Damali Ayo

I am an artist, author, and comedian, a print and radio essayist, featured lecturer, exhibiting artist, and performer. My work has garnered international press. I am passionate about the role of art in social evolution, and have dedicated my life to challenging people to be their best and to build a better world. I have over two decades of experience creating presentations, performance, art, interactive experiences, and curricula that address American culture, race, gender, language, visual culture, and social change. I have taught a range of levels and communities, from middle school to adult, from urban to rural from elite students to prison inmates.

I believe that the greatest gift of our world is the variety of differences that lie within it. The challenge of our time is to find a way to work together as productive, interdependent gears instead of spinning around in the same circle alone.

Independent Artist, Author, Essayist, Speaker, Educator
damali ayo dot com 1999-Present
Publish two satirical books and two cds on the state of race relations in the United States. Give performative lectures to post-secondary, secondary schools, and communities on practical solutions to racism. Create wide-scale participatory creative endeavors, performances and programs that engage community about social issues. Promote awareness and action about social issues through articles, blogging, radio segments, and web 2.0. Write and perform stage and street performance in venues nationwide. Show visual art in a range of galleries internationally. Media relations and promotion. Design and sell merchandise. Create and maintain website, emailing list, and newsletter.

Creator and Coordinator, Lead Performer
National Day of Panhandling for Reparations, Nationwide 2007-present

Coordinate over 100 performers nationwide to do a synchronized street performance to dramatize the issue of slavery reparations in the United States. Create performance template and resources for download and distribution. Collect documentation from each performer. Write press releases and garner nationwide print, web, radio and television media attention for the annual event.

Creator and Coordinator
I can Fix Racism Speaker Corps, Nationwide 2008-Present
Design curriculum. Select and train a multicultural mix of everyday people, educators, journalists, and activists ages 18 and up to give a ten-point audio/visual presentation and lecture of ten steps to improving race relations. Train individuals to perform in a humorous, yet challenging style, and to engage audience members and difficult questions with their own life experiences.

Creator and Administrator
Now Art Grants 2007-Present
Design and coordinate small micro-finance inspired social change art grant program. Mobilize fan base to pool small amounts of money into $500 grants for artists engaged in work that catalyzes social change. Evaluate and select artists to receive grant monies. Mentor artists. Work with artists to create projects that will re-engage their funding base in the project funded.

Instructor: Color Theory
Portland State University Portland OR 2006
Teach students the basics of color interaction with both RGB and CMYK foundations. Engage students in projects that stimulate their creative instincts. Teach visual culture and art analysis. Grade papers and projects. Mentor students.


Co-Founder, and Co-Artistic Director
defunkt theatre Company, Portland, OR 2000-4
Programmed season and oversaw all aspects of production and season for consensus-run, multicultural, sliding-scale independent theater company. Fundraised successfully through events and grant writing. Wrote press releases. Coordinated public relations. Developed and monitored budgets. Facilitated production team of actors and crew. Oversaw audition and casting process. Facilitated workshops on diversity. Instructed yoga as a tool for actors. Served as Producer, Assistant Director, Set Designer, Prop Designer, Set Builder, Special Effects, Actor, Costume Consultant, and Dramaturg. Won two awards for set design.

Theatre Instructor
Caldera Arts and Environmental Camp, Sisters OR 2000-3
Designed and implemented performance curriculum for a unique collection of underserved urban and rural middle school students. Taught theatre exercises, composition, and scene study. Guided students in final presentation for entire camp.

Arts Instructor
Homowo African Arts Camp, Portland OR 2003
Taught art-based cultural curriculum for elementary school-aged children.

Developer
Shift We Are Not Yet Done Curriculum, Web 2002
Create art based curriculum exploring race in American culture.


Coordinator and Co-Director
Anytown Diversity Leadership Camp, Providence RI 1995-7
Designed and directed week-long leadership and diversity training program for 50-100 at-risk through high achieving high school students. Hired, trained, supervised and evaluated twenty adult, student staff, and team of facilitators. Designed and implemented year-round follow up youth council program.

Program Director
National Conference for Community and Justice 1995-6
Designed and implemented middle school, high school, and adult diversity and leadership programs. Created workplace diversity evaluation tool. Worked with community organizations to increase their proficiency in supporting a wide range of groups and individuals. Attended National Conference.

