As a creator and academic lecturer, De leverages the creative power of storytelling to inspire and equip audiences to spark creative social change in their communities.
Since 2008, De has galvanized changemakers to develop bold #IdeasthatMatter, and public speaking has been a key component to her engagement with audiences from youth & teens to entrepreneurs, organizational leaders, field experts, and everyday do-gooders. She has opened the Clinton Global Initiative University, performed on the Millennium Stage of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, and even given a commencement speech for the Sam Fox School of Design at Washington University in St. Louis. Across campuses, conferences, and communities, De ignites audiences with awe-inspiring and action-driven talks.
Watch Recorded Talks
Lecture Archive
2020
NOV
“MADAD: Making Art & Design as Design,” Lecture, Rhodes College
“Liberating Blackness and Anthropology: Art, Protest, Co-Production,” Panelist, American Anthropological Association Conference
OCT
“Manifestos for Justice,” Presenter, Art Place Summit 2020
“Fireside Chat: Leading With Art + Protest,” Keynote Panelist, NOMA Conference 2020
“Envisioning A Revolution: Art, Design, and Creativity as Protest” Presenter, California Law Review—UC Berkley
“MADAD: Making Art & Design As Dissent",” Keynote Panelist, St. Louis Design Week
“New Middles: Arts and Community,” Panelist, Exhibit Columbus Symposium, Columbus, IN.
“Womxn to the Front: Design, Activism, and Lessons from the Creative Frontlines,” Keynote, AIA Women in Architecture “Archtober,” Online.
SEP
“Design as Protest,” Keynote Speaker, Association of Community Design Conference 43—Recenter.
University of Houston School of Art Fall Lecture, Speaker.
“Visionary Dialogues: Creativity in Crisis,” Moderator, Visionary Awards St. Louis.
AUG
“Racial Healing and the Opportunity to Thrive and, Racial Equity Priorities of the Ferguson Commission Report,” Panelist, Forward through Ferguson, St. Louis, MO.
“Civic Creatives: Leadership by Design,” Presenter, Chicago Camps, Online.
JUL
“Anti-Racist Design,” Presenter, Design for America.
“Sick and Tired,” Keynote Lecture, Design Futures Forum.
“Book Discussion: The Broken Heart of America,” Moderator.
JUN
Design as Protest National Call
May
“Artist Talks for Exhibit, Abstractions of Black Citizenship: African American Art from Saint Louis,” Presenting Artist, Seattle University.
FEB
“Conflicts in Inclusion,” Panel Moderator, Conflict x Design Conference, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA.
JAN
“Design Activism: Protest, Placekeeping, and Power Building,” Open Spaces Symposium, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA.
2019
OCT
Photo via Denise Shante Brown
“The Sanctity of Black Bodies: Creating Spaces for Wellness & Joy,” Moderator, Black in Design, Harvard University.
JUNE
“Racial Justice & Design: Strategies from the Field,” a Panel for the Association of Community Design conference, Greenwood, MS.
MAY
“Transitions: Design, Community, and Life Journeys,” Keynote Speaker, Webster University, St. Louis, MO.
“Visualizing Agency, Authority, and Allyship,” Panelist and Data Visualizer, Kennedy Center Arts Summit, Washington, DC.
APR
“Artist as Catalyst: The Power of Using Art of Impact at Scale,” Presenter, Young Collectors Contemporary, Memphis, TN.
"Masterclass: Art & Social Justice,” Keynote Lecturer, Young Collectors Contemporary, Memphis, TN.
2018
Course Taught
“Design as a Catalyst for Change,” 2018. Sam Fox School of Design and Art, Washington University in St. Louis.
Talks
APR
“Manifesto for a More Equitable Future,” Presenter, Dwell in Other Futures, St. Louis, MO.
“Visions for a Racially Equitable St. Louis,” Moderator, STL 2039 Launch, St. Louis, MO.
“Power, Social Politics, & Design,” Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO.
“A Mouth Is Always Muzzled: A Book Conversation with Author Natalie Hopkinson,” Speaker and Moderator, St. Louis, MO.
2017
DEC
“Cultural Equity: Where Justice, Policy, and the Arts Align,” Keynote Speaker, Government Alliance for Racial Equity, Minneapolis, MN.
NOV
Image via Common Field.
“Encountering Activism through Art,” Keynote Speaker, Religious Education Association Conference, St. Louis, MO.
