CHIGOZIE was born to working class parents in Newark, NJ. He spent his early years in the former Hill Manor Apartments, an affordable housing complex, before moving to the Hilton Neighborhood in Maplewood, during his formative years. Today, he is a proud homeowner in the West Ward of Newark, just steps away from where his parents first shared an apartment, started a family, and established their love for the community.

Chigozie developed his commitment to justice and equity from his experiences in New Jersey public schools. At 18 years old, just after graduating from Columbia High School, he ran for School Board Member in the Maplewood/South Orange School District. Chigozie ran because the public schools had an unjust tracking system. Black students were disproportionately tracked in remedial and lower-level courses, while white students were overwhelmingly placed in honors classes. The local teacher’s union endorsed his candidacy, and his progressive campaign energized students and parents. He came up short on Election Day, but he learned that when we fight, we win, even if it does not happen right away. After the election, the Superintendent agreed to retire, the high school principal was denied tenure, and tracking began in high school, rather than middle school, for science and social studies. And more recently, the school district settled a lawsuit with Black parents that required them to take steps to integrate classrooms.