“I am what I am, because of who we all are.”
Ubuntu
Artist Bio
Raja'Nee is a memory worker, oral historian, and artist who is dedicated to documenting and archiving Black stories for future ancestors to learn from. Prior to her work in education non-profits, Raja'Nee was a social science educator in Chicago Public Schools teaching and advocating on the South and West sides of the city.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and African and Black Diaspora Studies from DePaul University and a Master's in Teaching from The University of Chicago's Urban Teacher Education Program, both with the highest honors.
In 2022, Raja’Nee was selected as an Earthseed Black Family Archive Project Fellow. Raja'Nee's love of history manifests as a commitment to cultural preservation and continued interest in capturing the life stories of her own family.
Today, she serves as the Community Engagement Manager and Digital Archivist at Vocal Justice helping to amplify the voices of young people across the country. She is also the Director of the Scholarship Program at Delacreme Scholars which has awarded over 25 unrestricted scholarships to students and artists from the Chicagoland area.
Personal Projects
As an individual, Raja’Nee is a fluid artist - bending to what her heart feels in the moment. She is a photographer when she imagines powerful images, a creative director when there’s a theme to be carried out, and in all things, an oral historian listening and using questions as invitations.
Uncle Tone (2022)
Blanc Gallery: To Whom This Ground Belongs Exhibition
Oral Interviewer
Mother’s Day with the Redmond Women (2021)
Creative Director and Stylist
Come My Way (2021)
Museum of Science and Industry Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition
Photographer
Delacreme Scholars
Delacreme Scholars aim to foster community through education and civic engagement. As the Director of Scholarships, Raja’Nee has her hand in everything that happens with the organization and scholarship recipients. She oversees the application process for the scholarship and plays a key role in programming events for the Scholars community.
CBS News Feature: Chicago Changemakers with Femdot (2023)
Lulu Lemon x Delacreme Scholars: Scholars 5th Year Dinner (2022)
Delacreme Scholars: Scholars Social and Panel Recap Video (2023)
Vocal Justice
Vocal Justice positions youth who are proximate to injustice as leaders for social change. As the Community Engagement Manager and Digital Archivist, Raja’Nee leads the Youth Advisory Council, curates all of the public-facing platforms, and collects student stories from the program. She also manages various special projects being responsive to the needs of the organization. Now, she dreams of ways to activate the archive to share it with a broader community.
Youth Leadership Summit (2023)
Oral Interviewer
Equal Justice Initiative Community Visit (2023)
Project Manager
Africatown Site Visit (2023)
Cultural Preservationist