Taj Kokayi

Taj Kokayi (Film & Video Studies, '22) has worked on a multitude of film productions including multiple award winning student films and a feature length documentary with an Oscar nominated director. In February of 2020, he was recognized for his commitment to representing the black community through film with the 2020 Black Artist of the Year award at George Mason's 5th Annual Black Excellence Gala. His film Woken From a Dream won the Best Student Film Award at London Web Fest. In addition, the film won Best Experimental and Best VFX at Kosice FilmFestival, Best Experimental and Best Student Short at RWFA. Taj made this film in the course FAVS 399 Afrofuturism and Their Kin taught by Professor Nikyatu Jusu. Taj also was recently awarded the John C. and Louise P. Wood Undergraduate Scholarship as part of the Celebration of Distinction presented by the Mason Alumni Association.

In the spring of 2019, he spent a semester abroad in Spain expanding his studies to international journalism, film, and media. When he is not working on film productions or doing professional videography in Washington D.C., he is active in helping advance diversity on campus. During the 2019-2020 academic year, he served as a Public Relations Chair for two of the largest black student organizations on his campus, BSA and the Black, African-Heritage and Caribbean Coalition. He is also an International Student Mentor and a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honors Society. He works tirelessly to bring more representation for the black community and people of color in the field of media, and is passionate about creating more diversity on all levels he can.​