What was your first job, and what did it teach you about yourself?

My first job was working in the concession stand at AMC Movie Theaters. It taught me both a great deal of patience and how to find joy in other people experiencing things that they enjoy.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Chanya Anderson, a criminologist who believes in using her love for research and data to create a sustainable and impactful change for minoritized and stigmatized groups, is the Senior Manager of Youth Grantmaking at Baltimore’s Promise. Prior to joining Baltimore’s Promise, Chanya worked as a Data Consultant with Nollie Jenkins Family Center, Inc. where she developed a comprehensive dataset to analyze the disproportionate use of corporal punishment on Black children in Mississippi Schools. During that time, she also worked as a community interviewer with Morgan State University on a research project to examine the perceptions and experiences of Baltimore City residents regarding the Baltimore City Police Department in recent years.

Chanya is an alumna of Pennsylvania State University, where she worked at the Justice Center for Research. There she also volunteered with the Student Minority Advisory and Recruitment Team (SMART), an organization that worked to provide resources to minoritized communities at Penn State and in high schools in the surrounding areas. Chanya also holds a master’s degree from the University of Delaware where she examined the relationship between Black civil resistance, police violence, and racial and social inequalities.

A Baltimore native who spent much of her early years attending Baltimore City schools, Chanya is eager to work with the community that played a large role in molding and cultivating who she is today. In her spare time, Chanya enjoys hanging out with her son, going to the gym, and trying out new restaurants.