About Me

Nikysha Gilliam earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and later an M.A. from California State University, in Northridge, California. She has been an educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 20 years in elementary, middle, and high school. During her career in public education, Gilliam has also served as Literacy Coach and Magnet Coordinator, and each year no matter the position, Gilliam enjoys helping students find and recognize the power of their own voices. Membership in organizations like the English Speaking Union and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) provide resources and support that help her to achieve those goals.

She recently visited Senegal to explore the opportunities and spaces available for student voice during her 2019 Fulbright Teachers For Global Classrooms Fellowship. As a doctoral student at Loyola Marymount University in Educational Leadership for Social Justice, Gilliam is interested in a variety of research topics ranging from urban middle school aliteracy to the training and preparation of school principals in developing countries. Gilliam makes her home in Los Angeles, CA.

This website is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the participant’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, the U.S. Department of State, or IREX.