Keyana Hawthorne is a 2025-2026 Teach Plus Mississippi Policy Fellow and 11th-grade teacher at Murrah High School in Jackson, Mississippi. She teaches English, literature, and composition, and serves as coach of the chess and drama clubs. Previously, Keyana was Sylvan Learning’s marketing director, an after-school program executive director, and an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader and Ambassador. She served in Teach for America. Keyana co-founded the Juneteenth on Farish Festival in Jackson, a celebrated event running for nine years that was recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the nation’s top cultural festivals (2025). She also founded The Write Era, LLC, a literary and marketing firm that empowers storytellers and change-makers through strategic branding and creative storytelling, and co-founded Legacy Builders, Inc., a community organization dedicated to cultural empowerment and civic engagement. Keyana earned a BA in history from Southern New Hampshire University.
