Melikabella Shenouda is a multiracial, first-generation American born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has nurtured a fascination for intersectional identity and healing within her hometown, and channels this via creative expression (e.g., spoken word, art, music, dance, improv, photography).
Taking self-expression to heart, Melikabella hosts a seasonal radio show, has had cultural visual art featured in the Las Vegas Science & Natural History Museum, creative writing + mixed media in the inaugural issue of “Coloring Psychoanalysis”, various pieces in community-led zines and open mics, and is a recurring spoken word artist at Full Moon Poetry, Spotlight Poetry, and Uncharted LV. Her poems typically take on themes of love, lust, and loss, as she aims to bridge the gap of what once was and what could be, witnessed through the delicate dance of live performance.
Melikabella also serves as a part-time instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) for two classes: “COLA 100LA” — a first-year seminar course intended to involve and support incoming liberal arts students for continued collegiate success, through the lens of revisiting their inner child, as well as “Movement & Meditation” — a holistic fitness course showcasing elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine + sound healing in order to energize and elevate the mind, body, and soul.
Additionally, she volunteers at several local nonprofits, one being the Love Yourself Foundation (LYF). As the LYFstyle Coordinator at LYF, Melikabella champions the power of the mind-body connection while fostering community collaboration, promoting wellness, securing grant funding, and developing legacy programming.
When she’s not working, volunteering, or creating, Melikabella enjoys indulging in local restaurants and shows, learning linguistic nuances, practicing cultural dances, watching animals frolic in nature, advocating for autoimmunity awareness, and discovering
