I'm Marie D, young adult fantasy author of
Still Water, Skin, my debut novel (coming soon)

Sacrifice Your Humanity. Save the World.

To show strong emotion is to be unnatural by dictate of the Cathedral. Punishment is promised for those who refuse to repress their emotions – like Odomi and her son, who was executed by the Cathedral’s enforcers, the Scouthood.Determined to abolish the Cathedral, Odomi searches for a powerful spirit who can unify the unnaturals against the repressive order. And she must do so while working as a medic under the Scouthood’s surveillance.The Scouthood is bolstering its efforts with the help of its newest trainees. And they must sacrifice their feelings to carry out their duties – and fulfill their dreams. Raki, a stickler for the order, is tasked with mentoring an orphan whose wild emotions endanger those around her. Determined to prove herself, Yaw’dus investigates incidents of people seeing things others cannot. And volatile Esera is recruited into a secret force created to hunt unnaturals. Through their training, they clash with Odomi’s machinations, threatening to uncover her plot.The unnaturals stand a chance of eliminating the Cathedral if Odomi succeeds in finding the right spirit. But if the trainees expose Odomi before she can, she will be executed next, destroying any hope of the unnaturals gaining freedom.


Personal Writing

My previously published work has focused on self-development, mental health, and introversion.
Click the links below to read.

The Dream – Episode, 2018 - Real life can be hard to hold on to, but can a dream be better than reality? Follow Ciara’s dive into her subconscious as she struggles with a terminally ill friend.
Featured on Episode’s Hidden Gems shelf in April 2020. Download the Episode App to read.



Academic Work

I am a graduate student at American University set to complete my master's in International and Intercultural Communication in December 2025. My research focuses on the engagement between the African continent and the diaspora through the lenses of global media, popular culture, and cultural diplomacy. Check out my academic projects below.

Course: Human Rights
Title: Moving to Africa? Check your privilege at the gate
Summary: For many Black Americans tired of enduring racism and violence in the United States, returning to the African continent provides hope of a better life. But some are forgetting to unpack one thing once they settle into their new lives — their Western privilege.Suggested citation: Dumbuya, Mariama. 2025. “Moving to Africa? Check Your Privilege at the Gate.” Global Voices, July 31. https://globalvoices.org/2025/07/31/moving-to-africa-check-your-privilege-at-the-gate/

Course: Human Rights
Title: Recognition, Respect, and Expression of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity
Summary: "This report identifies practical examples that can serve as models for promoting cultural diversity and advancing legal accountability, cultural inclusion, and democratic participation."Suggested citation: Crock, Jonathan, Kacey Berry, Jude Braithwaite, Mily Cancino, Annie Beth Clark, Mariama Dumbuya, Micah Hinnergardt, et al. 2025. “Recognition, Respect, and Expression of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity.” American University (Washington, D.C.). https://doi.org/10.57912/29504591

Course: Human Rights
Title: The United States: Concrete Action Needed for the Elimination of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance, and Comprehensive Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Program of Action
Summary: "This report responds to the United Nations call for input on the elimination of racial discrimination by examining the United States’ obligations for concrete action under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA). With an alarming rise in hate speech, racism, racial discrimination, and xenophobia, this report addresses the pressing need for the United States to uphold its legal obligations on racial justice domestically and abroad."Suggested citation: Crock, Jonathan, Kacey Berry, Jude Braithwaite, Mily Cancino, Annie Beth Clark, Mariama Dumbuya, Micah Hinnergardt, et al. 2025. “The United States: Concrete Action Needed for the Elimination of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance, and Comprehensive Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Program of Action.” American University (Washington, D.C.). https://doi.org/10.57912/29503661

Course: Global Media as Strategic Cultural Diplomacy
Title: Cultural Diplomacy Pitch: African Diaspora Exchange
Summary: How can Pan-Africanism prove beneficial for diasporans and Africans without a stronger understanding among both groups? African Diaspora Exchange allows Africans and diasporans to visit participating countries where they will stay and spend meaningful time with a host family and engage in activities to enhance their understanding of the local context.Suggested citation: Dumbuya, Mariama. 2024. "African Diaspora Exchange." American University. Last modified May 2, 2024. https://www.canva.com/design/DAF-TKyZRAw/12OLzRpjP2dyQacTR1rcrg/view?utmcontent=DAF-TKyZRAw&utmcampaign=designshare&utmmedium=link&utmsource=editor

Course: International Communication
Title: The Emergence of African-Produced Media in American Markets
Summary: The narrative power the United States and the West have had over Africa has been determinantal to the continent. The past few years have seen an emergence of movies and shows produced on the continent across U.S. media platforms, namely streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. This media is Africa’s soft power and can help break the West’s hold on its perception.Suggested citation: Dumbuya, Mariama. 2023. "The Emergence of African-Produced Media in American Markets." American University. Last modified December 15, 2023. https://african-media-2023.my.canva.site/


About Marie D

My name is Mariama Dumbuya (she/her), a fantasy author, an emerging scholar of Africa and African diaspora relations, and a graduate student at American University, nearing the end of my program in Intercultural and International Communication. My fiction and academic work take a decolonial approach, envisioning what the world could look like when the structures and legacies of colonialism are dismantled, critiqued, or otherwise non-existent (non-existent in my fiction, of course).
I enjoy spending time in nature, traveling, watching animation, volunteering in my community and, of course, writing and reading.
Still Water, Skin is my forthcoming debut young adult fantasy novel.I am anti-oppression in all forms and support oppressed people worldwide. Bigotry, hate, and intolerance will not be accepted, both from others and from myself.


Say Hi!

Get in touch with me with your questions, comments, or opportunities!



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