Jamira Burley is an award-winning activist and international speaker. Currently, she is the Worldwide Education Strategic Initiatives Lead at Apple & a social impact strategist, working at the intersection of community, policy, and philanthropy. Prior to Apple, Jamira was the Director of Social Impact North America for adidas.
Over the last 20 years, her work has taken her across the United States and 50+ countries working with collective impact teams representing business, government, issue experts and youth leaders to make an equitable change by evaluating and reforming traditional institutions of power to enable safer and empowered communities.
Jamira was recognized as an Obama White House Champion of Change, 2020 Oprah Magazine Visionary, and a Forbes Under 30 Honoree in Law and Policy. She has worked with Target, Deloitte, Sephora, Obama Foundation, American Express, Ponds, United Nations and T-Mobile. Previously, she was featured on MSNBC, CNN, Forbes, C-SPAN, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

Jamira’s Story

Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Jamira Burley witnessed firsthand the systemic challenges that marginalized communities face every day. But rather than accept injustice as the norm, she made it her mission to break the cycle. As a teenager, following the tragic murder of her brother Andre—Jamira took action. She launched an anti-violence program at her high school that not only reduced violence by 30%, but also sparked a movement. Her impact was undeniable, earning her a $50,000 grant from the Governor to implement her program in the ten most persistently dangerous high schools in the city.

As the first of her 15 siblings to graduate high school and attend college, Jamira’s journey is a testament to resilience. She earned a BA in International Business and Legal Studies from Temple University and has spent the two past decade working at the intersection of social impact, education, and youth empowerment. Collaborating with corporations, nonprofits, and government leaders, she bridges the gap between institutions and the communities they serve—helping impacted communities not just be heard, but be seen as agents of change.

Her influence spans the globe. In 2018, she became the first U.S. citizen to receive the Global Leadership Award from Vital Voices, named an MIT Media Lab Fellow andUniversity Of Southern California: Civic Media Lab Fellow.Jamira is more than an activist—she’s a strategist, a connector, and a truth-teller. She uses her lived experience to push for policies and programs that drive real change, consulting with public and private entities on how to authentically engage impacted communities.

Jamira doesn’t just talk about change—she makes it happen. And she’s just getting started.