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Angèlica Ekeke is a visual journalist, filmmaker, composer, and philanthropist whose work is rooted in social justice and human dignity. As the daughter of a child soldier and refugee, who survived and fought in the Biafra War, she grew up with a deep awareness of displacement, resilience, statelessness, and the urgent need for compassionate global action. This legacy shaped her path as a storyteller and later inspired her to found,The African Refugee Alliance — an international nonprofit organization (NGO), where she advocates for racial equity within humanitarian aid as a fundamental human right.
“Starting this organization for me began as a means of reporting on an issue that I deeply cared about, but later became a necessary initiative that required tangible action. I saw no one addressing the issue directly, so I had to do something myself. And as a journalist, I had all the evidence I needed”, she shares.
Her commitment strengthened after a formative experience as a Pulitzer Center International Fellow, where she witnessed firsthand both the resilience of African refugees and the racism and inequities they faced everyday. This encounter pushed her to expand her storytelling into direct service, building an organization that not only addressed the many narratives and inaccurate information, that prevented them from receiving assistance, but also the racial bias and inequity that exists within the humanitarian sector as a whole. Solutions Journalism was at the center of her heart when creating this organization. She desired for it to be a platform for credible news that amplified refugee voices, while also providing tangible support, impacting the everyday lives of refugees.
As a visual journalist, she reframes communities that are often overlooked, presenting them as beautifully complex and deeply valued. She has produced and commissioned work for Meta, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, The New York Times, and Berkeley Law, earning national and international recognition.
She holds a BA from San Francisco State University and an MA from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Our Founder
"Starting this organization for me began as a means of reporting on an issue that I deeply cared about, but it later became a necessary initiative that required tangible action. I saw no one addressing the issue directly, so I had to do something myself. And as a journalist, I had all the evidence I needed".
Both nationally and overseas, I have seen how African refugees were not prioritized in war, state of emergencies, and with everyday resources. As a daughter of a refugee, I wanted to do something tangible about."
Founder, Angèlica Ekeke
