damali ayo's award-winning work has been shown at galleries across the world. She has spoken to Colleges, High Schools, Non-profits and communities in the U.S. and Canada about race, diversity, art and eco-living. damali and her work have been featured in over 100 publications world-wide including Harpers, the Village Voice, Salon.com, the Washington Post, Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Redbook Magazine and CSPAN2's Book TV.

damali has a MFA in Visual Art and a finely tuned eye for all things visual and energetic. She has practiced yoga for ten years, kickboxes and is a Reiki Master. damali lives an eco-lovely life where she composts, sheet mulches, saves rainwater, grows her own food and medicinal herbs. damali has been teaching practical steps to end racism at venues across the US for over fifteen years. In 2005 she released a best selling book on race relations to rave reviews. damali has a comitment to health and fitness and finding natural paths to healing. Her life demonstrates her belief that all things are connected."

photo by pete springer

ayo says: "I have seen that change starts with people, relationships and courage. This fuels my passion for connecting people with resources and information to help them be all they can be."

damali has worked as a professional diversity trainer, prison activities director, team leader, program developer and camp director, but chose to become an artist as an effective means of achieving progress. In 2003 damali created the internationally acclaimed web-art-performance rent-a-negro.com, which explores the commodification of race and the interactions between blacks and whites in society. damali's book, How to Rent a Negro was acclaimed as "one of the most trenchant and amusing commentaries on contemporary race relations." Her book was granted a 2005 Honorable Mention in the Outstanding Book Awards from the Gustavus Meyers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights. Her radio work "Living Flag: Panhandling for Reparations" won a Silver Reel Award from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters.

In 2006 damali ayo left traditional art gallery representation and named her particular approach to art "Now Art." She describes Now Art as being immediate, accessible and engaging social issues. Much of ayo's Now Art is participatory and free. Ayo believes that "art should make you think and feel." She eschews art that is primarily for decoration or profit. She believes that artists' true place is at the forefront of social change movements. In 2007 damali created Now Art Grants, a program that combines small donations of a large number of individuals then grants that money to artists engaged in social change.  

damali's simultaneous performance project, National Day of Panhandling for Reparations involved 70 performers in 21 states and 3 countries. It was covered by over 50 media outlets nationwide.

damali's acclaimed book, How to Rent a Negro is in currently development to be made into a film by Coalition Films (NY) in Partnership with a major Hollywood partner.

damali has a Bachelors in Art from Brown University in a dual concentration of Public Policy and American Civilization. She also holds a Masters in Fine Art from Portland State University in Studio Art. damali is an avid gardener and herbalist. She strives to live a life in harmony with principles of sustainability. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her blind adopted dog, Stevie.

damali's name means "beautiful vision of joy."

Heather Day has been damali's assistant for the last two years. She is a student of hip-hop, anti-racism, feminism, and culture. A junior at Connecticut College, majoring in American Studies with a minor in Human Development, Heather is the Co-Chair of SOAR (Students Organized Against Racism) and the Community Service coordinator for her college's Feminist Majority chapter. Heather, regularly leads workshops, classes, and group discussions on hip-hop, anti-oppression, non-violence, peace making, and human rights in public and private schools, conferences, camps, and after school programs for youth, adolescents and young adults. She also has extensive experience working and volunteering at shelters for the homeless and/or those fleeing domestic abuse. Heather believes that hip-hop is too often blamed for creating or perpetuating violence and negativity, and she is committed to instead, using it as a catalyst for positive social change. Heather is the next generation of community leader, youth mentor, anti-oppression educator, and advocate for the disenfranchised. She lives in Northampton MA.
heather@damaliayo.com

Grant Buckles hails from Leitchfield, Kentucky and currently attends Transylvania University. He is a political science major with a devotion to progressive/radical social change, especially in the areas of racial injustice and class alienation. Hip-hop is his passion and he strives to promote hip-hop as a means to stimulate thought and discussion about identity and different forms of injustice in our society.
grant@damaliayo.com

To bring damali ayo to your organization
please contact damali
damali@damaliayo.com

“damali ayo was the
best speaker we ever had."