AJ Hikes provides vision, leadership and direction for the ACLU's nationwide strategy to support equity, diversity and inclusion across all aspects of the organization's work and efforts.
Why you should listen
AJ Hikes is a social justice advocate, community organizer and unapologetic queer Black woman. They serve as both the internal and external ambassador on the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as a crucial cornerstone of the ACLU's culture of belonging.Before joining the ACLU, Hikes served as the executive director of the Philadelphia Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs where they developed policy and served as the principal advisor to the mayor on issues that affect the LGBTQ community. There, they set their sights on fighting and advocating for the most impacted populations within the LGBTQ community, specifically youth, elders, immigrants, transgender people and people of color. They advocated for anti-discrimination legislation at the municipal level, passed one of the nation's most trans-inclusive police policies and added black and brown stripes to the rainbow flag, prompting an international conversation about race and discrimination within the LGBTQ community.
In 2018, OUT Magazine recognized Hikes as "Community Organizer of the Year" and Business Equality Pride named them one of the "40 LGBTQ Leaders Under 40." They earned a Master's in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and psychology and English degrees from the University of Delaware.
