Nick Speed earned a Bachelor degree in Communications from University Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL). Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Nick developed a passion for taking care of the planet, food justice, and working with young people. After working in the nonprofit sector for several years, he founded Ujima in 2018. Since then, he has engaged over 750 youth in outdoor education, launched the urban farm George Washington Carver Farms, developed a job program for teens called The Sunflower Institute, cleaned up over 10,000 pounds of trash in North St. Louis city, as well as manage the Clay Community Garden that produces over 2,000 pounds of produce, herbs, and flowers annually. He is inspired daily by the greater St. Louis area, his wife, daughters, family, close friends, and colleagues.