Dana Hughes

Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Connector, Explorer, Global soul, Idea generator, Parent, Promoter, Public servant, World traveler, Writer/Editor

Dana Hughes is the UN Refugee Agency's Senior Regional Spokesperson for the East, Horn and Great Lakes Region of Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya. For the last three years she worked as UNHCR's Regional Editor for Africa Emergencies, overseeing the production of content highlighting refugee crises across the continent. Prior to joining UNHCR, Dana spent nearly a decade at ABC News in the United States where she started as an investigative producer, before moving to Nairobi as the network's Africa reporter and producer for nearly 5 years. Following her assignment in Africa, she was ABC's digital reporter covering foreign affairs, with a focus on the State Department.

I am passionate about refugees and social justice. Throughout my entire career I’ve been committed to telling the stories of marginalized communities, and to work with members of those communities to help them tell their own stories. I am passionate about using diverse ways to reach different audiences. I am a big believer in the power of music, sports and other “entertainment” sectors as outlets to affect change. I believe that as a humanitarian and former journalist, I have an obligation to help educate the world on refugee issues, which also means communicating to audiences where there is likely to be the most impact, whether that be an academic paper, a rap song, or a television show.

Africa, Broadcasting, Foreign Affairs, Hip-hop, Journalism and Communications, Refugees

Karaoke - and specifically hip hop karaoke!