Founder and Director
Women's Prison Theatre Project, Brown University, Providence, RI 1992-4
Designed, implemented and coordinated university volunteers to teach theatre in the womens' correctional institution. Collaborated with experienced theatre volunteers to create and implement a ground-breaking model for in-prison theatre workshops. Worked directly with warden to ensure success of program. Supervised volunteers. Trained new directors. Program became a national model.

Activities Director
Department of Correction Women's Division Cranston, RI 1993
Wrote successful grant to fund position of Activities Director to maintain continuity between cycles of university volunteers. Led theatre, art, reading, and aerobic groups. Supervised aerobics instructor. Sat on services committee for the Women's Division. Worked with counselors to provide comprehensive support for inmates. Attended national conference on Women In Prison in Washington, DC.

LECTURES

1994-Present
Keynote, guest speaker, and classroom presenter at post-secondary and secondary schools, nationwide.
Detail list of institutions served upon request.

CONFERENCES

2009
Keynote Green Festivals Chicago Chicago IL

2008
Keynote Cre8con, Creative Conference Portland OR
Lecture Feminism in Pop Culture, Bitch magazine Portland OR

2005
Keynote Oregon Peacemakers Conference Portland OR
Lecture Studio Museum in Harlem Books and Authors New York NY

2004
Keynote Oregon Peacemakers Conference Portland OR
Keynote University of Wisconsin Women and Activism Milwaukee WI
Performance Syracuse University Matrilineage Symposium Syracuse NY
Panelist Black Feminisms, City University of New York New York NY
Panelist African American Theatre, Young Audiences Portland OR Workshop Matrilineage Symposium, U of Wisconsin Milwaukee WI

2003
Featured Artist Color of Film Collaborative Conference Boston MA
Panelist Third Coast International Audio Festival Chicago IL

2009
Moderator, Schoolhouse Supplies Celebrity Spelling Bee Portland OR

2008-9
Faculty Art Grant Evaluator, City University of New York New York NY

2008-9
Advisor, WORK Whites Overcoming Racism through Knowledge Web

2007-9
Board of Directors, Disjecta Arts Portland OR

2007-9
Advisor, Black. Brown. Green. Web

2006-7
Auction Committee, Disjecta Arts Portland OR

2000
Grant Evaluator, Tri-Met Public Art Committee Portland OR

2000
Grant Evaluator, Intersections Artist Residency Committee
Regional Arts and Culture Council Portland OR

1993-4
Grant Evaluator, Grant Committee Fund for the Improvement in
Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) Washington DC

SHOWS
1999- Present
Stage, street and gallery performer.
Internationally exhibiting visual artist.

Detailed list of my performance titles and gallery showings upon request.

Please also visit my web site

BOOKS

Obamistan: Land without Racism! Your guide to the new America. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books/Chicago Review Press. 2010

How To Rent A Negro. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books/Chicago Review Press. 2005

CHAPTERS

What Did She Just Say?" Reality Radio "Durham: Duke University Press. 2010

"Who's White? Race humor and the new black/non-black breakdown. A conversation with damali ayo and Tim Wise." Tipping the Sacred Cow: The best of LiP: Informed Revolt 1996-2007 Oakland: AK Press. 2008
.
"Ancestors Gumbo" The Sage Woman Cookbook Arena Press. 1998

PRINT ESSAYS

"A Vision Grounded in Beloved Community: Review of Van Jones' The Green Collar Economy" Tikkun. Berkeley: Network of Spiritual Progressives. January 2009 http://www.tikkun.org/article.php/20090226000156304

"Celebrate Obama But Acknowledge Us, Too." Tell Me More National Public Radio. January 2009 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99388813

"The Potential For A New Life." This I Believe series National Public Radio. July 2008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92552072

"The 12 White Steps" Lip Magazine. Oakland. Winter 2005

"What's Race Got To Do With It? An Interview With William Pope.L" Portland: The Organ. 2003

"A Brilliant Disguise" At The Crossroads: Black Women's Art And Culture Toronto: Spring 1994.

