Anisa Joy Leonard was born in Nairobi, Kenya. She was raised in Harrisonburg, Virginia. That mix shaped her early view of the world.

“Growing up between cultures helped me see how systems affect people differently,” she explains. “It made me curious about fairness and opportunity.”

That curiosity turned into action during college.

She attended Eastern Mennonite University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2021. She also completed minors in Honors, sociology, and global development. She was recognized as a 2021 Cords of Distinction recipient for academic excellence and leadership.

While at EMU, she wrote for the student newspaper. She covered social issues and student life. That experience sharpened her voice.

“Writing helped me think more clearly,” she says. “It pushed me to ask better questions about the world around me.”

From early on, she was not just studying systems. She was analyzing them.