Nikaya Garris is not just a student at an HBCU, she is living proof of the resilience and rebirth that Historically Black Colleges and Universities have long nurtured. Her journey at Savannah State University has been a blend of heartbreak, faith, and an unwavering belief that her story could one day inspire someone else’s.
When Nikaya graduated high school in 2020, a year overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, she carried the same wide-eyed dreams every senior does, only to watch them unravel. Milestones were missed, celebrations canceled, and her first glimpse of college life began through the glow of a laptop screen. The vibrant HBCU culture she dreamed of had now been muted. Yet even in the silence of Zoom classes and limited events, Savannah State offered something powerful, a sense of belonging that felt like family. She found her first “chosen family” in friends like Sannial JnCharles, Kobe Stokes, and Cierra and Jermaine Savage, people who reminded her that even in uncertainty, there is connection.
But just as she was adjusting, life delivered a crushing blow. She lost the funding source from her tuition. Overnight, she went from being a college freshman to facing homelessness, clearing out her dorm room with nowhere to go. Nights were spent in her sister Marquicias’ rental car by the river, her enrollment status gone, and with it, a sense of security she had always known.
The grief was heavy, but the kindness stayed with her just as strongly. A moment in the freshman dorm when she broke down crying in front of her community assistant, Cierra Savage, became a turning point. That embrace, that reminder she wasn’t invisible, planted the first seeds of healing.
The years that followed were not linear. There were hard jobs, long shifts building golf carts, juggling moving from her sister Sasha’s couch to having her own apartment, and even the painful decision to step away from school again, after failing an online semester, to regain her footing. But Savannah State was always in her heart. “I never stopped feeling like I belonged there,” she says. She tried attending classes on campus again but quickly realized there were too many distractions for her to thrive. Her cousin Adonis Thomas reminded her, “If you’re hungry, eat!”, words that pushed her to reset.
With the unwavering love of her mother, her grandmother, and her sister, she returned home to heal and rebuild her foundation. After 2 years of relentless work, she made her return to “The University by the Sea,” this time online in Spring 2025. Rebuilding her academic journey with a 3.5 GPA while working full-time, volunteering, and returning to the sport that had always grounded her: horseback riding.
Riding wasn’t just a hobby; it was a lifeline. Encouraged by trailblazing Black Equestrians. Kevin Scott owns a luxury leather brand she has modeled for and warms up his polo ponies. Miguel and Chancey who host an all-black polo event in Atlanta every year where she has made lots of HBCU and equestrian connections, being that he started Morehouse Colleges’ polo team.
Kirsten Beach showcases her love for the equine industry online while encouraging Nikaya to do the same.
She found herself back in the saddle, training under Carolyn Duncan at Crooked Creek Farms. A pertinent part to the healing. Carolyn and the barn welcomed her and her dreams with open arms, making her feel seen beyond words. To put the cherry on top she was able to lease her dream horse allowing her to begin her competition journey as an adult.
Going back into her equine career full swing came with its own set of challenges. After riding consistently for a year, she began working with Polo ponies and volunteering at horse shows. Eager to prove her dedication and show her mom a potential horse, Nikaya pushed herself past her limits. Her ambition caught up with her one day, resulting in a devastating fall that left her with a concussion, hip contusions, a cervical sprain, and bruised muscles, forcing her to take time off. The experience mirrored the academic hardships she faced, but instead of slowing down, she used it to keep pushing. Even while recovering, she juggled summer classes, and despite her concussion, she stayed on track, finishing her term with a 3.5 GPA. Now, back in the saddle, she rides with even greater focus and gratitude for what’s ahead.
Her HBCU experience wasn’t just about degrees or credits; it became about rebuilding herself. The values Savannah State instilled, perseverance, family, and excellence, took root in her life. Her healing deepened when she reconnected with horseback riding, the sport she had loved since childhood.
Today, Nikaya stands at the crossroads of education, passion, and purpose. She envisions a future where her pain births possibility for others, with dreams of launching her own nonprofit, 14 Hands and Steppingstones, to help underprivileged children find healing through horses and education, just as she did. Her road wasn’t easy, but she believes every step was for a bigger purpose. And as she says, “This is only my beginning!”
