Black Diaspora: Dr. Durell Cooper, Founder Cultural Innovation Group, LLC

Black Diaspora events are open to a Black- or Afro-Latinx-identifying audience only.

Freedom Dreaming Lab

In this 2-hour workshop, Dr. Durell Cooper encourages us to freedom dream from the depths of our souls. This workshop offers meditations on the topics of joy, hope, healing, and liberation. Participants will dive deeply into the intersections of arts and healing in their individual practices through active reflection and meditations of the spirit. Dr. Cooper’s workshop will serve as a reminder that in this time of urgency, we must handle the world, each other, and ourselves with care.

About Dr. Durrell Cooper

As one of the nation’s leading cultural strategists, Dr. Durell Cooper is the Founder and CEO of Cultural Innovation Group, a boutique consulting agency specializing in systems change and collaborative thought leadership. He’s also the creator and host of the web series Flow and the podcast Fluency. Currently, Durell works as an adjunct instructor at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, New York University, and The City College of New York. He graduated from the Impact Program for Arts Leaders (IPAL) at Stanford University in 2018. Durell is a member of the Diversity Scholars Network at the National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan. He earned a B.F.A from Southern Methodist University, and an M.A & Doctorate of Education from New York University.

About Black Diaspora

Conceived by curator Eva Yaa Asantewaa during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter uprising, Black Diaspora launched its first activities in September 2020 as a Zoom-based peer support program serving up-and-coming, Black-identified dance and performance artists from various cultural backgrounds and aesthetic traditions.

With the support of Gibney, Black Diaspora has offered numerous peer group discussions, workshops led by notable guest artists, and conversations between artists. We celebrate the resourcefulness, accomplishments, and generous wisdom of Black creatives, educators, and activists.

Photo by Alejandro Garcia.