Zakiyah hails from Brooklyn, New York where she began dancing in elementary school at the Third Street Music School. She continued to increase her skills while performing with the Creative Outlet Dance Theater of Brooklyn. Zakiyah moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan to pursue a Bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Engineering from the University of Michigan. Miss Sayyed’s interest in African dance was sparked as a student in Biza Sompa’s Congolese dance class. After one semester’s training, Zakiyah auditioned for Bichini Bia Congo Dance Theater Company. As a Green Design major with a minor in Race, Gender and Ethnicity Miss Sayyed aspires to uplift and empower her community through the collaborative efforts of science and the arts.