10/23/2026
Sometimes, one opportunity plants a seed that grows for decades.
In 1996, our Founder and Executive Director, Zakiya Nicole, was a teenager from Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, preparing to enter her junior year at Lincoln High School.
Her first job was a full-time, paid environmental internship with Citizens for a Healthy Bay now Communities for a healthy bay.
She spent that summer stenciling storm drains, educating her community about water pollution, and learning firsthand how environmental stewardship connects to community responsibility.
What she didn't know then was how deeply that experience would shape her future.
Someone at the Al Davies Boys & Girls Club intentionally opened a door for her. That one opportunity introduced her to environmental advocacy, meaningful work, and possibilities she hadn't yet imagined.
Thirty years later, that same belief in the power of opportunity lives at the heart of The Chayah Movement.
Through paid internships, sustainable fashion, textile waste diversion, and community partnerships, we're creating opportunities for young people to discover their talents, develop professional skills, and become changemakers in their communities.
Because access matters. Representation matters. And early exposure to meaningful work can change the trajectory of a young person's life.
The Chayah Movement isn't just about sustainable fashion. It's about sustainable futures. 💜
We're proud to share the story behind one of the seeds that helped inspire this movement.
Who opened a door for you? And whose door might you open today?
📸 credit: Tacoma News Tribune 1996
