VADU RODRIGUES

is an MFA candidate at MSU and a social activist from Praia, Cabo Verde, with over 10 years of experience as a photographer across three Continents. His achievements include five prestigious awards received in 2025 at Michigan State University: the Varg-Sullivan Graduate Award by the College of Arts and Letters, the Stanley & Selma Hollander Award by the Department of Art, Art History, and Design, the Emerging Leaders Award by the Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Association (BFSAA), the Nnamdi Azikiwe Award by The African Studies Center, and the COGS Disciplinary Leadership Award by Graduate Studies. He was also selected for the highly competitive Mandela Washington Fellowship and received the Alumni Award from the University of Madeira in Portugal. He has been invited by former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to participate in the African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum, collaborated with the Cape Verde Olympic Committee on an exhibition in France to promote the country for the Paris Olympic Games, and was commissioned by the European Union Delegation to create an installation as a gift to the government of Cape Verde. Through his ongoing project, Movement #PositiveAfrica, he aims to use his artwork to create a positive impact globally and engage with people committed to building a more inclusive society.