Sankara A. Olama-Yai 3812 Littleton Street▪ Silver Spring
MD 20906 ▪ (240) 772-4539 ▪ olamayai.sankara@gmail.com Availability: Full-time
Temporary; Summer or Seasonal employment; Internship. NOMINATIONS/AFFILIATIONS: Nominations: Runner up for the University of Miami Dean's Masters of Fine Arts 5
000$ Research Fellowship Award
judged by Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés
for the pursuit of a creative research thesis project: Thesis centered around semi-structured interview data of Afro-diasporic diplomatic
political and cultural figures transfigured into research-docupoems Presenter at the University of Miami Gender and Sex 2023 Colloquium on research concerning the intersections of asexual studies
literature
and neo-imperialism. Fulbright research nomination for research on Climate-Resilience in South Asia (2022) Nomination to present at CONAPP 2020/21 Gettysburg Peace Conference for Undergraduate Research for climate change
women’s empowerment
and conflict in Sudan (2021). Volunteer in the Democratic Republic of Congo assisting clinic doctors working with cleft-lip children Published Books: Ebony Wings (2018); Ode to Our Frailty (2022); Afro-Dreaming ( Expected publication 2023): Nominations for “Ode to Our Frailty” longlisted for the Black Sexton Poetry Prize(2021)
“Afro-Dreaming” Chapbook Manuscript Shortlisted for the Thirty West chapbook prize(2021). EDUCATION: The University of Miami Masters of Fine Arts in Poetry’24 {Specialization in Poetic Inquiry as Qualitative Research Method} American University Bachelor of Arts in International Relations{Specialization in Gender & Subsaharan African Development} Minors in Literature & Afro-Diasporic Studies WORK EXPERIENCE: Vanguard Think Tank(2023- ) Graduate Research Fellow Middle East & Africa Researcher
working with Vanguard's research groups to publish collaborative research. Responsible for creating both long-form and short-form articles
as well as news-related content for Vanguard Think Tank’s social media accounts OJOBA Foundation(2023- ) Vice President Vice Presidential duties include: Meeting with the board of directors to oversee that the planning and implementation of global cultural and educational events carried out by the foundation
such as fundraising events and publication of future anthologies
are aligned with the mission statement of promoting the African cultural identity. Other duties include outreach
and building collaborative relationships with global figures relevant to the world of Afro-diasporic cultural development
which currently include figures such as members of the royal Yoruba family and UNESCO African ambassadors. University of Miami English department(2023-2024) Graduate Student-Professor of English Composition & Creative Writing Designed and will be teaching the following undergraduate courses
approved by the University of Miami Post-completion of Graduate Teacher Training: “Writing from the Margins
Towards Creative Anarchy”(2024)and “International Development and Literature; Narratives from the Global South”(2024). Courses that interrogate how creative resistance
global south development
and revolution coexist
centering poetic inquiry
textual analysis
discourse analysis
and archival research as primary research frameworks. Research Consulting & Speech Writing
Sovereign Council Member of Republic of Sudan
(2020) Research consultant/Speechwriter Conducted and contributed specialized
targeted research on international conflict
climate change
and gender empowerment
for a speech-writing team during the summer of 2020
on behalf of a Member of the Sudanese Sovereign Council. Speech contribution focused on the importance of climate education for Sudanese youth
based on research I was previously nominated to present at the Gettysburg Peace Conference. Research facilitated the success of their presentation before a university panel. Uplifting Africa Program
The Eurasia Center
D.C.
(2020) Research Assistant Responsibilities included: Managing a database of relevant non-profit grants. Providing the senior program development team with research on international organizations engaged with advocacy work
conflict
and security and social justice at large Publishing Research on social issues concerning the Northern and Sub-saharan African continent
most notably on Sudan
and country-specific briefs on the up-to-date state of affairs in the countries of Malawi
Seychelles
and Eritrea
updated for the organization's website
and outreach newsletters Frontier Poetry
Literary platform
(2018- 2020 ) Staff Intern Publication Staff Member. Reviewed and Judged hundreds of submissions a month for publication as well as for literary contests and Master of Fine Arts fellowship opportunities The Writer’s Center (non-profit organization) Bethesda
Maryland ( 2019- 2022) Communications Coordinator/Staff Member of Poet Lore literary magazine Multilingual Outreach coordination Literary consulting Event management. Managed and personally coordinated with visiting international clientele
which included: award-winning authors
ambassadors
renowned literary figures
and theater production groups
facilitating the organization of events
theater productions
and workshops Public International Law & Policy Group (International
pro bono Law firm)
D.C.
(2016) Shadow Intern Translated Russian documents. Provided foreign media analysis for the Russian-Syrian negotiations team Conducted research
provided detailed reports and administrative support to the Sudan negotiation team Lebara
telecommunication company
Paris
France (2016) Intern Responsible for administrative and receptionist tasks such as organizing and filing critical documents operating phone calls and engaging with clients via telephone and email Providing bilingual translating services to consultants ForMind Consulting
Cyber Security Firm
Paris
France
(2014) Intern Translated company documents and website from French to English to expand clientele beyond France Created and maintained a database for new equipment to manage company inventory SKILLS: Excellent research skills; Grant Writing; Multitasking skills; Translation skills (French)//LANGUAGES: French (Fluent) Russian (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language - certified Intermediate proficiency)
By Sankara A. Olama-Yai