Nadia Owusu is a renowned non-fiction author and urbanist, who was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She is well-known for her peripatetic childhood, having lived in various countries such as Italy, England, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Ghana due to her father's job. Growing up in different parts of the world has significantly influenced her writing, providing her with a unique perspective on culture, identity, and belonging.\n \nOwusu's debut memoir, "Aftershocks," was published in 2021 and quickly gained critical acclaim. It was selected as one of the 13 new books to watch for in January 2021 by the New York Times, one of BookExpo America's buzziest books of the year, and one of Oprah.com's 55 most anticipated books of 2021. The memoir explores the author's experiences growing up in different parts of the world and her struggle to come to terms with her complex identity.
In addition to her writing, Owusu is also an accomplished urban planner. She currently works as the director of storytelling at Frontline Solutions, a black-owned consulting firm that helps social-change organizations define goals, execute plans, and evaluate impact. Owusu's writing has appeared in various publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post's The Lily, Orion, the Literary Review, the Paris Review Daily, Catapult, Bon Appétit, and others.\n \nOwusu is also a dedicated teacher, having earned her MFA in creative nonfiction at the Mountainview low-residency program, where she now teaches. She has won several awards for her writing, including the 2019 Whiting Award and the Atlas Review chapbook contest for her lyric essay chapbook, "So Devilish a Fire." Her work has been recognized for its exceptional quality, and she continues to inspire and influence many through her teaching, writing, and urban planning work.