Nayfa Naji is a Palestinian Muslim American born and raised in Milwaukee. An artist and community organizer, Naji studied graphic design at Milwaukee Area Technical College and graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a B.A. in Design Studies and Community Arts. While pursuing her studies, Naji worked as a multimedia graphic designer for the Milwaukee Muslim Coalition.
Naji’s artistic influences include her home country of Palestine, her practiced religion of Islam, and physical and mental health issues. In partnership with Amal Azzam, in 2019 Naji co-founded Fanana Banana, a platform that shines light on MENA and POC artists and creatives through supportive and inspiring events. She has curated and organized two murals that highlight healing communities within Milwaukee, such as the mural “Mutasaweeyah” focused on racial equity and social justice, located in the Milwaukee County Circuit Courthouse.
