Community Engagement Specialist ZaKiya Bell-Rogers has received the inaugural Generational Architect of the Year award from RSAA, recognizing her efforts in community organization and leadership. The award was presented for her commitment to connecting people with services and information in Buncombe County.
CAPE Director Lillian Govus commented on the recognition: “It makes great sense – ZaKiya cares a great deal for her community. Every day, our team works to build meaningful relationships with our community. ZaKiya takes abundant pride in being a trusted, go-to resource, both in her role with CAPE and for community partners and organizations in Buncombe County.”
ZaKiya described her approach to community engagement: “I love connecting people to services, places, and one another. I maintain a large personal network, and I consistently share important updates from work and community sources. My goal is to make sure information reaches those who need it, because too often people simply don’t see critical messages.” She added about receiving the award: “I cried. I was completely surprised. RSAA doesn’t accept nominations; they watched my work in the community and chose to honor me. I felt humbled and deeply grateful.”
Leonard Jones, Community Engagement Specialist and Tapped In co-host, spoke about ZaKiya’s impact: “ZaKiya is a natural connector and never meets a stranger, just a friend that she hasn’t connected with as of yet. She values community and making sure that people are informed on what’s going on and making sure that the right folks are connected with each other. She brings community together through her humor and knowledge of Buncombe County.”
ZaKiya emphasized her ongoing dedication: “If you’re looking for a person, program, place, or resource – give me a day or less and I’ll find it. I’m known for connecting people who otherwise wouldn’t meet and for making those connections meaningful. I have been told that I am a collector of people, and I make anyone I meet feel welcomed,” she said. “Sometimes I worry people tire of my alerts, but this award proved otherwise — it reminded me my work is appreciated and people are paying attention. I’m honored and energized to keep serving the community.”
Buncombe County continues to face challenges in education readiness among its students. In the 2022-23 school year, 28.5% of senior students taking the science portion of the ACT were considered ready for college (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/), while 30.1% of juniors met this benchmark (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/). For reading readiness, 41.1% of seniors (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/) and 43.2% of juniors (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/) reached college-ready standards according to ACT results. Math readiness was lower among seniors at 25.6% (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/) compared to 32.7% among juniors (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
The Generational Architect award recognizes individuals like ZaKiya Bell-Rogers who help inform and empower communities through connection-building efforts.
