WHO WE ARE.
THE
FOUNDER.
Essence McDowell is the founder of Kemtiyu Arts & Media. She is a writer, communications strategist and creative director. She is the author of two books including the most recent, Lifting As They Climbed: Mapping A History of Trailblazing Black Women in Chicago.
Essence utilizes community engagement, digital design, and communication technologies to strengthen community institutions, and advance justice-based organizations.
She is the former director of arts and communications at the Social Justice Initiative, where she co-founded the Chicago Justice gallery and sprearheaded the national launch of the Social Justice Portal Project.
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Essence McDowell
Founder & Executive Director
OUR TEAM.
Fariha M. Koshul is a cultural heritage researcher and archivist whose work weaves together historical documentation, storytelling and social memory with a focus on religious history and community-centered curation.
Adam Yafai is a Yemeni-American Director of Photography and Video Editor who has been working professionally in documentary and commercial video production for the last 10 years.
Sarah Oberholtzer is a filmmaker, educator, and community organizer invested in telling stories that allow audiences to imagine alternative futures.
Alysiah Johnson is a Research Assistant whose work focuses on conducting in-depth research, synthesizing findings, and advancing knowledge across interdisciplinary fields.