Meet Belema!

Belema Derefaka is a communications strategist, storyteller, and creative professional based in the Washington, D.C. area, from New Orleans, Louisiana. A proud Howard University alumna, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications — a combination that shaped her belief that the best communications work sits at the intersection of strategy, language, and impact.

By day, she builds brand presence for organizations that are changing cities and communities. As Senior Communications Coordinator at HR&A Advisors, she has grown a LinkedIn following by over 400%, managed a full-scale website redesign, and developed the kind of communications infrastructure that makes teams run smoother and stories land harder. But her career is bigger than one role. From managing mailing lists and content calendars as a lawmaker services intern, to producing graphics and social content for 100 Black Men of Greater Washington D.C., to supporting weekly communications for her local church — Belema has spent her entire career finding ways to make organizations sound like themselves, only better.

Outside of her professional work, she leads the DMV chapter of Wakirike USA, a nonprofit dedicated to cultural preservation, where she serves 60 members ranging from ages 5 to 27. She is also a published writer — her work has appeared in BellaNaija Style — and a portrait and headshot photographer who helps professionals show up with confidence and clarity.

Her interests span fashion, design, mentorship, and travel. She has been featured on Vogue Runway as a model and believes that personal style, like communications, is just another form of intentional storytelling.