Born into a life shaped by adversity, Ayiana Litt has transformed pain into purpose. At just eight years old, her world changed when her father was sentenced to life in prison without parole—a consequence of an act committed in defense of his daughter.

From that moment forward, Ayiana Litt carried not only the weight of her own grief, but the fractured pieces of a family left behind.

Raised by a resilient mother and grandmother, she excelled academically even as she navigated the emotional toll of rejection, identity struggles, and the deep impact of growing up with incarcerated loved ones.

Despite being a straight-A student and active in programs like Mock Trial and Iowa Youth Congress, her teen years were marked by emotional turmoil, substance use, and encounters with the justice system. Still, she survived—fueled by the unwavering belief that her life had meaning beyond her pain.

Guided by her passion for justice and community, Ayiana Litt earned her associate degree from Scott Community College and graduated summa cum laude from St. Ambrose University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology.

She now serves her community as a full-time housing case manager and part-time youth counselor at the Youth Justice & Rehabilitation Center.

In 2025, she founded Litt’s Movement Incorporated, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting youth impacted by the criminal justice system. Inspired by her own story, she strives to be a voice for the voiceless, a mentor to those overlooked, and an advocate for systemic change.

Her mission is clear: to transform trauma into triumph and help young people break cycles of incarceration and injustice—one life at a time.
She knows the system because it took her father and too many others. And she knows the power of one person believing in you—because it changed her life.

Now, she is that person for others. And if she can change just one life, Litt’s Movement has done its job.

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