Rutgers GSE CMSI

Mesi Walton

Mesi Bakari Walton’s research intersects with Africana, Latin American, and Cultural Studies. Her work explores how Afro-diasporic cultures are employed as symbols of identity and tools of survival through cultural texts of music, dance, language, and other practices. Mesi recently completed research as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Colombia titled, “Ancestral Identity - Afro-Colombian Cultural Traditions of the Atlantic Coast.” She has a book chapter titled, “Dance, Rhythm, and Ritual: Afro-Venezuelans in Resistance” and an article titled, “Afro-Venezuelan Cultural Survival: Invoking Ancestral Memory. ”She also organizes cultural exchange tours throughout Latin America for the youth and adults. Walton holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development from Howard University and a Master’s in Spanish Language and Early Childhood Education. Currently, Mesi is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and Afro-Diaspora Cultures at Howard University.