Doctoral Fellow 2021-22
My name is Kayiraba Toure and I was born in the Ivory Coast and emigrated to the United States in 2014 to pursue my higher education. I earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and African/African American history from the University of Central Arkansas. In 2019, I earned a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University. Currently, I am completing my doctoral studies in peace and conflict resolution at George Mason University. Professionally, I have been employed at the Embassy of the Republic of Togo as an interpreter and assistant to the ambassador. Before this experience, I worked as a research consultant for the World Bank Group’s Global School Safety Program, where I conducted independent studies on how to improve the safety and resilience of school infrastructure exposed to natural hazards. In addition, I have worked in two U.S. Congressional offices, where I monitored and tracked legislation and agency action to inform staff and members. I am fluent in French and English and proficient in five local African languages. I am married with two children.
In 2020, I joined the John Mitchell Program at George Mason University to address the injustice that plagues American society. As a descendant of Africans, I have always wondered what happened to black Africans American who came to the United States. I found an approach and an answer to this question through the John Mitchell Program at George Mason University. This program allows me to research the history of racial terror in Maryland perpetrated against Americans and Africans in the diaspora. Historically speaking, the state of Maryland has always been considered a lynch-free state, but Dr. Charles Chavis’s work sheds light on what happened in Maryland. I had the privilege of researching this topic of discrimination and I learned that the southeastern shore of Maryland was the site of one of the most terrifying crimes against people of color. My research mainly focused on the narrative and the systematic racism that was put in place to erase some of the acts of terror that were committed against black people. I am always interested in understanding how and why these acts were committed and this program gives me that opportunity to learn about it.
