Profile

Meet Nicole Eigbrett, a queer, transracial and transnational Chinese adoptee and community organizer who introduces herself as the Director of Community Organizing at the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS).  

She expressed her desire to share her life's journey with us since it led her to the work she does today. "I was born in China, but I was raised in a white family and community. When I was younger, I didn't feel like I belonged because there weren't many people who looked like me or understood my culture. Once I finished college, it was a matter of finding where I belonged in this world, and who is my community?" she shared.  

After moving to the Boston area, Nicole was able to find a purpose in community organizing, which helped her really reclaim her story and build context, greater confidence, and eventually power around who she is and the change she could offer in the world. “Organizing did so much to transform my life, and it’s humbling to support others on that journey of personal and collective liberation too. I have loved living and working in Somerville because we are fighting for housing, economic, and racial justice together as neighbors, and building a community where we all feel like we belong,” she explained. 

Nicole was introduced to the Mel King Institute through the MACDC network at the beginning of her community development career in 2014, after completing her undergraduate degree. She then worked at a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the Berkshires as an AmeriCorps Vista. However, it wasn't until the end of 2016, when she arrived in the Boston area, that she had the opportunity to take trainings at the Institute and understand the legacy of Mel King himself. 

When asked about her decision to work in community development, Nicole explained how she stumbled into this field somewhat unexpectedly. She was raised in a rural community in western New York State, where this type of career field was mostly unfamiliar. In college, Nicole pursued a degree in foreign languages and global studies, using Marxist economic and cultural theory that offered a broad perspective on development and globalization. Nicole expressed her curiosity about how these theories of globalization could be applied to actively address local issues, so she engaged in more community based initiatives.  

Although it wasn't until after her graduation, when she joined AmeriCorps, that her exposure to this field became stronger. She quickly realized that she was on the right path. Joining the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) as a member in 2017 also solidified her commitment to organizing and using popular education approaches. "I truly enjoy community organizing and the process of building relationships with community members who eventually become leaders. It’s a privilege to help build the stories, skills, and collective power of residents who want to challenge and change the policies and systems that aren't serving them," said Nicole.  

Nicole expressed how she continually keeps an eye on the MKI newsletter to better keep up with the new trainings on the field and shared, "I'm often looking for trainings that would benefit me as a director and a supervisor, but also what's going to benefit my team." She spoke about how grateful she is for the Approaches to Supervisions trainings that helped her continue building my skills as a manager and how pleased she is to be part of the Senior Organizer Series. Not only has Nicole been to multiple trainings that sharpened her skills and understanding of community organizing, but she also likes to make sure that her peers also benefit from MKI trainings, mentioning that all her staff members have attended the Organizing 101 and 102 trainings. Sarah Horsley, a longstanding facilitator with MKI, deserves an honorable mention for her continuous partnership. Nicole is attending the senior organizers seminar series, which takes place from September 2023 to May 2024. Sarah Horsely is serving as a facilitator for the seminar series.