Born in Brooklyn, NY Jimel Calliste attended High School for Civil Rights and Law on Thomas Jefferson Campus. Jimel is a young activist who has dedicated much of his life to defending the rights and improving the lives of the underserved. As President of the Bloomsburg University NAACP, he led the founding committee in chartering the collegiate chapter. He led critical campaigns for voting registration and diversity amongst campus students, faculty, and staff.

In 2019 he joined the NAACP's NextGen Program which provides comprehensive leadership and advocacy training for young adults on a mission to become the next generation of civil rights leaders. In 2020 he served as a Democracy fellow where he managed virtual organizers to phone bank and text-recruited volunteers to mobilize the indirect relational voter turnout (IRVT) program.

He has served as President of the Wilkes Barre NAACP, as well as the Advisor of the Pennsylvania NAACP State Conference Youth & College Division, serving as one of the youngest in history for both positions.