Tarana Burke and Nikita Mitchell on Sustaining the #MeToo Movement
In a discussion for CULTURED's 2026 Young Activists list, Tarana Burke, the founder of #MeToo, speaks with Nikita Mitchell, the 32-year-old CEO of Survivor Society, located in Houston. Before this role, Mitchell was the National Coordinator for Rising Majority, served as the organizing director for Black Lives Matter Global Network, and held the position of chief strategy officer at Me Too International. Established in 2021 following the passing of activist Oluwatoyin Salau, Survivor Society focuses on nurturing organizers dedicated to healing and collective empowerment. Mitchell critiques how traditional institutions often exploit survivor narratives without offering sustainable support. She stresses the importance of creating environments where healing and activism coexist and shares her personal journey, beginning at 14 with Youth Together in Oakland, highlighting how unresolved trauma hindered her leadership until she sought therapy. Advocating for liberatory leadership based on love and interdependence, she urges institutions to prioritize stewardship over extraction, fostering a culture that honors survivors' needs.
Key facts
- Nikita Mitchell is CEO of Survivor Society, an incubator founded in 2021 after Oluwatoyin Salau's death.
- Mitchell previously worked as National Coordinator for Rising Majority, director of organizing for Black Lives Matter Global Network, and chief strategy officer of Me Too International.
- Mitchell is 32 years old and based in Houston.
- Tarana Burke nominated Mitchell for CULTURED's 2026 Young Activists list.
- Mitchell began organizing at age 14 with Youth Together in Oakland.
- Mitchell argues that institutions often treat survivors as useful only while their stories generate attention.
- Mitchell advocates for liberatory leadership, defined as leading from wholeness, love, and interdependence.
- Mitchell states that survivors privately feel anger, exhaustion, and fear, emotions often not tolerated by the public.
Entities
Artists
- Tarana Burke
- Nikita Mitchell
- Oluwatoyin Salau
Institutions
- Me Too Movement
- Survivor Society
- Rising Majority
- Black Lives Matter Global Network
- Me Too International
- Youth Together
- CULTURED
- Liberatory Leadership Partnership
Locations
- Houston
- United States
- Oakland