Nyia Hawkins is an impact strategist and executive producer working at the intersection of economic justice and arts & culture. She is the inaugural AmbitioUS Fellow at the Center for Cultural Innovation. AmbitioUS is a time-limited, pooled, research & development fund that sits between institutional funders, private philanthropy, and grassroots economic changemakers. She supports a portfolio of innovative solutions and partnerships that advance the fund’s mission to support financial self-determination for artists, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural communities who have historically been extracted from.
She is also the host and producer of The Soul of Capital podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, created in partnership with CCI. The podcast introduces listeners to alternative economic models and the changemakers leading them, reflecting Nyia’s passion for exploring systemic solutions to inequality.
After 20 years of experience in journalism, including a decade focused on business and economics, she is aligning her passions with her profession, leveraging her storytelling skills to help transform economic systems and create a more equitable future. Prior to joining CCI, she was Cheddar News Executive Producer for Special Projects and has reported and produced content for CGTN and the Associated Press. Nyia holds 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.
