MEET NICOLE
HI, I’M NICOLE!
Growing up in a single-parent household we lived in subsidized housing, received food stamps, WIC, and free school lunch during the entirety of my primary and secondary education. Despite the stigma that surrounded these programs and still does today, I realize they were essential to my survival and shaped the rest of my life. When we moved into subsidized housing I was forced to leave the community that I knew and knew loved me. I was thrust into a world where I was one of few minorities which brought its own set of challenges. Having lived this experience I had an inside look into both the haves and the have-nots. This created a desire within me to eliminate that divide and work toward a world where everyone has the same opportunities despite where you come from.
Due to a lack of resources and coming from an underserved community post-secondary education was not part of my trajectory as I graduated high school. I worked low wage jobs and lived without health insurance as I entered the workforce until I was fortunate enough to land a union job at AT&T. I was a CWA member for 13 years, and during this time I saw and felt first-hand the importance of organized labor that supports workers’ rights, negotiating the pay and benefits workers deserve.
As I reflected on the things that I saw in my community in 2016 I was sparked to do something. I started learning how to petition my local government entities from school boards to city councils and became a grassroots community organizer. As I continued to advocate for my community and the things I wanted to see, I was surrounded by individuals who were encouraging me to run for something. In 2020 I answered that call and ran for Creve Coeur City Council to do the work from the other side of the dais and be the change I wanted to see in my community. I spent 4 years as a member of the Creve Coeur City Council and my last year there as President of the Council. I want to continue to make sure that we continue to make Creve Coeur a place where people want to live, work, and play.