A third generation Arizonan, Powell grew up in Phoenix and went to college in Tucson. In search of more experience with African American archival collections, Powell found positions in community archives in Chicago and Los Angeles. From there she combined her experience in African American history and archival outreach to occupy several positions in UNC-Chapel Hill's Southern Historical Collection. In October 2025, Powell came back to Arizona as the head of ASU Library's special collections, a position where she can leverage her experience to support the diverse cultures and communities reflected in the collections, here.
