Monica O. Montgomery is a lauded and renowned cultural thought leader, in museums, public history, creative economy and arts administration. Over the last 20 years she has consulted with a dozen organizations and civic entities, leading public engagement and partnerships towards ecologies of promise. As an independent curator, she has produced social change exhibits and participatory experiences with institutions such as the The Formerly Incarcerated Renaissance Museum, Smithsonian Institution Arts & Industries Building, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Portland Art Museum, South African Embassy, T Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, Weeksville Heritage Center and the Brooklyn Museum among others.

She is a sought-after keynote speaker and having rocked stages at TedX, SXSW, American Alliance of Museums, Association of Art Museum Curators, Themed Entertainment Association, Visitor Experience Conference, Museum Next and more, sharing her bold ideas and insights on topics such as diaspora storytelling, shared authority and engagement strategies. Notably she has shared stages with FLOTUS Jill Biden and Artist Theaster Gates and has been featured in media

DDSC Board of Directors

Monica O. Montgomery | Founder & President

appearances on major networks: CBS, NBC, Fox, C-Span, PBS Newshour, The Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Humans of New York, Watch The Yard, Hyperallergic, and Radio One.

She serves as Vice Chair of Monument Lab, and is on the boards of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, the PA Museums Association, the Museum Council of Greater Philadelphia, and the Advisory Boards of 1838 Black Metropolis Project and the Penn Museum. Additionally, she stewards the Montgomery Collection, an archive of global majority diasporic, history, ephemera, photos, antiquarian books, family papers and art which she is transforming into - DiasporaDNA Story Center.

Dennis Maurice Dumpson (he/him) is the Founder and Principal Consultant of #InvestBLK, a boutique racial equity and strategic planning firm dedicated to empowering Black and Brown leaders through coaching, strategy, and trust-based funding. He is also the Chief External Affairs Officer at Let’s Get Ready, a national nonprofit serving over 25,000 students on their journey to and through college.

Dennis has led work across education, philanthropy, and public service, previously holding leadership roles at the Philadelphia International Airport, KIPP Philadelphia, and Opportunity Finance Network. Through #InvestBLK’s Black and Empty Fund and theQUITTING FUND, he has directed impactful investments toward the well-being and liberation of Black and Brown changemakers.

He is also an author and thought leader whose work on racial justice and equity has been featured in The Washington Post, CBS MoneyWatch, and Socialist Worker. He holds a BA from Lincoln University (PA), an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Justice Education at the University of San Diego.

Connie Grier (she/her) is a dedicated School Principal and the Founder of The RESPECT Alliance, a nonprofit committed to mentoring, parent engagement, and addressing social justice issues such as mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline.

As Principal, Connie centers equity by expanding access to culturally relevant instruction, restorative SEL supports, and real-world learning. She launched #TheTRADESAtWAGNER, a monthly Building Trades program, and is introducing Culinary Arts as a core elective for students in the 2024–2025 school year. Her work is rooted in strong community partnerships that broaden opportunities for her scholars.

Connie also leads JUSTShift®, a parent and family coaching firm focused on respectful, relationship-based parenting. As an Adjunct Professor and advocate, she teaches on the impact of incarceration on families and communities, and supports those directly affected by the justice system.

Her motto and mission are one and the same: #JusticeAlways.

Connie Grier | Member at Large

Shekhinah B. is a creative hybrid and versatile professional. She's an internationally acclaimed vocal performer, a dedicated advocate for the arts, a skilled cultural producer, a thoughtful conversational curator, and the author of The Art Economic Empowerment Workbook & Take Charge. She has made a significant impact in the nonprofit and creative cultural sectors, championing art as a tool for community connection, promoting emerging artists, and amplifying underrepresented voices.

The Executive Director and Founder of The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Her dedication lies in the education, unification, and empowerment of creatives, achieved through a range of initiatives that foster creative expression, self-sufficiency, multiculturalism, self-esteem, and collective growth.

