Osei Owusu-Afriyie, Fellow

Frederick Douglass Academy II Secondary School

Manhattan, NY

Osei Owusu-Afriyie has worked in education for 23 years as a teacher and an administrator. Mr. Owusu-Afriyie has a demonstrated record of creating and leading outstanding educational programs that move students to a higher tier of academic success. As Principal of the Eagle Academy of Young Men, Mr. Owusu-Afriyie led the school to an A on its 2008-09 Progress Report. In August 2010, Mr. Owusu-Afriyie became Principal of Frederick Douglass Academy II (FDA II) in Harlem, New York. In partnership with Teachers College, Mr. Owusu-Afriyie successfully implements a university-assisted Community School model at FDA II. By carefully coordinating their instructional and socio-emotional program, the team at FDA II has created a space for young people to achieve personal and academic success. Through the tremendous challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the FDA II community, under the leadership of Mr. Owusu-Afriyie, not only achieved a 92% graduation rate in 2021, but also graduated 100% of their multilingual learners. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts Degree in African-American Studies from York College, Mr. Owusu-Afriyie holds advanced degrees from Pace University and Stony Brook University. A lifelong New Yorker, Mr. Owusu-Afriyie currently resides in Harlem with his wife and two sons.

Karima Hughes, Ally

Assistant Principal
Frederick Douglass Academy II Secondary School

Manhattan, NY

Karima Hughes was born in Antigua, located in the West Indies. She migrated to the United States at thirteen years old. As a Bronx middle school student and stigmatized as a "barrel child," Karima experienced many emotional and academic challenges. However, upon meeting her English teacher in high school, Karima was inspired to become a teacher. A product of New York City's public schools, Karima pursued a bachelor's degree in English at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights. To attain her teaching credentials, she enrolled in Brooklyn College, where she earned a master's degree in English 7-12 Secondary Education. The same year Karima earned her master's degree, she began her teaching career in a Bronx public middle school. Later, she transitioned to a secondary high school in West Harlem. After one year of being in that school, she wanted to impact the children she served significantly. Being an instructional coach and a teacher was not enough. Karima enrolled in the Teachers College's Summer Principals Academy (SPA) program, earning a master's degree in Organizational Leadership. 

Today, Karima is an assistant principal at Frederick Douglass Academy II. A lifelong learner, Karima is also pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Instructional Design for Online Learning. From a first-generation college student to an educational leader, Karima's determination to disrupt inequitable practices in educational spaces keeps her grounded and hopeful for the future.