Community Organizer, Art Curator, Program Coordinator, Political Consultant
UPenn MPA Graduate
Exploring
Art
Policy
& Space
as Economic & Community
Drivers
Ayinde B. Merrill
Hi! I am Ayinde (Ah-Yin-Day) Merrill, a catalyst for change in the state New Jersey. I am a forward-thinking community organizer, policy analyst, art curator, non-profit administrator, and k-12 teacher. That's a lot (I know!) but it all meaningfully connects. I believe that the arts with the support of smart local policy and philanthropic aid is key to equitable and inclusive community development. By investing in a community's artistic expression gives residents a say in how they want their community to look, operate, and serve them. My goal is to support existing or create new policies and initiatives to activate community level public art to help stimulate and developed healthier communities of color.
Professional Summary
I honed my organizing skills in my hometown Camden, New Jersey by leading and participating in grassroots movements by utilizing art, artists, and civic engagement towards social and political change. Transformative change have blossomed from these initiatives from addressing social justice issues through art-based public protest to mobilizing community members to get new laws enacted. My passion for art, Policy, and People have lead to me to previously serve as Research Fellow for The Mullen-Funded Mutual Regard Project at Rutgers University’s Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice. Rutgers University’s Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice is a cross disciplinary team to strategize, research, and be active participants in global racial justice. My community organizing, global service, and teaching experience has led to notable mentions and features in Oprah Daily, Al-Jazeera, Bloomberg News, NBC News New York, WHYY, Politico and NPR. I bring a wide range of experiences, creativity, and tested leadership to transform any workspace to increase community engagement, deepen client relations, and meet any challenge head on.
A Decade of non-profit management and global service.
My start in non-profit management came in 2013 with the idea of starting a global service organization. The following year I founded Watu Moja. Watu Moja, meaning one people in Swahili, mission is to developed the world's next leaders through connecting Afrikan American and Afro Latino young people to the global community, the Afrikan Diaspora, and those on the Afrikan continent to serve, connect, and develop life-long and life-changing relationships of mutual love, encouragement, and investment. Our mission relays heavily on the soul-baring power of storytelling to build mutual regard and understanding. Watu Moja has serviced projects in Nairobi Kenya, Guatemala, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Want to learn more? Click here!
Credits &
Collaborations
