Communications Manager

Zakiyaa Taylor is a digital strategist with a background in horticultural science and 7+ years of experience in community organizing and cause communications.

She holds a B.S. in Agriculture & Environmental Sciences (Urban and Community Horticulture), earned from the illustrious North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Her start in progressive spaces began on campus in Greensboro, where she fell into the city’s food equity work. 

Prior to her role as the Water Hub’s Communications Manager, Zakiyaa served as the Digital Organizer for Down Home North Carolina, a People’s Action member organization committed to building multiracial, working-class progressive power across the rural areas of the state. In this position, she informed her work with Race Class Narrative, and utilized Deep Canvassing to reach the minds and hearts of rural communities across county, party, and racial lines.

She also served as the on-the-ground Regional Organizer for One Meal a Day for the Planet, an initiative of James Cameron and Suzy Amis Cameron, facilitating conversations about climate-forward food with public school food service directors and restaurateurs across North Carolina.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Zakiyaa finds joy in gardening and creating plant-based recipes inspired by her roots and heritage in Southern, Black American cuisine. Her love for gardening and cooking stems from a deep appreciation for nature’s bounty and a desire to nurture and cultivate the Earth’s resources sustainably.