Shakya Cherry-Donaldson
Shakya is the Founder and Executive Director of 1K Women Strong.
"We don’t just need to fix what’s broken, we need to build what’s never existed. When I saw a gap in resources for Black women, I didn’t wait for permission. I drew on my roots in grassroots organizing and the vision of the Beloved Community to launch 1K Women Strong, a national organizing hub for Black women and their allies. Today, our organizers, fellows and ambassadors are active in eight states across the country, 365 days a year, building lasting power beyond any one election or political cycle.”
Her Story
Shakya is a South Bronx, New York, native where she worked as a community organizer, political operative and teacher. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Africana Studies from Franklin & Marshall College and traveled extensively. She taught English in South Korea for two years and earned a Masters of Art in Political Economy from the University of Sydney in Australia.
​
Upon returning to the U.S., Shakya took up residence in Nashville, TN, where she worked under Marian Wright Edelman at the Children’s Defense Fund organizing communities to disrupt and dismantle the Cradle to Prison Pipeline throughout the South. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of Black women and children with organizations including Fellowship of Reconciliation, National PTA, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, A. Philip Randolph Institute, and the National Black Law School Students Association, and Casey Family Programs., as well as her own consulting firm.
In 2016, Shakya began focusing on electoral work with issues-based and candidate campaigns in 13 states including Deputy Field Director-Statewide for Stacey Abrams for Governor of Georgia during the historic primary, Organizing Director for the Reason to Believe PAC, Governor Deval Patrick and more. During the 2020 election cycle, she founded 1K Women Strong, a national organizing hub for Black women and their allies. Through year-round community-building, rapid response messaging, issue advocacy and electoral mobilization, we are working across the U.S. to build sisterhood and political power for the long haul.
1K Women Strong is focused on electoral matters, education campaigns and advocacy issues. With trained organizers on the ground in multiple states, 1K Women Strong has mobilized more than one million voters nationally for state and federal elections, education campaigns, and more.
Shakya's work sits at the intersection of politics and communal care. From rural towns to digital spaces, 1K Women Strong organizes year-round to build the Beloved Community and ensure that we have a lasting impact on the issues that affect our lives. Past partners include the ACLU, When We All Vote, and more.
We stand ready to support community engagement efforts, help uplift policy priorities and mobilize our network around key moments.