The NKU and youth advocate community are mourning the death of student Diamond Rice, who was killed on Feb. 3. Rice, 33, is being remembered as a dedicated proponent of social justice and improving her community.
Along with her time at NKU as a Bachelor of Science student, Rice prioritized justice for young people as part of her past work with Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP), in Hamilton County, Ohio.
YAP is a national nonprofit that delivers community-based individual and family wraparound services that give youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, education and other government systems an alternative to youth incarceration and other out-of-home placements. In Nov. 2024, Rice represented YAP at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
“Diamond was a powerful force at YAP, and she is sorely missed here in Hamilton County, Ohio, and nationally,” said Nate Lett, YAP Hamilton County, Ohio Director, in a statement. “She was proud to share her personal story at events to raise awareness and funding for the nonprofit. Diamond was passionate about her work, serving as the Assistant Director, and her optimism was her superpower. As an adolescent growing up in Baltimore, she was like the young people she served in Hamilton County – a YAP participant who, through the program’s services, saw the light in herself and put it to work to give back to help others.”
Rice served as a panelist and advocate for the Successful Community Programs for Youth at Risk of Violence session. Having gone from a program participant to a YAP advocate, Rice’s story impacted many.
After moving from Baltimore to Cincinnati at age 30, Rice pursued her bachelor’s degree in social work, earning recognition on NKU’s President’s Honors List. She was focusing on her professional goals, including becoming an author.
On Feb. 2, shortly after 10 p.m, Cincinnati Police responded to a report of a shooting in the 2300 block of May Street. Rice’s death appeared to be what investigators describe as a violent confrontation with her partner, 31-year-old Jasmine Blake.
Based on evidence investigators found at the scene, court documents said Blake shot Rice during an argument, causing her death. In court on Feb. 3, Blake’s attorney alleged the shooting was in self-defense because Blake was being attacked.
However, prosecutors said police did not have any indication that Rice was armed in a way that was threatening to Blake or with the intention of using deadly force.
According to court documents, Blake was arrested and charged with murder for the shooting, and the judge ordered Blake to be held on a $750,000 bond.
Rice’s death has deeply impacted her family, friends and others who knew her.
“In her passing, we have lost a very bright light, one whose spirit and influence will endure through those she touched,” NKU President Cady Short -Thompson said in an email.
NKU students can find supportive resources to reach out to during this difficult time. Counseling Services and Crisis support is available 24 hours a day. Additional support is available by calling 859-572-5650. More student resources are accessible online.
NKU’s University Wellness also offers the Employee Assistance Program through Aetna, providing additional counseling resources for faculty and staff.