Akoiya Harris was born and raised in the Central District of Seattle Washington. She graduated from The Ailey Schools Certificate Program where she had the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of her body’s relationship to movement through technique and choreography. She has worked as a company member with Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance Theater. Akoiya has been able to perform in galleries such as The Henry Art Gallery (Seattle), Seattle Art Museum, The Luminary (St. Louis), and The Frye (Seattle). She is a part of Velocity’s Emerge program as well as several other cohorts that deal with cultural preservation. Through her art, Akoiya hopes to unearth and illuminate the stories of her community.