Okoma Atani Matengula

Okoma Atani Matengula

Hi, my name is Okoma. It’s pronounced like Oklahoma but without the “lah” in the middle. I am from Malawi, but I grew up in Houston and recently moved to Chapel Hill from Austin, Texas. In 2022, I graduated Cum Laude from the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Law, Values, and Policy. With this program, I am passionate about further researching the intersection between Public Policy, African-American Studies, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Politics. In the future, I plan to use my degree to work in local government or with larger organizations in order to implement equitable solutions to intersectional problems in diverse and underrepresented communities. After completing my undergraduate degree, I spent a year volunteering with youth organizations along with a small solar energy company based in Malawi. The company’s mission is to provide renewable energy to villages and businesses that otherwise wouldn’t have any. My main responsibilities consisted of managing projects, assisting with grant applications, and communicating between teams. It was quite rewarding to see how my small contribution brought happiness and benefited our customers’ lives. In the future, I hope to use my experience to bring the same happiness and ease to other people’s lives. In my free time, I enjoy watching movies, and musicals, listening to music, reading, and writing short stories.