At 33, Palesa Mnyaka is changing how Johannesburg remembers itself. As a cultural policy specialist and public heritage practitioner, she is using innovation to bring history out of archives and into everyday life, ensuring the city's stories are experienced by the communities they belong to.

As manager of public culture in the City of Johannesburg's Directorate of Arts, Culture and Heritage, Mnyaka leads initiatives that place inclusion, dignity and historical justice at the heart of public heritage. Her work spans cultural policy, strategic partnerships and the digital transformation of heritage assets, helping preserve overlooked histories while making them more accessible to diverse audiences.

Holding a master of arts in cultural policy and Management from the University of the Witwatersrand, she has led pioneering projects, including the digital mapping of Johannesburg's public art collection, heritage sites and blue plaques.

She has also championed the use of augmented and virtual reality at sites such as The Wilds and the Dr Xuma House Museum, creating new ways for people to engage with the city's past.

For Mnyaka, heritage is most powerful when it sparks curiosity and belonging. By combining technology with cultural stewardship, she is helping shape a future where history is not only preserved but lived, shared and continually reimagined.