Jamira Burley

Jamira Burley, 23, is an educator and activist in Philadelphia. As a young woman growing up in a city with skyrocketing rates of violence that resulted in the murder of her brother and stepfather, Burley founded the Overbrook High Panther Peace Core to provide students with nonviolent alternatives to address conflict. In 2007, the Peace Core initiative granted $50,000 to implement the program into the top ten “persistently dangerous” high schools in Philadelphia.

Burley is a founding chairperson of the Philadelphia Youth Commission, the only Philadelphia city agency operated by young people. She has served as the 2010 city council appointee to the Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission, 2010 Governor’s Appointee to the Committee on Children and Families, 2010 chairperson for the Philadelphia Youth Commission, director of community affairs for Temple Student Government, vice president of the Septa Youth Advisory Council and director of marketing for the International Student Association. Burley is the co-host of the radio show, “My Voice” on WURD 900AM Philadelphia, where she interviews elected officials and community leaders. Burley is also the youngest salaried employee of the School District of Philadelphia where she works as the Student Leadership Coordinator creating leadership opportunities for high school students. In 2011, the Philadelphia Daily News recognized Burley as one of top ten up and comers Philadelphians.

Burley is the first of 16 children, to graduate high school and to go to college. In her senior year at Temple University, Burley is majoring in International Business, Legal Studies with a minor in Chinese.