Social scientist, dancer, yogi, mentor, capoerista, supporter, mama, and food lover are just a few of the words Kami uses to describe herself. Her appreciation for Brazil started nearly twenty years ago when she took a course in spiritual practices of the African Diaspora while completing her Masters. She visited Salvador, Bahia the following year, and felt an immediate connection to the people and the land. On the road to her doctorate, she won multiple grants to study Portuguese in Brazil, and completed a second Masters thesis, which was a comparative study of race in Brazil and the United States. She went on to complete her doctorate at the University of Chicago, and currently works in UX Research and technology. She connected to Viver Brasil at the start of the pandemic through their online programming, and has remained a huge supporter ever since. She is excited to join the board to elevate Viver Brasil's mission to support Afro-Brazilian artists in Brazil, and share Afro-Brazilian dance, music, and culture with the world.