“Institutional Listening,” Panelist, Common Field Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
OCT
“The Art of Protest,” TEDx Speaker, TEDxGatewayArch, St. Louis, MO
“Ideas That Matter,” Awards Presenter, AIGA Design Conference 2017, Minneapolis, MN
“Designing for Civic Impact,” Presenter, People’s Liberty, Cincinnati, OH
SEP
“The Bridge: Multigenerational HIstory of Activism,” Panel Organizer and Moderator, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO
“Citizen Artistry: Mirror Casket,” Presenter and Ensemble Performer, John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington, DC
“Designing Protest,” Presenter, Design + Diversity, St. Louis, MO
JUN
“Designing for Equitable Communities,” Speaker, Adaptive Path, San Francisco Design Week, San Francisco, CA
“Investing in the Arts,” Panelist, Americans for the Arts Conference, San Francisco, CA
MAY
“Collecting Ferguson,” Presenter and Moderator, American Alliance of Museums Conference, St. Louis, MO
APR
Presenter, Open Engagement, Chicago, IL
“Design Serves: Museum Redux,” Workshop Lecturer, Flex Design Studio, Baltimore, MD
“Designing Civil Rights,” Presenter, MICA, Baltimore, MD
FEB
“WE MAKES: Design Serves Blitz” Workshop, St. Louis, MO
“The Black Experience: Specializing in the Art of the Impossible,” Speaker, St. Louis, MO
“Renaissance Arising: Comparisons of the Contemporary Black Creative Class and the Harlem Renaissance”
St. Louis, MO
“The Need for Arts Philanthropy for Rapid Response,” Presenter, Funders Network Conference, St. Louis MO
JAN
“If We Are to Win…” Speaker, Women’s March, St. Louis, MO
“Taking It to the Streets,” Moderator, Exhibition Panel, St. Louis, MO
2016
NOV
“Artivists Roundtable,” Moderator, Culture/Shift, US Department of Arts and Culture, St. Louis, MO
“Creative Will: How Cities Can Utilize Creative Practices for Change,” Pecha Kucha, St. Louis, MO
OCT
“Designing in Times of Social Conflict & Transition,” Affect Conf, Portland, OR
SEP
“The Art of Protest: Mirror Casket,” Presenter, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
JUL
“AIGA Town Hall on Racial Justice,” Panelist, Online
MAY
“Do What Makes You Come Alive,” Commencement Keynote Address, Sam Fox School of Design & Art, Washington University in St. Louis
APR
“Ode to the Misfits,” Visionary Awards, St. Louis, MO
“The CASE: Contemporary Art Approaches to Social Engagement,” Designing Civil Rights Conference, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MA.
MAR
“Critical Conversations: Art & Education,” Panel Moderator, St. Louis, MO.
2015
NOV
“Stories to Action,” United Story Summit, Emcee and workshop facilitator.
OCT
“Civic Matchmaking for Civic Changemaking,” Points of Light National Conference on Service and Volunteerism, Houston, TX. Plenary Speaker.
“From Logos to Protests: Using Design to Start a Movement,” AIGA National Design Conference, New Orleans, MO. Panelist.
MAY
“The Art of Social Change: Building Community, Catalyzing Change,” St. Louis, MO.
APR
“Civic Matchmaking through Artmaking,” Webinar: Current Trends in Public Art 2- Public Art & Social Practice (Americans for the Arts). Presenter.
MAR
“Ethics and the Artist: Failure in Social Practice and Community Engagement” #FailureandArt Symposium. Panelist. St. Louis, MO.
2014
SEP
“Creative Unrest: When Artists Respond to Social Change,” Panelist, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
JUN
“Living Out Your Calling,” Keynote Address, Youth Summer Leadership Summit. Memphis, TN.
MAR
Clinton Global Initiative University, Opening Plenary Student Speaker. Phoenix, AZ.
APR
“Storytelling Toward Action: A United Story Workshop,” MONUMENTAL Youth Service Learning Conference. Washington, DC.
FEB
Mind the Gap, Local Perspectives Panelist. St. Louis, MO.
JAN
“Thoughts on Life Mastery,” Keynote Address, Financial Freedom Seminar, St. Louis, MO.
2013
MAR
“Unlocking the Creative Capacity of Youth,” TEDxFurman U on Redesigning Education. Greenville, SC.
FEB
AshokaU Exchange, Innovation Presenter. San Diego, CA.
2012
AUG
“Catalysts by Design: Exploring the Intersectionality of Design and Social Work,” IGNITEBrown, Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis. St. Louis, MO.
2011
“Creative Catalysts: Our Visual Becoming,” Women’s Caucus for Art Art+Social Justice Conference, Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis, MO.
“We Are Stronger than Your Violence,” Convention on Youth Violence, St. Louis, MO.
2010
International Festivals and Events Association Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO.
“Becoming More: A Call to Action,” Graham Chapel, St. Louis, MO.