Melina Matsoukas earned her degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and completed her graduate studies at the American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory, obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in cinematography Matsoukas was raised in the Co-op City housing development in the Bronx, New York. Her multicultural heritage includes Afro-Cuban, Afro-Jamaican, Greek, and Jewish roots. Her upbringing in a diverse environment has deeply influenced her storytelling perspective, emphasizing multicultural narratives