Adama Diakhate

Community Engagement Specialist, City of Dayton

Adama Diakhate, a Kettering Foundation 2026 Dayton Democracy Fellow, is a community engagement specialist for the City of Dayton, where he works to strengthen relationships between local government and residents through inclusive, trust-building outreach that supports a healthy democracy. He has a strong background in international studies with a focus on peace and diplomacy. He is fluent in French and Wolof, which he uses to bridge language and cultural barriers and foster effective communication across diverse communities. Diakhate has extensive experience leveraging language skills, research, and public speaking to advocate for inclusion, safety, and fairness for immigrants. His work emphasizes the ways that belonging, inclusion, and fairness promote strong and just communities that are essential to a thriving democracy. His professional background includes service in AmeriCorps VISTA and as a program coordinator for Rapid Rehousing, where he supported individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Grounded in a deep commitment to equity, civic participation, and community-led solutions, Diakhate is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for all Dayton residents to shape their communities and the public decisions that affect their lives.