Born and raised in Washington, DC, Dr. Kali-Ahset Amen is a sociologist who has lived and worked in Southern Africa, Central America, and the U.S. South, engaging in poverty alleviation efforts. She represents the fourth generation of Southern Black woman educators in her family and is the mother of two energetic teenagers.
Kali-Ahset is a state commissioner for the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, where she advocates for the preservation, conservation, and funding of Black cultural resources across the state. She also serves as the executive director of the Center for Journalism & Democracy, an organization that promotes public interest journalism and racial justice reporting.
Kali-Ahset lives in Baltimore City with her husband Nate.