Bola and her two children strike a festive pose.
Following the lead, knowledge, and expertise of communities has been essential to racial justice and equity work for Bola Majekobje (she/her/hers), Inatai’s newest Program Officer. For Bola, following the lead of community is much more than a strategy for systems change, it’s a cultural practice that she is grateful to have learned from her Palauan relatives.
Bola was born in the Republic of Palau and lived there for a short time before moving to Portland, Oregon where she was raised. Following her passion for increasing access to education, Bola made her way to Central Washington University where she supported students of varying identities navigate the college system and find their footing.
“It was such a labor of love,” says Bola. “I was privileged to help and support students on their journey; very, very ambitious, goal-oriented, bright-futured students who just did not have a history necessarily of college going in their backgrounds.”
This experience expanded Bola’s connections across Washington that she still cherishes to this day. “I made such dear friends, all up and down the central valley and across the state because my work was recruiting students to the university. So I have friends in so many counties in the state of Washington.”
For more than 15 years, Bola led equity and community engagement initiatives at universities in Washington and Oregon. In that time, Bola also returned to Palau to lead Palau Conservation Society, a national NGO, as the Executive Director. It was there that Bola saw how much more impactful and lasting change can be when led by community.
“When I was in conservation and I was, on paper, the lead for this relatively big organization and our funders would come I was happy to answer their questions, but the real work and the real solution came from the communities,” says Bola.
The cultural practices Bola reconnected with in Palau deepened her commitment to community-led work and broadened her perspective of what that work could look like.
“I was humbled in so many ways. Growing up Black and Pacific Islander, I thought I was down,” Bola quips. “I thought all of these things, and you realize how much white supremacy and Western culture you have adopted when you go to a place that’s not that.”
Through the cultural wisdom of her Palauan, Nigerian, and Black heritage, and the mentorship she’s received from relatives, friends, and colleagues, Bola’s passion for community power building has only burned brighter. It’s a passion she’s excited to continue as a Program Officer for Inatai as she cultivates relationships with and provides resources to Inatai’s grantee organizations to support their work to advance racial justice and equity across Washington.
“I’m excited to build relationships with grantees and to continue to learn about myself and this culture that we’re all a part of in the state of Washington and expand who we think we are as a state because we’re more diverse than we realize,” she says.
Outside of work, Bola enjoys running with friends, singing Karaoke, and exploring nature and new destinations with her two children.
