Zenique Gardner Perry grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, where early teachers nurtured her love of writing. She earned a BA in English Writing from Eastern University, including a semester studying African literature in East Africa, and later completed an MFA in Creative Nonfiction at Washington University in St. Louis. In 2013, she was selected as the sole American Farafina Fellow for a writing residency in Lagos, Nigeria.

After more than a decade in Philadelphia, Zenique returned to St. Louis in 2015 and built a career in youth violence prevention, antiracism education, and community support. She has served in leadership roles at Safe Connections and the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission, and co‑founded Undo Bias, an antiracism consulting firm.

Zenique joined Marian Middle School in November 2025 and is excited to bring her experience in education, advocacy, and storytelling to the school community. In addition to her organizational leadership, she has long taught literary courses and narrative writing with people whose voices are often overlooked, helping them center themselves both on the page and in society. This work, paired with her experience in youth‑focused violence prevention, has deepened her commitment to being present with children during their formative years and nurturing the foundational skills and creativity that help them thrive throughout their lives.