Most Exciting Nonfiction Titles Hitting Shelves in November” A “Must-Read November 2024 Book” — Next Big Idea Club One of Audible‘s “most anticipated new releases of Fall 2024.” One of Glamour’s UK “Best books of November 2024”
Resist is both incredibly detailed and accessibly readable… [Omokha] helpfully bridges one time period with the next with the precision of a documentary filmmaker.
— Booklist, Starred Review
“A must-read for anyone looking to dive into the history of Black youth activism and its immense impact on America.”
— BookPage, Starred Review
“Omokha combines memoir and history in this account of civil rights activism…”
—The New York Times
“This paradigm-shifting book is a must-read. Resist is a powerful and enlightening exploration [with] meticulous research and compelling storytelling.”
—Glamour UK“Bold, inspiring, an act of resistance in itself, Resist is a powerful and personal history. Omokha vividly reminds us that protest has always been and always will be essential to progress.”
— Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life, winner of the Pulitzer Prize“Rita Omokha has written a crucial distillation of a century of activism and the changes wrought by it. These are perilous times and we’ve never been more in need of a reminder of what has been achieved against even greater odds than the ones stacked against us today.”
— Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker staff writer and Emmy- and Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist“This book is a crucial asset and resource for today’s society. Resist encapsulates the everlasting and unwavering fight for justice and equality led by the trailblazing activists from decades past who are still influencing young Black leaders today.”
— Sunny Hostin, Emmy-winning co-host of The View and New York Times bestselling author of I Am These Truths“With Resist, Rita Omokha has achieved a dual debut as an author. She has vividly captured more than a century of activism by young Black Americans, and filtered that saga through her own experience as a Nigerian immigrant being thrust into a society of ruthlessly binary racial identity. Part history, part memoir, part call to political arms, Resist is a valuable addition to our nation’s protest literature.”
— Samuel G. Freedman, award-winning author of Into the Bright SunshineBook This Speaker
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