Over the last 15 years I've worked to carve out an interdisciplinary career which spans nearly every continent and combines my passion for creativity, sustainability, design thinking, arts activism, liberatory education, creative placemaking, and social innovation.
Here is a collection of some of the experiences that have contributed to my
personal and professional growth in no particular order. :)
My mission is to leave the world a little
bit better than how I found it.
Over the last 15 years I've worked to carve out an interdiscplinary career which spans nearly every continent and combines my passion for creativity, sustainability, design thinking, arts activism, liberatory education, creative placemaking, and social innovation.
Here is a collection of some of the experiences that have contributed to my
personal and professional growth in no particular order. :)
My mission is to leave
the world a little bit better than how I found it.
As a graduate student at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, I had the opportunity to design an interdisciplinary program which combined my interests in the arts, (particularly black theatre), experience design, and social change.
My thesis consisted of an in-depth look at Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed technique and how it can be used as a vehicle for liberatory education, arts activism, and social innovation. The highlight was studying with Boal and his team of "jokers" at the Centro de Teatro do Oprimido (Center for the Theatre of the Oppressed) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Masters Degree:
New York University
Arts Activism
As a graduate student at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, I had the opportunity to design an interdisciplinary program which combined my interests in the arts, (particularly black theatre), experience design, and social change.
My thesis consisted of an in-depth look at Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed technique and how it can be used as a vehicle for liberatory education, arts activism, and social innovation. The highlight was studying with Boal and his team of "jokers" at the Centro de Teatro do Oprimido (Center for the Theatre of the Oppressed) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Masters Degree:
New York University
Arts Activism
I was one of twenty social entrepreneurs from around the world invited to join the DO School's Packaging Challenge Fellowship in Hamburg, Germany. This year long program included a ten-week incubator where we worked alongside H&M executives to design sustainable packaging ideas for one of their product lines.
As a member of the branding and marketing team, We were responsible for designing the brand identity, signage, printed materials, and the event where we presented our ideas to H&M. I was also elected to write and present the final "pitch" to share our prototypes with all relevant stakeholders. The remainder of the program was spent back in our respective home countries developing a social venture of our choice. For me, that eventually evolved into The Green Store.
The DO School x H&M
Packaging Challenge Fellowship
Hamburg, Germany
After graduating from NYU, I enrolled in a post-grad course in Amsterdam, Netherlands called "Black Europe" hosted by the National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery. At the conclusion of the course, I was performing at a local festival when I met a couple of artists who invited me to check out their artist residence in the Southeast of town called Heesterveld. I immediately fell in love and ended up living and working there for nearly three years.
Eventually, I invited a few of my friends from New York to join me and we worked with local artists, community organizers and development/design firms to turn Heesterveld into an engaging Creative Placemaking project.
Creative Placemaking
Heesterveld Artist Residence
Amsterdam
After graduating from NYU, I enrolled in a post-grad course in Amsterdam, Netherlands called "Black Europe" hosted by the National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery. At the conclusion of the course, I was performing at a local festival when I met a couple of artists who invited me to check out their artist residence in the Southeast of town called Heesterveld. I immediately fell in love and ended up living and working there for nearly three years.
Eventually, I invited a few of my friends from New York to join me and we worked with local artists, community organizers and development/design firms to turn Heesterveld into an engaging Creative Placemaking project.
Creative Placemaking
Heesterveld Artist Residence
Amsterdam
This highly acclaimed field immersion course was hosted by The United Nations' mandated University of Peace. It was designed to put the principles of human centered design into action. It invites 20 experienced leaders from around the world to dive into un-learning the ways we have been taught to lead, strategize, build, and be in the world.
We visited, worked with, and learned from a diverse portfolio of NGOs, design agencies, and cultural institutions in Bangkok, Thailand and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Designing for Social Innovation + Leadership Fellowship
Thailand + Cambodia
Much more than just a place to shop, The Green Store is a pop-up creative placemaking project which is all about promoting an eco-conscious lifestyle. On the retail side, the store offers sustainable alternatives for common household products, tools to help promote a zero-waste lifestyle and a variety of chic, stylish and affordable sustainable clothing.
On the programmatic side, The Green Store hosts a robust line-up of fun, edu-taining events in an effort to spread awareness about environmental sustainability and equip people with the tools to live a more eco-conscious life. From “Recycling 101” to “Zero Waste Cooking classes”, The Green Store is the place to be whether you are a novice to “that green life” or an expert. It’s a place to come, hang out, take a yoga class, drink a green “inner-G” smoothie and discuss how we can suck less as humans and build a better world.
The Green Store
Pop-Up Experience
People's Liberty Globe Grantee
In this role, I collaborated with GOOD magazine to support the launch of the GOOD Citizens campaign. Launched in tandem with the release of the GOOD 100, this project was all about celebrating innovators who are tackling pressing global issues.
I worked alongside the magazine's Marketing Director and creative team to co-curate this digital collection of insights, meditations, and personal stories by influential citizens working in alliance with the world at large.
GOOD Citizen
Marketing Campaign
Los Angeles, CA
I served as a full-time Instructor at Miami University for five years in both the Farmer School of Business (Entrepreneurship Department) and College of the Creative Arts (Arts Entrepreneurship Department). Both of the courses that I taught explored the interrelationship between creativity, design thinking and social innovation.
Students walked away with an understanding of the key creative mindsets that are essential for any career and the tools to apply the design thinking process to find solutions for human centered problems.
College Professor
Creativity, Design Thinking
+ Innovation
The Youth Global Forum is an annual event that serves as a platform to promote youth interests, intergenerational and intercultural education and opportunity. The aim of the 2017 forum was to bring together young people from all over the world to discuss and redefine what it means to think as an entrepreneur in today's knowledge based economic climate. The conference was set to the backdrop of scenic and lavish Dubai.
The Green Store was one of ten projects from around the world selected as a finalist and invited to present their ideas in front of those in attendance and a jury panel consisting of members with expertise in entrepreneurship, business, academics, and social Impact. The Green Store came in first place in the category of Environmental Sustainability and second place overall.
Youth Global Forum
Presenter/Finalist
Dubai, UAE
The World Summit Youth Award is a unique global contest which brings together young developers and digital entrepreneurs who use internet and mobile technology to put the United Nations Sustainable Devleopment Goals into action. My project, "Green is the New Gangsta" (an early iteration of The Green Store) won in the category of Environmental Sustainability. I was invited to travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil to accept the award alongside the other recipients.
World Summit
Youth Award Winner
Sao Paulo, Brazil
As a volunteer with the Ghana Health and Education Initiative (GHEI), I had the opportunity to spend a few months living in rural Ghana developing and implementing a Girls Empowerment Program for local children and young women. I created a Theatre of the Oppressed based workshop series which took them through a number of engaging activities intended to get them to dream big and explore new possibilities when it comes to their education and career aspirations. The program also enabled us to learn from the girls and the surrounding community through cooking lessons, dance workshops, cultural activities, farming, excursions and more.
Girls' Empowerment
Program Design + Facilitation
Humjibre, Ghana
