Lakeya Afolalu, PhD, is an assistant professor of language, literacy, and culture at the University of Washington’s College of Education. She was raised between Detroit and New York. Her hybrid identity as a first-generation Nigerian and African American informs her scholarship, which focuses on the identities, languages, and literacies of Nigerian immigrant youths in the United States. She is also the founder of LitiArts, a nonprofit organization that uses literacy, arts education, and mentorship to enhance educational equity for youth of color. Outside of work, Lakeya enjoys creative writing, long-distance running, and family time. Lakeya lives between Seattle, Washington, and Abuja, Nigeria, with her husband, also her world travel partner.
