Nwaka Onwusa '08

Nwaka Onwusa '08 a story of TRANSFORMATION. She is one of our 40 Under 40 honorees from 2022. During that honor, she was VP and Curator for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She recently took on a new role as the Creative Director of The Hip Hop Museum that will open in New York City at the end of 2024. Her story of a first gen student, to struggling during her time here, to becoming a prominent black woman leader in the rock & roll and hip-hop culture, shows how UCR made that happen.

Sound Bites

Headlines

Bringing Culture to the Music Community
UCR Roots to Prominent Black Woman Leader in Rock & Roll and Hip Hop Culture
Alumna Brings Music History to Next Generation

Hooks

UCR allowed Nwaka Onwusa, '08 to be empowered and follow her dreams of music and culture.
UCR shows that transformation takes hard work and dedication.

Quotes

"UCR taught me the value of hard work. I wouldn't have learned that anywhere else other than UC Riverside." Nwaka Onwusa '08
"I bleed blue, it is a part of my DNA." Nwaka Onwusa '08
"It's not just what you learn in the classroom, it is the administration and deans. This place helped to fortify who I am as a human being" Nwaka Onwusa '08

Narrative

Nwaka Onwusa ‘08, has managed the enviable feat of making music the guiding theme of her career. According to her, the road to curating music history — first at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and now The Hip Hop Museum — began at UC Riverside.

The first in her family to attend college, Onwusa says her experience working in the UCR fine arts box office got her foot in the door at the Grammy Museum box office, then joining its education department, and later becoming its curator. UCR allowed Onwusa to make mistakes, get back up, and try again, attributing her success to administration, deans, and faculty that believed in her and fortified her as a human being.

In the last 15 years of her career, she conceptualized, researched, and produced more than 20 exhibits for the Grammy Museum, including “Legends of Motown,” “All Eyez on Me: The Writings of Tupac Shakur,” and “Hip-Hop: A Cultural Odyssey.” At the Rock Hall, Onwusa brought a broader range of artists into the fold, including those traditional rock ’n’ roll fans might consider outside the genre’s boundaries, especially more West Coast hip-hop artists. Now, as she takes on her next chapter, she will help to create an experience unlike any other at The Hip Hop Museum in New York City, set to open in late 2024.

Owusa was honored as one of UC Riverside’s 40 Under 40 in 2022. Her achievements, hard work, and UC Riverside, have made her who she is today.

Strategy

Her story and quotes are best used in:

Magazine Feature
Brochures
Social Media
Alumni Spotlights
Newsletters

Suggestions:

When featuring an alumna in a publication, newsletter, or social post. Highlighting a notable alumni to prospective students, current students, and alumni.
When promoting the value of a UCR degree to prospective students.
When promoting alumni that that have transformed from attending UCR to donors.