Asia Tamaami is a Seattle native and graduated with a double major in Education, Communities, & Organizations, and American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington. During her time as an undergraduate student, Asia had the opportunity to study abroad in South Korea, Italy, and The Philippines, which ignited her passion for international development and led her to the Humphrey School’s Masters of Development Practice program.
As a first-generation American and proud daughter of Somali and Oromo refugees, Asia’s lived experiences have influenced her commitment to serving communities historically at the margins. With this in mind, Asia seeks to advocate for vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities in the United States and abroad, including her own Somali and Oromo communities. Asia hopes to use her MDP degree as a means of achieving social transformation and improve the lives of refugees by reducing the harms left by war, conflict, and disaster. Her interests are in human rights, law, forced migration, immigrant rights, community-based research, community-driven development, education, and advocacy.