Kamayah Scruggs

Kamayah Scruggs is a Nashville, Tennessee native and a graduating senior at Spelman College. She is completing her undergraduate degree in International Studies with a concentration in International Development and a minor in Economics. Her past experiences living in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for a month as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow have prepared her to excel in conflict negotiations and diverse mediation tactics and inspired her to be an international advocate. Similarly, studying abroad in Kigali, Rwanda, allowed Kamayah to witness the beauty that resides within the African continent and encouraged her to assist in the ethical development of the region. Her experiences in Rwanda even led her to craft her honors undergraduate thesis on how trauma can shutter avenues of political autonomy in African states. She even presented this research at Howard University as a PPSEP Scholar. As a 2023 United Nations Millennium Fellow, Kamayah has also worked to promote the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and has also served as an HBCU Global Ambassador for WCAPS, as well as a Policy & Advocacy intern for Mercy Corps. Kamayah is passionate about empowering other women of color to contribute to the sphere of international affairs and plans to receive her MA in International Affairs with a concentration in Economic Policy. Kamayah is honored to serve as a Foreign Service Officer with USAID and is proud to represent the incredible legacy of Congressman Donald M. Payne.