Akua Agyei-Boateng 3 posts 0 comments

A recent graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science, current MA candidate, and aspiring Ph.D., Akua Agyei-Boateng is a proud child of Africa. In her free time, Akua indulges in music, movies, and other forms of media spanning multiple genres and countries (but to be honest, her top three would probably be Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.) Akua was born in Ghana and raised in Alexandria, VA. As a child of the diaspora, she makes great efforts to stay connected to the continent. Akua is a firm believer in the infamous words of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah: “I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me.” Her work, as a perpetual student, is aimed at destabilizing and ultimately decentering the tenants of white supremacy, specifically in the context of Africa and African studies. Through her research, Akua has been afforded the opportunity to work with and be mentored by many notable Africanists including Paul Ocobock, Mariana Candido, and Cajetan Iheka. But, being an African woman, she was not afforded many opportunities in the field of African studies to engage with her own. It is Akua’s hope that she will soon join ranks of great Africanists to inspire other Africans--including those of the diaspora--to join in the dissemination of knowledge about the continent and her people. Akua’s current research will be developed into a Masters thesis under Yale University’s Program in African Studies. In writing for the Voice of Africa, Akua hopes to prove that the true voice of Africa resides in that of her children.