Caroline Kouassiaman

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Caroline Kouassiaman
Other namesB. Caroline Kouassiaman
Citizenship Ivorian-American
EducationB.A.Economics and Diplomacy & World Affairs; Master of Public Administration; Master's in International Relations
Alma mater Occidental College;Syracuse University
Occupations Feminist activist; Grantmaker; Executive Director ISDAO

Caroline Kouassiaman (also known as B. Caroline Kouassiaman) is a queer, bilingual African feminist of Ivorian and African-American descent. [1] She is the current Executive Director of the Initiative Sankofa d'Afrique de l'Ouest (ISDAO), a West African queer feminist and LGBTQIA+ Activist-led funding organisation. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Education

Kouassiaman holds a B.A. in Economics and Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College, and two master's degrees both Public Administration and International Relations from Syracuse University, United States. [1] [4]

Career

Kouassiaman has spent more than 15 years investing in grassroots feminist and LGBTQI organising. [5] Her contributions span feminist grantmaking, social entrepreneurship, education access, and research management. [5]

Before joining ISDAO as Executive Director, Kouassiaman served as Senior Program Officer for Sexual Health and Rights at American Jewish World Service (AJWS), and as a Program Officer at the Global Fund for Women. [6]

In 2025, she was named one of the 19 Influential African Women in International Development by Leading Ladies Africa, alongside Hafsat Abiola, Tsitsi Masiyiwa, and Jessica Horn. [5]

Selected publications

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caroline Kouassiaman". Voice Global. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  2. "Initiative Sankofa d'Afrique de l'Ouest". Equal Eyes. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  3. "The state of feminist funding in Francophone West Africa". Alliance Magazine. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  4. "Personnel – ISDAO". Initiative Sankofa d'Afrique de l'Ouest. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "19 Influential African Women in International Development". Leading Ladies Africa. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  6. "Move afoot to protect women around the world against violence". New Pittsburgh Courier. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  7. Kouassiaman, B. Caroline (2022). ""Aujourd'hui, c'est aujourd'hui": Navigating power and speaking up as a West African activist-led fund". ISDAO. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  8. Kouassiaman, Caroline (17 May 2019). "Funding unchained: an activist approach to unlocking LGBTQI leadership in West Africa". Alliance Magazine. Retrieved 5 December 2025.