[6] During her middle school years, they faced deportation and her mother was unable to return to Nigeria for the burial of her father (Tometi's maternal grandfather) because of the ongoing case.

[9][5] Tometi visited Nigeria for the first time when she was 17 years old and credits these experiences with shaping her approach to pro-immigration advocacy work.

After her parents won their deportation case, Tometi began demonstrating with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

[13] Tometi, with community organizers, Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza, founded Black Lives Matter (BLM) in 2013.

[7] Originally, Garza wrote a Facebook post in response to George Zimmerman's acquittal in the murder of Trayvon Martin.

[16] Tometi is also credited with selecting black and yellow as the organization's colors, in addition to forming BLM's social media platforms and strategy.

[12][6] After witnessing the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri following Michael Brown's killing, Tometi mobilized 500 community activists for a demonstration she called the "Black Lives Matter Freedom Ride."

This event, fueled by social media, ignited a desire to turn Black Lives Matter into a global movement, addressing systemic racism and police brutality.

[12] In 2020, Tometi created Diaspora Rising, a center focused on cultivating a global Black community, operating mostly on social media.

[12][18] Tometi has spoken at Susquehanna University, the Facing Race Conference of 2012, the Aspen Institute's Ideas Summit, and the Grinnell College Technology and Human Rights Symposium.

Tometi stated she was "in a place where there is intelligent political discourse" and that the country appears to "have a truly thriving and rigorous democratic system.