Syda Segovia Taylor

Bio

Syda Segovia Taylor is the Founder and Executive Director of Organic Oneness, a grassroots
social justice organization that brings people together to eliminate racism and create healthy
communities in Chicago. With over 30 years of experience serving high-profile nonprofits
and city agencies, she has emerged as a nationally recognized leader in racial justice and
healing, stewarding more than $30 million in program funding across her career. Blending
her experience as a dancer, youth practitioner, and physical education/health teacher, she
designs innovative community-building programs that harness the transformative power of
the arts, education, and wellness.

Syda is one of only six national partners for Dr. Joy DeGruy's Be the Healing Movement and
was appointed to Chicago's 40-member Reparations Task Force, where she serves on the
Education Subcommittee. She also serves on the Bronzeville State-Designated Cultural
District Advisory Council, and the Healthy Schools Campaign's Space to Grow Advisory
Council.

In 2026, the American Cancer Society named her a Portraits of Hope Ambassador,
recognized by her Chicago Tribune op-ed drawing a parallel between her six-year breast
cancer battle and America's struggle with systemic racism. Her public voice extends further
through a TEDx talk at Illinois Tech ("World Peace is Inevitable," November 2024), CNN's
"This is Life" with Lisa Ling, and Rainn Wilson's podcast.

Her distinguished career includes pivotal roles at Chicago Public Schools, After School
Matters, and Local Initiative Support Corporation, where she managed the multi-milliondollar Elev8 initiative and received the U.S. Department of Education's "Together for
Tomorrow" award during the Obama administration. At Project Exploration, she grew
services from 15 to 1,500 participants in two years.

Syda holds an M.A. in Community Development & Social Justice from Loyola University
Chicago and a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Chicago. She has completed
fellowships with the Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing and Interfaith
America Emerging Leaders.

As a member of the Bahá’í Faith and daughter of Honduran and Colombian parents, Syda
brings a global perspective to her work and considers herself a world citizen. Drawing from
her experience as a breast cancer survivor (2008–2014), she embraces interconnected
wellness between people and the earth. She provides “Fortress of Wellness” trainings to
help her network of social activists and caregivers prevent burnout while pursuing their
collective purpose of advancing justice and unity.