Valeriana Chikoti-Bandua

Valeriana Chikoti-Bandua was born as a refugee, indigenous to the Ovimbundu tribe in the southern region of the Republic of Angola. Born in Zambia due to a civil war, her family fled to Papua New Guinea when she was three years old. In 2007, Chikoti-Bandua moved to the USA as an international student. After a 12-year immigration journey, she successfully obtained a green card, making the US her second home.

Chikoti-Bandua is a dedicated advocate for marginalized communities, particularly immigrant and refugee populations, and has a strong focus on interrupting anti-blackness. She served as a Human Rights Diplomat for the country of Angola on the Human Rights Committee and as the Executive Director of the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. Chikoti-Bandua is a reputable international speaker and has given a TEDx Talk titled "Protect the Girl Child."

She is the founder of Necessary Interruptions LLC, a racial equity consulting firm that offers workshops, public speaking events, and training series for businesses, non-profits, agencies, and organizations. Her firm is committed to interrupting anti-blackness through an anti-oppressive lens rooted in the liberation of Black communities. Chikoti-Bandua also currently serves as the Vice President of Surge, a radical reproductive justice organization based in Seattle, Washington. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management Information Systems with a minor in American Government from Oral Roberts University and a Master's Degree in Global Governance and International Security from Florida International University.