Dr. Lakeya Afolalu

Dr. Lakeya Afolalu is an Assistant Professor of Language, Literacy, and Culture at The University of Washington. Her hybrid identity as a Nigerian and Black American coupled with her experience as a former elementary and middle school teacher influenced her current research project, which explores Black African immigrant youth identities, languages, and literacies across school, community, and digital spaces. Dr. Omogun is also a creative writer and TEDx speaker. Her creative writing and public speaking have fostered public conversations and social impact in relation to identity and race, reaching over 180,000 readers and listeners. Her academic scholarship has appeared in the Journal of Literacy of Research, Teachers College Record, and the Journal of Research in Childhood Education. Her public scholarship has been featured on various formats, including TEDx, ESSENCE Magazine, NPR Radio, ZORA, and SXSW. Mostly recently, she founded a nonprofit, LitiArts, organization to put her research into practice. LitiArts uses literacy and the arts to enhance youth of color lives, support their identities, and strengthen their overall well-being.