"A Cause Worth Struggling For" At The Crossroads: Black Women's Art And Culture Toronto: Fall 1993

RADIO ESSAYS

"Celebrate Obama But Acknowledge Us, Too." Tell Me More National Public Radio. January 2009

"The Potential For A New Life." This I Believe series Tell Me More National Public Radio. July 2008
Regular Guest Commentator "Good News Bad News No News" Weekend America, National Public Radio, 2007-8

"Who's White? Race humor and the new black/non-black breakdown. A conversation with damali ayo and Tim Wise." Loose Lip LiP Magazine Podcast October 2006

"Living Flag" (co-producer) Studio 360 New York: Public Radio International. 2004

"Beethoven's Fifth" Studio 360 New York: Public Radio International 2004

"Flesh-Tone/The Paint Mixers" Studio 360 New York: Public Radio International. 2004 Winner of a Silver Reel Award from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters

"Me And The Golliwog" Studio 360 New York: Public Radio International. 2003

"Trashed" Studio 360 New York: Public Radio International. 2003

COMPACT DISCS

LIVE: How to Rent a Negro, Recorded at Elliott Bay Books, Seattle WA 2006

What did she just say? Radio essays, audio art and snippets 2001-3. 2003

2005
Honorable Mention, Outstanding Book Awards, Gustavus Myers
Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights Boston MA
Silver Reel, National Federation of Community Broadcasters Baltimore MD

2003
Art Grant, Gard & Gerber Public Relations Firm Portland OR
Drammy Award, Set Design, The Bad Infinity by Mac Wellman Portland OR

2002
Second Prize Juror's Award, Northwest Annual Center on
Contemporary Art (CoCA) Linda Farris Juror Seattle WA
Individual Artist Fellowship, Oregon Arts Commission Salem OR
Project Grant, Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) Portland OR
Technical Assistance Grant, Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) Portland OR
Artist Residency, Caldera Arts Sisters OR

2001
Artist In Residence, Carleton-Hart Studio Referred By Portland
Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) Portland OR
Artist Residency, Caldera Arts Sisters OR
Drammy Award, for Set Design, The Woods by David Mamet Portland OR

Letters and contacts available upon request.

"I have nothing but praise for Damali Ayo. Her fine mind, deep thoughtfulness and boundless originality are combined with a delightfully quirky sense of the comedic. Her work is prolific, nationally and internationally well-regarded, top-notch."
-Patricia Williams, Author, Legal Scholar and Professor, Columbia Law School

"Ms. Ayo brings the experience of a seasoned lecturer, the vision of a multi-media artist, and the dedication of a determined social researcher."
-Annin Barrett, Instructor, General Studies, The Art Institute of Portland


"Damali Ayo is one of the most innovative, highly resourceful and forward-thinking people I have worked with."
-Dmae Roberts, USA Rockefeller Fellow


"Damali Ayo is a rare talent who can juggle being an artist, a business woman, and community organizer without breaking a sweat. The passion she brings to each project is transformative and turns a simple idea into a movement."
-Al Letson , Playwright, Performance Poet, Winner of the Public Radio Talent Search, Host of State of the ReUnion


"Highly intelligent and passionately committed to social change, Damali Ayo has taken the national stage with her work as an artist, writer, and cultural commentator. As a personality, moreover, Ms. Ayo is utterly engaging, warm, extroverted, and amazingly energetic."
-Sue Taylor, Ph.D., Art History Prof., Assistant Chair, Dept. of Art Portland State University

"Damali Ayo has been as influential as my professors at college for the past four years, and I am fortunate to have her as a mentor and teacher in my life."
-Heather Day, Senior Connecticut College, American Studies and Human Development

"A natural teacher, Damali always finds ways to explore complex historical and social topics and break them down into accessible narratives and that are engaging, insightful and humorous."
-Matt Nelson, Community Organizer and Educator

"I have the utmost respect and admiration for Damali and for her work. She draws on her prodigious intellectual, artistic, and political talents to engage people from a wide range of race and class backgrounds."
-Judy Kaye, Diversity and Leadership Consultant

"A year later, We are still talking about Damali's presentation at our writing conference!"
-Gail Odette Henderson, Associate Professor of English
Baton Rouge Community College, LA

"She really inspired our students to take to heart the power of their voices and to act.
-Ripon University, WI

"Damali had a profound impact on us, students, faculty, and administration. We will be transformed by this experience."
-Colby College

Workshop Facilitation, Viewpoints, Suzuki, NaCl Performance Process Training, Nonviolence, Yoga Teacher Certification, Reiki Master, CPR.

Web 2.0, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Keynote, Photoshop, ProTools, Audacity, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, sewing, permaculture, carpentry.