A first-generation Somali-American and Black Muslim woman, Shahrazad grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is a Communications Program Assistant with The Wilson Center Africa Program. In this role, Shahrazad supports U.S.-Africa relations and policy through strategic communications and programming. She wears many hats as a social media/web manager, graphic designer, and content curator working to change narratives regarding Africa and the African Diaspora. Shahrazad has planned and executed over 100 events, including three international conferences in Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Botswana, collaborating with the UN, African Union, World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank, and African and international governments. She is Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at The Wilson Center, where she works to scale-up procedures and programming that positively impact DEI.

Shahrazad received a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2018, she was awarded the Influencer of the Year award by the UMD Student Success Leadership Council for her work in fostering spaces for African representation and agency.

A storyteller at heart, Shahrazad wants to bring more exposure to the stories and lives of Black Muslims. She is interested in the role Africa’s creative sector plays in global entertainment and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Shahrazad hopes to increase the representation of African film in mainstream media and harness Africa’s creative sector as a vehicle for economic growth. She is an ESFJ and a history buff. She enjoys eating, traveling, and learning about different cultures.