Nakeeya Garland joined the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy in August 2021 after receiving her BA in Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. During her time at Penn, Nakeeya conducted archival research around Black Womanhood, gender constructions, indigeneity, and knowledge production, across the African Diaspora, particularly in countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti, the United States, and Senegal. The international scope of her studies led her to participate in a short-term program in Ghana and a long-term study abroad program in Dakar, Senegal.

 In addition to archival research, Nakeeya holds a passion for supporting creativity. Previously working in public programming and curation at the Museum of African Diaspora (San Francisco, CA), the African American Museum of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA), ImagiNation Afrika (Dakar, Senegal), and the Studio Museum in Harlem (New York, NY), Nakeeya is intrigued by creativity’s ability to capture the experiences and histories she studies. As the Cultural Programs Associate, Nakeeya supports MCCD with exhibition development, research, exchanges, and cultural programming.