About Alder Amani Latimer Burris (she/her)

Alder Amani Latimer Burris (she/her) currently works as an Advising Assistant to Dr. Opal Lee, a Nobel Peace Prize Nominated Human Rights Advocate and Grandmother of Juneteenth who, at 95, brought forth Juneteenth as the 11th Federal Holiday.

Prior to working as an ambassador for Ms. Opal, Amani worked in the Wisconsin Senate for Senator Taylor.  Amani worked on-staff at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and served as a campaign aide to Mayor Paul Soglin.

Amani has worked for several local, state and national campaigns and organizations including the National Urban League, NAACP and both historic presidential campaigns: Pete Buttigieg and Biden-Harris.

Amani, who is Lee's cousin and daughter to Dr. Latimer and Ms. Milele, first love is writing.  She started her career as a journalist at the age of 19.  When she was 21, Amani first learned about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre (firsthand, unexpectedly and in disbelief) from her then 89-year-old aunt who had survived the event.

As time went on, and as she continued to ask questions, Amani would learn the depth of her family story - a story her relatives, in-kinds and beloveds, doers with a vision for community and the realization of what was possible - in community, helping Greenwood rise from the ashes of destruction and quietly change American history.