In the course of two years, Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home; her mother and sister were both diagnosed with cancer and her brother was murdered. Despite these tragedies, Florida A&M alumna Nakita Shavers has become an inspiration to both her hometown of New Orleans and her alma mater.
“I am so glad to have met Nakita. She has become one of my inspirations,” said Shellie Washington, a senior criminal justice student from Miami. “She is doing a great job demonstrating the values that FAMU tries to instill in us.”
Shavers was a freshman when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and destroyed her ninth ward home. She went over a month without hearing from her family. Her mother said the last thing she told Shavers before the storm was that the family was in uptown New Orleans. Shavers had no idea the family escaped to Mississippi and traveled to Detroit.
“When I heard from my family I was in class, I answered my phone and ran out of the classroom hysterically,” Shavers said. “My teacher began to chase me out of the classroom but my classmates were able to fill her in about my situation and what was going on. My mom told me that they had made it out but that we had lost everything. She made me promise to stay in school and focus on my education, not about what was happening in New Orleans.”
Shavers stayed at FAMU after the storm. However, she took a year off of school following her brother’s death. It was during that time that both of her organizations were founded. When things began to stabilize, Shaver’s returned to FAMU.
“I told her to hurry up and return to school to get some normalcy back into her life,” said Yolande Adams, Shaver’s mother.
Adams works with Shavers and handles the financial aspect of both organizations. Adams also acts as a manager for Shavers. The two share a mutually beneficial relationship.
“Nakita’s strength made me stronger, I saw her holding on and I knew I could hold on too,” Adams said.
Shavers has been featured on CBS’ “48 Hour Mystery: Storm of Murder,” CNN’s “One Crime at a Time” and Spike Lee’s “If God is Willing.” The story of her brother’s death will be portrayed on HBO’s upcoming season of “Tremé.”
“The loving FAMULY environment helped me through my difficult times. I received support from people I didn’t even know, which made my undergraduate experience indescribable,” Shavers said.
During her undergraduate career, Shavers was involved in the FAMU Pre-Law Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science National Honor Society, Hatchett Law Society, the FAMU New Orleans Club and worked as a SGA Volunteer.
The political science student graduated with honors in 2010, and has since returned to New Orleans. She now interns with the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana (JJPL) while running two non-profit organizations The Dinerral Shavers Fund and SilenceIsViolence, in addition to preparing for law school. Shavers also recently made her acting debut in HBO’s hit series Tremé, which will air in April.
The Dinerral Shavers Fund is named after her late brother, a New Orleans educator and second-line band member who was a victim of homicide in 2006. Shavers credits her brother for her drive to succeed and her ambitions to inflict change in New Orleans.
The person accused of murdering Dinerral was acquitted. Shavers said he intimidated both of the young female witnesses out of testifying. Shavers and her mother both had GAG orders placed on them to prevent them from talking about specifics of the trial.
Shavers’ goal is to continue the legacy of her brother by improving the quality of life for youth in New Orleans. The Dinerral Shavers Fund just hosted its third annual scholarship essay contest and SilenceIsViolence just had its fourth annual “Strike Against Crime” week, which ended with an event at City Hall.
“He was my big brother, my father figure and my protector. I refuse to let his murder be in vain. Everything I do is to honor him and continue his legacy. His life inspires me everyday.”
In the course of two years, Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home; her mother and sister were both diagnosed with cancer and her brother was murdered. Despite these tragedies, Florida A&M alumna Nakita Shavers has become an inspiration to both her hometown of New Orleans and her alma mater.
“I am so glad to have met Nakita. She has become one of my inspirations,” said Shellie Washington, a senior criminal justice student from Miami. “She is doing a great job demonstrating the values that FAMU tries to instill in us.”
Shavers was a freshman when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and destroyed her ninth ward home. She went over a month without hearing from her family. Her mother said the last thing she told Shavers before the storm was that the family was in uptown New Orleans. Shavers had no idea the family escaped to Mississippi and traveled to Detroit.
“When I heard from my family I was in class, I answered my phone and ran out of the classroom hysterically,” Shavers said. “My teacher began to chase me out of the classroom but my classmates were able to fill her in about my situation and what was going on. My mom told me that they had made it out but that we had lost everything. She made me promise to stay in school and focus on my education, not about what was happening in New Orleans.”
Shavers stayed at FAMU after the storm. However, she took a year off of school following her brother’s death. It was during that time that both of her organizations were founded. When things began to stabilize, Shaver’s returned to FAMU.
“I told her to hurry up and return to school to get some normalcy back into her life,” said Yolande Adams, Shaver’s mother.
Adams works with Shavers and handles the financial aspect of both organizations. Adams also acts as a manager for Shavers. The two share a mutually beneficial relationship.
“Nakita’s strength made me stronger, I saw her holding on and I knew I could hold on too,” Adams said.
Shavers has been featured on CBS’ “48 Hour Mystery: Storm of Murder,” CNN’s “One Crime at a Time” and Spike Lee’s “If God is Willing.” The story of her brother’s death will be portrayed on HBO’s upcoming season of “Tremé.”
“The loving FAMULY environment helped me through my difficult times. I received support from people I didn’t even know, which made my undergraduate experience undescribable,” Shavers said.
During her undergraduate career, Shavers was involved in the FAMU Pre-Law Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science National Honor Society, Hatchett Law Society, the FAMU New Orleans Club and worked as a SGA Volunteer.
The political science student graduated with honors in 2010, and has since returned to New Orleans. She now interns with the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana (JJPL) while running two non-profit organizations The Dinerral Shavers Fund and SilenceIsViolence, in addition to preparing for law school. Shavers also recently made her acting debut in HBO’s hit series Tremé, which will air in April.
The Dinerral Shavers Fund is named after her late brother, a New Orleans educator and second-line band member who was a victim of homicide in 2006. Shavers credits her brother for her drive to succeed and her ambitions to inflict change in New Orleans.
The person accused of murdering Dinerral was acquitted. Shavers said he intimidated both of the young female witnesses out of testifying. Shavers and her mother both had GAG orders placed on them to prevent them from talking about specifics of the trial.
Shavers’ goal is to continue the legacy of her brother by improving the quality of life for youth in New Orleans. The Dinerral Shavers Fund just hosted its third annual scholarship essay contest and SilenceIsViolence just had its fourth annual “Strike Against Crime” week, which ended with an event at City Hall.
“He was my big brother, my father figure and my protector. I refuse to let his murder be in vain. Everything I do is to honor him and continue his legacy. His life inspires me everyday.”