{{short description|American civil rights activist}} '''AJ Hikes''', formerly '''Amber Jelena Hikes'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Black Folx: Know Who You are and Whose You Are ft. Amber Hikes on Apple Podcasts|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-who-you-are-and-whose-you-are-ft-amber-hikes/id1531171840?i=1000512366875|access-date=2021-03-16|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-us}}</ref> is an American civil rights activist and community organizer, who currently serves as the chief equity and inclusion officer for the American Civil Liberties Union. Prior to their work for ACLU, Hikes was most well known for their tenure as executive director of the City of Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs, where they led the More Pride More Color campaign, which developed a version of the Rainbow Flag with black and brown stripes to represent people of color. Hikes, who identifies as a black queer nonbinary, emphasizes an intersectional approach towards sexuality, gender, race, and poverty in their advocacy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AJ Hikes |url=https://www.aclu.org/bio/aj-hikes |access-date=2025-12-04 |website=American Civil Liberties Union |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life == Hikes was born in Okinawa, Japan, to parents Jeffery and Zenobia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/01/26/amber-hikes-lgbt-affairs/|title=23 Questions With Amber Hikes, Director of Philly's Office of LGBT Affairs|date=2019-01-27|website=Philadelphia Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> Their father served in the US military. In their childhood they lived in Japan, Hawaii, Georgia, Louisiana, and Delaware as their mother Dr Zenobia Lawerence Hikes's career in student affairs flourished.<ref name="vtnews.vt.edu">{{Cite web|title=In Memoriam: Dr. Zenobia Lawrence Hikes|url=https://www.vtnews.vt.edu/content/vtnews_vt_edu/en/articles/2008/10/2008-672.html|website=www.vtnews.vt.edu|language=en|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref> They were vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Spelman College and at University of Delaware, served as the assistant to the vice president for student life from 1996 to 1999 and associate director of admissions from 1992 to 1996. They also were assistant director of admissions and recruitment at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, La., from 1986 to 1992.
After Amber left for college, Zenobia served as vice president for student affairs at Virginia Tech University<ref name="vtnews.vt.edu"/> and was a survivor of the 2007 campus attack.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Zenobia Hikes {{!}} C-SPAN.org|url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?zenobiahikes|website=www.c-span.org|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref> In 2012, Hikes accepted the NASPA's Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Service as a senior student affairs administrator on their mother's behalf<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Hemphill|first1=Brian O.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CB9eWO-Zj4kC&q=amber+hikes&pg=PR6|title=Enough Is Enough: A Student Affairs Perspective on Preparedness and Response to a Campus Shooting|last2=LaBanc|first2=Brandi Hephner|date=2012-03-12|publisher=Stylus Publishing, LLC.|isbn=978-1-57922-522-3|language=en}}</ref> after her untimely death in 2008.
Hikes plays 5 musical instruments and was a member of their high school marching band, playing in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Band.<ref name=":0" /> Hikes received their undergraduate degree in English from the University of Delaware in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/january/amber-hikes-graduate-alumna-aclu-chief-diversity-officer-100-years/|title=Liberty and justice for all {{!}} UDaily|website=www.udel.edu|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> They first came out in their freshman year of college. They later moved to Philadelphia to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where they received their Masters of Social Work in 2008.
