About Amma
I am a…
Artist, Brainstormer, Change Agent, Christian, Concerned citizen, Connector, Entrepreneur, Filmmaker, Idea generator, Musician, Performer, Producer, Writer/Editor
Bio
JOY All:
I am Dr. Amma — a scholartist* and TED Fellow who transforms history + archival material into entertaining works for theatre, television, and film.
I am the founder of the national creative team behind AT BUFFALO, a new musical in development about blackness, American identity, and a presidential assassination at the 1901 Buffalo, NY world’s fair. I have worked across academia and the entertainment industry, including previous stints as a professor and VP / head of Creative Affairs for JusticeRx, a production company that had an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV.
When I’m not in a writers room, archive, or rehearsal studio,
I am resting.
Or, working on creative justice initiatives to make Hollywood a more just space for all.
Or, napping.
Or, baking gluten-free, vegan desserts.
Or, dancing full out to a Afrobeats song.
Or, creatively dreaming.
I am deeply loved by a fun, multi-generational household filled with my husband, parents, and millennial niece who comes to visit from time to time. Tacos and kelewele are my favorite food.
I am exci-TED to meet you (and impressed if you’ve read this far.) Feel free to reach out to me on TEDConnect anytime or find me at a snack station.
(*Scholartist coined by Joseph Shahadi and Mila Aponte-Gonzalez.)
I'm passionate about
Scholartistic entertainment.
An idea worth spreading
Kindness…like, a lot of it.
Areas of expertise
Archival storytelling, Civil rights, Creative historian, Entertainment, Musical theatre, Performing History, Research, Scholartistry, U.S. History - Late 19th/Early 20th Century
Things you might not know
Dancing choreography from BTS music videos.