Biography

NaBeela Washington (she/her) is a Black journalist, photographer, organizer, and connoisseur of croissants. Her work documents what’s possible. She is founder/editor at 15 West and delighted to be a 2026 MONA Fellow. She’s currently conducting research that addresses gaps in news access and how civic engagement is affected by incarceration, and she’s also writing a children’s book. Her work has appeared in Prism, Chicago Reader, South Side Weekly, The TRiiBE, Eater, and others. She is a Youth Building & Belonging Fellow and a PEN America Prison Writing mentor. Connect or read more at nabeelawashington.com.