== Career == Hikes began their activist career as an education access advocate, serving for 5 years as the local program director for Upward Bound at the University of Pennsylvania. In March 2015, Hikes moved to California to lead the Upward Bound program at California State University, Long Beach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2017/02/amber-hikes-penn-philly-lgbt-affairs|title=Penn graduate and former employee to lead Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs|last=Lamon|first=Madeleine|website=www.thedp.com|language=en-us|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> thumb|Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs, under Hikes' leadership, developed this pride flag variant to celebrate people of color in 2017. Hikes was appointed to lead Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs in March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/feature/amber-hikes-evan-thornburg-philadelphia-office-lgbt-affairs/|title=She, The People: The Two Black, Queer Women Making Waves In Philadelphia Mayor's Office Of LGBT Affairs|last=Edwards|first=Breanna|website=Essence|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> After incidents in the news highlighted issues of racism within the city's LGBT community, especially in the city's Gayborhood area, Hikes entered city government with a goal of focusing on the marginalized members within the LGBT community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/07/12/amber-hikes-resigns-lgbt-affairs/|title=Amber Hikes on Leading the Office of LGBT Affairs in Tumultuous Times|date=2019-07-12|website=Philadelphia Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> Hikes' tenure saw their rise to international prominence with the introduction of a pride flag with brown and black stripes, intended to symbolize the struggle of people of color in the LGBT movement. The flag was officially flown over Philadelphia City Hall for LGBT Pride Month in June 2017, just months into Hikes’ position, and sparked major public attention and media coverage, both positive and negative.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/controversy-flies-over-philadelphia-s-new-pride-flag-n772821|title=Controversy flies over Philadelphia's new Pride flag|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/6/20/15821858/gay-pride-flag-philadelphia-fight-explained|title=Philadelphia's new, inclusive gay pride flag is making gay white men angry|last=Abad-Santos|first=Alex|date=2017-06-20|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://philadelphiaweekly.com/amber-hikes-impact-on-lgbt-culture-in-philadelphia-is-so-much-more-than-stripes-on-a-flag/|title=Amber Hikes' impact on LGBT+ culture in Philadelphia is so much more than stripes on a flag|date=2018-12-20|website=Philadelphia Weekly|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> The flag subsequently gained popularity a symbol of representation for LGBT people of color, including being worn by actress Lena Waithe at the Met Gala and flown at UK Black Pride 2019 in London.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://aldianews.com/articles/local/philadelphia/amber-hikes-enters-national-spotlight-new-position-aclu/56060|title=Amber Hikes enters the national spotlight with new position at the ACLU|last=Thompson|first=Nigel|date=2019-07-17|website=AL DÍA News|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/philly-lgbtq-pride-flag-gets-red-carpet-treatment-met-gala|title=Philly LGBTQ pride flag gets red carpet treatment at Met Gala|date=2018-05-08|website=KYW|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref>
Other initiatives included the LGBTQ Community Leadership Pipeline, which trains community members in leadership for local LGBT organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whyy.org/articles/philly-pilot-program-seeks-to-train-next-generation-of-lgbtq-board-members/|title=Philly pilot program seeks to train next generation of LGBTQ board members|website=WHYY|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> Hikes' office also began the LGBT State of the Union in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/amber-hikes-leaves-mayors-office-lgbt-affairs-kenney-racial-justice-black-brown-flag-intersectionality-20190710.html|title=Out of City Hall, Amber Hikes fought for trans folks, LGBTQ people of color — and that flag|last=Orso|first=Anna|website=Inquirer|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> During the annual event held in June, the Philadelphia mayor and city government officials, joined by major city LGBT organizations, give short addresses on issues of concern to the LGBT community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-lgbt-state-of-the-union-champions-progress-considers-new-controversies/|title= Second-ever LGBT State of the Union champions progress, considers new controversies |website=PhillyVoice|date= 4 June 2019 |access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> In March 2019, the city adopted a new directive on law enforcement interaction with transgender and non-binary people, which required that the city respect a person's chosen name and pronouns in records, as well as providing treatment appropriate to their gender identity in situations such as personal searches and jail housing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/06/25/philadelphia-police-department-announces-new-guidance-on-treatment-of-transgender-non-binary-individuals/|title=Philadelphia Police Department Announces New Guidance On Treatment Of Transgender, Non-Binary Individuals|date=2019-06-25|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref>
While in city government, Hikes was named "Person of the Year" by the ''Philadelphia Gay News'' in 2017, and listed on separate "100 Most Influential People" lists in 2018 by ''Philadelphia'' and ''Out'' magazines.<ref name=":1" />
In July 2019, Hikes joined the ACLU as the first Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer.<ref name=":2" /> They pledged to focus on programs related to workplace culture, professional development, and more equitable employment policies, to empower people from traditionally marginalized communities to enter the organization's leadership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://businessequalitymagazine.com/amber-hikes-forges-new-path-aclu/|title=Amber Hikes forges a new path at the ACLU|website=Business Equality Magazine|date=7 January 2020 |access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref>
In 2026, they were a recipient of the Torchbearer "Carrying Change" Awards' Legend Award.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= March 26, 2026|title= Introducing the Torchbearers Awards honoring queer, trans women and nonbinary people|url= https://www.washingtonblade.com/2026/03/26/introducing-the-torchbearers-awards-honoring-queer-trans-women-and-nonbinary-people/|website= Washington Blade|location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= March 26, 2026}}</ref>
==See also== *''Ahead of the Curve''
== References == <references />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hikes, AJ}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Hikes, AJ Hikes, AJ Hikes, AJ Hikes, AJ Category:21st-century African-American people Category:Non-binary activists Category:American non-binary people