PEORIA MAGAZINE December 2022

“It was, again, another formof therapy,” Romain recalls. “Theater saved my life again. And I just shouted it from the rooftops. I was so empowered that I was like, I want to tell my story everywhere. I'm going to do it. So I literally took the show on the road.” A PARTNERSHIP The show toured venues such as the Hollywood Fringe Festival in Los Angeles and the Royal George Theater in Chicago. It was at the final show in Chicago that she received a surprise marriage proposal from Jonathon Romain, a talented artist in his own right.

“Nikki is all about growth, development and empowerment,” said Corianna Carpenter, a youth leadership teacher at ART, Inc. “Her mission is to inspire and empower the community through arts, education and culture, which she enacts compassionately through her various life-changing programs and events, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for all. She goes out of her way to include everyone, recognize and respect people fromall walks of life, and is ultimately the inspiration that Peoria needed to ensure that people embrace their roots while also strengthening their personal and core values.” “She gives people opportunities that they might never receive,” added teaching artist Morgan Grajewski. “She, alongside Mr. Romain, gives the community a place to turn towhen they need that extra glimmer of inspiration and creativity. Nikki likes to get as many people involved as possible. Fundraisers or projects, she loves to create her own teamof people who can share the word and message!” 'SEE IT, BE IT' One of those projects is Romain’s EmpowHER Our Girls program, for junior high and high school girls. While it started in Peoria, the virtual nature of the class has drawn girls from all over the United States. The students have breakout sessions in topics as diverse as creative writing, coding, f inance, paint ing, soap making and yoga. Successful women from various occupations are invited to speak so the girls can hear their stories about success and wellness. Romain is proud of the program. She shares that many of the girls came in thinking they had limited career options. The program has opened their eyes to the many different opportunities they have available. They have seen how girls just like them have grown to make a big impact in their communities. Romain tells them, “If you can see it, you can be it.” “I want themto seemore,” she stressed. “There's so much more. I want these girls to see that it's attainable.”

Darlene Violet, an ART Inc. board member, says that Romain herself is “an inspiration by being open-hearted and is willing to embark on territory not tried before, not to mention her fantastic singing voice and talent on the stage!” Her busy schedule means that Romain doesn’t get quite as much stage time now, but she hasn’t completely given up on performing. Art Inc.’s annual fundraiser, Día de los Muertos: Love Never Dies is a theatrical evening celebrating Hispanic culture. Romain sang in the last event and always plays a big part in the ceremonies. Occasionally, she takes on voiceover work. Mainly, her creative opportunities are behind the scenes. In June she directed ART Inc.’s first theatrical production, and she’s continuing to grow the performing opportunities at the Romain Arts and Culture Center. The teens there are experimenting with podcasting, which has her thinking about the benefits of a production studio in the area. No matter what comes next, Romain knows she’s found a home with others who share her vision. ‘I WANNA CREATE SPACES FOR THEM AND FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY TO THRIVE IN THOSE CREATIVE SPACES’ — Nikki Romain “There are lots of creative people in Peoria and in the central Illinois area whowant to do this, who have the talent to do this. And so I wanna create spaces for them and for myself and my family to thrive in those creative spaces.” To learnmore about the Romain Arts and Culture Center, or ART Inc., visit https://artincpeoria.org.

Nikki with husband Jonathon and daughter Kennedy

“When I first met Nikki, we hit it off seamlessly,” Jonathon remembers. “Naively, I thought it was something special about our chemistry. Needless to say, because of that I wanted tomarry her. But over the years, I’ve learned that the thing about her that I thought was uniquely mined belonged to everyone. She unselfishly makes everybody feel important and special. Her genuine kindness is contagious. I know for a fact that I ama better person because of her.” Nikki, in turn, credits her husbandwith helping her turn the arts into a platform to inspire and empower others. Anyone whoworks with Romainwill tell you she is relentless in pursuing that goal.

Laurie Pillman is an author and freelance writer/editor, based in Peoria

46 DECEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE