Vanessa Sarahtu Owusu-Piameng was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, and is pursuing her PhD in Architecture at McGill University. Her research examines the displacement and forced migration of Black communities, focusing on how government-led urban renewal, infrastructure projects, and systemic discrimination have dismantled historic Black neighbourhoods across Canada and the United States. She explores how Black communities rebuild, reshape, and create cultural production in the face of displacement, and how these movements reflect broader traditions of Black nomadism.
She previously earned a Master of Arts in Music and Culture at Carleton University, where her research centered on Afro-American music, identity, and social justice, as well as a Bachelor of Communication and Journalism in Communication and Media Studies from Carleton University, and a Diplôme d’études collégiales in Communication: Art, Media, and Theatre from Cégep Vanier College.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Vanessa is the Black Community Program Coordinator at the Canadian Centre for Architecture, where she develops public programs and youth workshops that highlight underrepresented Black, Indigenous, and POC narratives in architecture. Her work emphasizes community engagement, accessibility, and the role of culture in shaping resilient futures.
Outside her professional and academic work, Vanessa is passionate about writing, digital design, and exploring the connections between space, sound, and cultural memory.