My Story
Some people walk into a room and belong before they even speak. Others walk in and are already a problem to be solved. I was 17 when I learned which one I was.
In a ballet studio, after years of training, I overheard an artistic director say, "She’s really good, but her complexion is too distracting." It was like he was just commenting on the weather.
I was old enough to understand what he meant, but too young to unhear it. That moment didn’t just change how I saw ballet. It changed how I saw power. Who gets to have it. Who gets to make the rules. Who gets left out. Once you see that pattern, you can’t unsee it.
We dress it up in different names—“aesthetic” in ballet, “culture fit” in boardrooms, “qualifications” in hiring—but the function is the same. These are not measures of excellence—just measures of who gets to hold the pen.
Keeping people out doesn’t make something great. It just makes it smaller.
When I love something, I don’t protect its exclusivity—I fight for its expansion. I fight for it to be bigger, better, stronger than it was ever allowed to be.
That’s not charity. That’s how excellence works.
Kahina Haynes is a first-generation American and proud daughter of Guyanese parents whose story bridges heritage, artistry, and advocacy. Raised in a nontraditional household, she learned early the value of navigating between worlds — the rhythm of her cultural heritage and the reality of code-switching within spaces that weren’t always built for her voice.
What began as a childhood marked by curiosity and challenge became a lifelong lesson in resilience and purpose. In school, Kahina’s differences were often misunderstood — until dance entered her life. Dance didn’t just offer discipline or expression; it became a through line — the language through which she found belonging, excellence, and self-worth.
As the daughter and granddaughter of dancers, Kahina’s lineage runs deep with movement and meaning. Yet, through that same art form, she discovered an uncomfortable truth — equity was not guaranteed, even in creative spaces that claimed to celebrate diversity. That realization set the course for her life’s work: transforming how culture, art, and access intersect.
Her journey has taken her through some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, but her grounding remains the same — a commitment to ensuring others can move through systems and spaces with the same freedom, dignity, and visibility that dance once gave her.
Honors and Recognition
Earned recognition for leadership in both dance and social justice
Presidential Appointment
Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition
2023
Appointed in March 2023 by President Joe Biden, marking the first representation of the dance industry on the council.
National Black Voices
Black Justice Fund Awardee
2022
Recognized for her efforts in addressing structural and systemic racism.
David Bradt Nonprofit
Leadership Award
2021
Honored for exemplary leadership in the nonprofit sector.