Nikiya Davis, 2020 Woman of Courage Awardee

Nikiya Davis, a single mother of two and Northview Heights resident, rose through the ranks at LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh, where she was employed for 16 years. One day in September 2019, she went to work and learned the hospital was closing. 

“It was such an emotional day,” Nikiya explained. “After 16 years, you think this is where you’re going to work for the rest of your life.”

Nikiya began searching for a job and applied for unemployment. She struggled because she wasn’t used to navigating the internet, filling out online forms or working with technology. She was blindly applying for jobs and her search was going nowhere.

“I didn’t know how to create a resume. I didn’t even know where to begin,” Nikiya said. “I was starting to panic. I was worried that my children wouldn’t have food and how I was going to pay my rent.”

Just as her unemployment benefits were about to run out, Nikiya was referred to Pennsylvania Women Work. “I received a call the next day from [job counselor] Kristen Tsapis,” Nikiya said. “The day she called me in March 2020 was also the first day Allegheny County went into lockdown due to COVID-19.”

Nikiya and Kristen worked together through virtual meetings, including creating a new resume. Within just a few days, Kristen had connected Nikiya to an opportunity at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) and helped her prepare for an interview. Soon after, she received a job offer that changed her life.  

“I couldn’t believe this was happening. The relief and joy I felt were overwhelming,” Nikiya said.

Within just five weeks of coming to PA Women Work and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nikiya started her first day as a nursing assistant at AGH.

“Everything is okay now. I am working on getting a car and making sure my children’s needs are taken care of,” Nikia said. “I am so grateful for that – to not have to worry about what they are going to eat or whether or not I can pay my bills.”

Nikiya hopes more women can find the support they need to find meaningful employment. “PA Women Work was a saving grace at a not so great time in my life. I couldn’t ask for anything more – they helped me get to where I wanted to be,” she said. “I am so grateful for everything Kristen did for me. I couldn’t have done it without her.”

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