Adaku Utah
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Adaku Utah | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983 or 1984 (age 41–42)[1] Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Citizenship | Nigeria, United States |
| Occupations | Healer, artist, activist |
| Known for | Healing justice, social change, Harriet's Apothecary |
| Awards | Jessica Eve Patt Award (2012) |
| Website | adakuutah |
Adaku Utah (// ⓘ) is a Nigerian-American Igbo traditional healer, speaker, writer, and artist. Her work centers on gender, reproductive justice, racial equity, youth empowerment, and healing justice movements for social change.[2] She is the cofounder of Harriet's Apothecary, an alternative healing collective led by Black women and queer healers.[1]
Utah was born in Baltimore, Maryland, US but was raised in Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria. Her father is from Abia State and her mother from Imo State.[2] She descends from a lineage of herbalists and farmers who practiced traditional healing. As a child, she experienced chronic illness and found greater relief through herbal medicine than conventional treatments.[1] Utah earned a BSc in Biotechnology and Psychology from Pennsylvania State University.[3]
Career
Utah is the Senior Manager of Movement Building Programs at the Building Movement Project, where she supports national convenings and leadership development for social justice organizations.[2] She has worked with groups including the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, Black Lives Matter, Black LGBTQI+ Migrant Project, The Movement for Black Lives, Yale University, Planned Parenthood, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Black Women's Blueprint, and the Audre Lorde Project.[2]
She is also a host and contributor to the Anti-Eugenics Project, which explores the legacy of eugenics and its impact on marginalized communities.[4]
As a performance artist, Utah has collaborated with Decadancetheatre,[5] and founded Soular Bliss, a creative wellness initiative.[6] Utah is queer[2] and resides in Brooklyn, New York.[7]
She contributed to the anthology Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety, edited by Cara Page and Erica Woodland, alongside Prentis Hemphill.[8]
Recognition
Utah has been recognised for her contributions with several awards:[2]
- 2012 Sexuality Leadership Development Fellowship from the Africa Regional Sexuality Resource Centre
- 2012 Center for Whole Communities Whole Thinking Fellowship
- Jessica Eve Patt Award from the Chicago Foundation for Women (2012)
- Featured nominee for Girl Tank and MTV Voices' "10,000 Names in 100 Days"