Amida Nigena is a Professional Research Assistant at the Renée Crown Wellness Institute, where she supports the facilitation of the m.b.v. Girls Like Us program and contributes to research on the wellness and empowerment of Black girls and femmes. She holds a Master’s in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco. Amida’s research interests include educational equity, social-emotional learning, and the systemic factors affecting marginalized youth, with a particular focus on the intersection of race, gender, and appearance biases. She is especially passionate about the mission of m.b.v. GLU, which empowers Black girls and femmes to challenge societal beauty standards, build self-worth, and develop a strong sense of agency. With experience in research, program coordination, and direct student support, she is committed to creating spaces where young people can thrive and is excited to contribute to the Crown Institute’s transformative work.