Nominees

Abu Ngauja is a talent experience strategist, representation + belonging advisor, and sometimes, when-inspired, a poet currently based in Richmond, Virginia. His genesis didn’t start there—he began in integrated marketing, leading creative teams and partnering with clients to make work for global brands like McDonald’s, Audi of America, 23andMe, Playstation, and Reebok.

A driving belief that everyone in the world “deserves to be seen as they want to be seen” led him to stops in nearly every US time zone and then on a quick soul trek through Mexico and Sierra Leone, before a push into becoming the first ever manager of talent engagement and inclusion at
The Martin Agency, a creative collective. Here he speaks power into the purpose of Martin’s talent through his philosophy of visibility, centering the experiences (primarily of those historically misrepresented) by way of language, community programming, wellbeing initiatives, and contribution-centered tools.

Abu recognizes he is still nowhere near where the universe wants him, and welcomes the journey.