Meet Nikia Brown, RAR’s Development and Communications Operations Associate

08.26.2024 Team

Where are you from originally? Where are you currently located?

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I currently live in Buffalo, New York.

Let us know a fun fact about you?

As a true New Yorker, I finally learned how to drive and got my driver’s license at the age of 29.

What do you do for fun? What are some of your hobbies?

I enjoy traveling, listening to music, and DIY projects.

Best part about working for RAR?

Seeing the impact RAR programs has nationally, the RAR Team, and our Book Collection.

What is something you are most proud of?

Being a first-generation college graduate and my commitment to always show up for my friends and family.

05.08.2026 From the CEO

Three Years, Real Growth: Lessons from Our 2023–2025 Strategic Plan

By Michelle Torgerson, President and CEO, Raising a Reader Over the past three years, we asked a bold question: What does it take to build a sustainable, data-driven, equity-centered national organization—while expanding impact for children and families? In 2023, we launched our first strategic plan as a fully independent nonprofit. As we closed that chapter and reflect, I’m proud of what we built, and ...

04.14.2026 Featured

Beyond the Classroom: Why the Raising a Reader Classic Red Book Bag Program is the Missing Piece in Your Science of Reading Strategy

Districts across the country are making significant investments in the Science of Reading. From adopting high-quality Tier 1 curricula to intensive teacher training in phonics and phonemic awareness, the focus on the “word recognition” side of the literacy equation has never been stronger. But as every educator knows, decoding is only half the battle. According to the Simple View of Reading, literacy is ...