Melanie Oferiwa Habwe is the daughter of Kenyan mother and a Ghanaian father and was born and raised in Washington, D.C. She earned a B.A. in Economics & International Relations from Columbia University and a J.D. from Georgetown University, with a Certificate in Transnational Law from Kings College, London. Melanie currently sits on the board of The Family Center NYC and volunteers with Minds Matter NYC. She was formerly on the board of DC Unity & Justice Fellowship. Her interests include creating recipes, playing the violin, traveling, learning how to roller skate, sustainability, and investing in Black-owned businesses. She invests in her personal healing through the practices of her faith, writing, meditation, therapy, reiki, and spending time in nature.