Omi o! Ayumahani “Yaya” Sigu is an abolitionist, dreamer, and peacemaker, proudly descended from the Yoruba and Hausa peoples of present-day North and West Africa, as well as the Maroon communities in present-day Louisiana. They received a formal education with a B.A. in Media Literacy from Webster University in 2017 and a professional certificate in Community Health Work from Saint Louis Community College-Forest Park in 2018. However, their passion and deeper calling emerged from indigenous and decolonized education, gained through nine years (2014–2023) of learning from spirit keepers, culture keepers, and circle keepers within their community.
With over seven years of experience in academic and nonprofit settings, Yaya has demonstrated a commitment to serving communities traditionally considered at-risk. They are continually evolving approaches to provide social-emotional and behavioral support for youth and young adults, with a focus on promoting educational success and interpersonal well-being. Their professional mission is rooted in the question, “What keeps communities safe?” To this, they advocate for alternatives to punitive and carceral systems, championing transformative and restorative accountability processes that prioritize society’s most marginalized.
Yaya’s dedication is deeply personal, driven by lived experiences with poverty, violence, and system involvement, as well as by positive role models who instilled in them a love for learning, scholarship, and nonviolent, transformative conflict resolution. Guided by a growth and resilience mindset, Aumyahani strives to inspire and uplift others. Alaafia!
