Wassa Bagayoko

Wassa Bagayoko is a Malian American from Harlem, New York. She graduated from Brown University in 2021 with a Bachelors of Arts in International Relations. At Brown, Wassa focused her studies on the intersections of climate change and human rights, specifically the issue of forced climate migration. Outside of the classroom, was a member of Sunrise RI (formally the Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition) and ThoughtsPrayersAction (TPA), a Brown-based, gun violence prevention organization. As the head of TPA, Wassa worked with local groups to pass common sense gun reform and was honored by the Governor for her efforts. Wassa was also active on campus as a community service chair of the Black Student Union and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Immediately after Brown, Wassa was awarded a Fulbright English teaching fellowship in Cote d’Ivoire, where she spent nine months teaching in Abidjan and volunteering at a women’s library. After her fellowship, Wassa returned to New York City where she worked as a consultant in Ernst & Young’s business practice. During this time, Wassa became the first alumni member of Harlem Academy’s junior board and a member of The Chapin School’s Board of alumnae board where she is to co head of the Alumni Cultural Awareness Program and sits on the Committee for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. She remains passionate about sustainability, education, and justice.

At Columbia Law School, Wassa is a Richard Paul Richman Scholar and a member of the 1L Human Rights Advocate Program.