Najaa was born in Cleveland, Ohio but attended high school and college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While attending Chatham College she majored in Theatre Arts but always yearned for a career in film. After graduation Najaa bounced around from job to job finally landing at Karamu House, the oldest African American theatre in the nation, where she taught drama, directed plays and was road manager for touring shows. In 2002 she was accepted into Florida State University's Graduate Film Conservatory and while there got the opportunity to direct critically acclaimed actress Tyra Ferrell in her thesis film Coochie. She received her MFA in 2004 and is currently devoting much of her time to writing features.
