Freedom dreams

Playwright, professor, and founding member of Black Lives Matter, Funmilola Fagbamila, presents a discussion on the necessity of emotional intelligence in our pursuit of more just and healthy societies. Utilizing a solution-oriented approach, Prof. Fagbamila breaks down the ways that bias is not only learned intellectually but articulated emotionally. Via storytelling, spoken word, and interactive dialogue, Funmilola examines how we can begin remedying some of our most pressing collective issues and envisioning a future where freedom is no longer a dream.

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"The catalyst for political engagement has rarely been misery, poverty, or oppression. People are drawn to social movement because of hope: their dreams of a new world radically different from the one they inherited."
-Robin D.G. Kelley

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As one of the original organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement, Funmilola contributed to the organization’s inception in 2013 and served as the Arts and Culture director for the Los Angeles chapter from 2017-2020. In 2017, Funmilola was awarded the inaugural Activist-in-Residence position at the Institute on Inequality and Democracy at UCLA Luskin. Her work was honored by the US Congress in both 2015 and 2018; and her writing, political analyses and social commentary have been featured in publications such as the Guardian, TNT, NOWTHIS news and NPR. Prof. Fagbamila has delivered keynote addresses and performances at universities across the U.S. and Europe, including UCLA School of Law, Oxford, Harvard and Stanford.