Christin “Cici” Battle is a tenacious and unapologetic leader serving at the intersection of authentic impact and social justice. She currently serves in many roles, all strategically focused on capacity-building for the underserved, authentic organizing for justice, and community.
From Washington, D.C. to Cali, Colombia, Cici has traveled extensively to build immersive programs, workshops, and learning spaces that build organic movements and center the forgotten—specifically youth, women and girls—especially those of color.
Cici most recently served as executive director of Young People For, where she led the country's largest national social justice incubator for marginalized young people and co-hosted the popular “Progressive Happy Hour,” a podcast that brought an inclusive angle to politics.
Beyond Young People For, as a fierce leader in long-term civic engagement, Cici is the creator of “Passion Framing,” a holistic civic engagement framework that connects the dots between the process and the issues of everyday people rather than “sexy” candidates.
In her college years at Florida International University, Cici was a student-organizer who served as Student Body President, a position that catalyzed her passion for organizing and cultivating untapped leaders. Her experience led to high-impact roles as Regional Director for the Campus Election Engagement Project, Professor of Leadership Development at El Sena in Colombia, and the first statewide Youth Engagement Coordinator for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
Cici has been the architect of numerous notable collaborations and programs that have amplified young people's ability to create change. From revamping and rebranding Young People For, to the creation and elevation of the Florida Youth Commission, she is naturally adept at both building from scratch and realigning existing organizations to meet their core values.
As an ode to the power of her work, Cici was awarded Preet Bharara’s inaugural Café 100 award in 2018, cited as an “extraordinary change-maker taking action to address some of the most pressing problems in America and around the world.” She was also selected as an inaugural Pond’s Vital Voices Fellow as “one of 50 women shaping the world.”
Cici earned her Master’s Degree in Education Policy and her Bachelor’s in Psychology with an emphasis on Leadership Development from Florida International University. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and an Alum of Young People For, the United States Students Association, and the NAACP Youth and College Division.
Ultimately, Cici is an unapologetic Black woman whose life’s purpose is to frolic and to encourage others to do the same.