Zakiya Johnson is a first-year PhD student specializing in Diversity and Culture and Child and Adolescent Development. Prior to coming to UConn, she graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a minor in sociology from Iowa State University. While at Iowa State, Zakiya participated in multiple research labs and projects, studying a range of topics from children’s and adolescents’ identity development to long-term romantic relationships in older adulthood. As an undergraduate student, Zakiya presented her research on Black girls’ and adolescents’ ethnic-identity development and its association with mental health and self-esteem at the 2023 Society for Research on Child Development. After graduating from Iowa State, Zakiya spent time in Minneapolis, working in clinical research, where she studied risk factors for dementia in aging Black Americans and biotechnology for atrial fibrillation patients. She has also served as a volleyball coach, study abroad mentor, and spent three years working in childcare and as a nanny. She credits these experiences for shaping her interest in youth development, education, and programming.
At UConn, Zakiya works under the mentorship of Dr. Marketa Burnett as part of The Dream Collab. Their work uses qualitative methods to center the voices of Black girls and parents to envision various ways to best support Black girls’ thriving. Long term, Zakiya plans to use research as a tool to create programming and influence policy that creates a more equitable society for all children, with a special interest in Black girls and adolescents. She aspires to produce research that amplifies the voices of marginalized youth, creating accessible, representative research that reflects and supports the experiences of under-researched populations.
Outside of academia, Zakiya enjoys playing volleyball, traveling, reading, knitting, and spending time with her friends and family. She is passionate about community building and engagement and enjoys volunteering, mentoring, and hosting events whenever her time allows.