Umi Okoli (née Meredith Walker) is an African American woman, mother, activist, educator, and healer from St. Louis, Missouri. She’s spoken out against racial and economic injustice in various national outlets, including the
Huffington Post, Marshall Project, and a documentary available on PBS,
A Debtors’ Prison. Umi Okoli has been a plaintiff in two class-action lawsuits filed by ArchCity Defenders —
Davis. v. City of Normandy, and
Baker v. Florissant, each of which allege debtors’ prison practices.