As the creative cultural producer of Sistahs Attune, she works to enhance workforce development opportunities within the creative economy. Her mission is to bridge the divide between art and commerce while simultaneously expanding culturally relevant platforms for the expression of Afro-Centric creativity.

Shekhinah B. | Member at Large

Malaika Aaron-Bishop (she/her) is a facilitator, strategist, and lifelong activist rooted in racial and social justice. As Director of Methodology & Learning at Co-Creating Inclusion, she leads the design and evolution of learning experiences that drive individual and organizational transformation.

Originally from Guyana and now based in Brooklyn, Malaika brings a deep commitment to equity shaped by her lived experiences and decades of work in broadcast media, academia, and community organizing. Her facilitation style blends adaptability, insight, and humor, centering a racial justice lens and power analysis to guide teams through meaningful, often challenging dialogue.

Malaika’s background includes roles at the City University of New York and the NYC Department of Education, as well as grassroots work in racial justice, energy justice, reproductive rights, and criminal justice. She is passionate about building partnerships between institutions and communities to co-create lasting change.

Malaika Aaron-Bishop | Member at Large

DDSC Team

Eva Solano is an emerging museum professional with a passion for community engagement, education, and collaborative program development. With a background in art history, arts administration, and museum leadership, she focuses on creating inclusive programs that connect people and inspire meaningful conversations. Solano believes in the power of art to transform communities and make culture accessible to everyone.

Eva Solano | Community Engagement Manager

I am a recent honors graduate in Tourism Management from Limkokwing University Of Creative Technology and also holding a certificate in Hospitality Management from Florida Atlantic University. Passionate about art, social justice, and the environment, I am inspired by the work of organizations like DiasporaDNA, which celebrate heritage, kinship, and legacy. I am eager to bring my knowledge of tourism and hospitality to projects that amplify cultural storytelling and preservation, bridging communities and creating meaningful experiences that honor collective history.

Mohamed Alpha Jalloh | Digital Project Manager 





Varissa McMickens Blair (she/her) is a seasoned nonprofit leader & professional. She has led successful programming, volunteer, and fundraising efforts in urban, suburban and rural communities across the nation. She has been instrumental in growing organizations, hiring and training staff & contractors, designing workshops and training sessions, and developing and designing new programs wherever she has worked. McMickens Blair is Founder & Executive Consultant of NOWWellspring Consulting, a boutique firm providing organizational and business services, including grant writing, strategic planning, interim and surrogate executive leadership, social media content management, Inclusion Diversity Equity Accessibility & Belonging (IDEA/B) training and planning, board & executive leadership training, program & project management, and a host of other professional offerings. She also serves as Chief Strategies Officer for Olney Culture Lab of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, an organization that utilizes culture as a catalyst for community development and social change. She also joined the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) team at Case Western Reserve University in 2023 as a research Associate.

Variss McMickens Blair | Organizational Strategy Consultant

Rainey Tisdale is a museum consultant specializing in interpretive & strategic planning, content & collections curation, institutional capacity building, and igniting the creative process. Her holistic approach to museum work has been called slow food, divining, poetry, and a secret weapon. She leads for change on a number of field-wide museum issues, including place-based interpretation, creative practice, collections stewardship, and the impact of museums on lifelong well-being.

Rainey Tisdale | Interpretive Consultant 

J.J. El-Far (she/her) is an Arab-American artist, entrepreneur, creative producer, and consultant in Philadelphia and New York. She specializes in creative entrepreneurship at the intersection of arts, activism, and social justice, bringing diverse people together for artistic events that transform spaces and build community. In 2025, J.J. launched FRANK Creative Solutions, offering bespoke arts management services for mission-driven organizations. J.J. founded and leads Rising Wing, a professional network for arts and culture makers. She is a proud board member of the Parent Artist Advocacy League and Kaimera Productions. Previously, she held leadership roles with Philadelphia Contemporary, Pig Iron Theater, RADIOKISMET, ArKtype, Sundance Institute, Musical Theatre Factory, Theater Mitu, and the British Council USA.

She co-founded and produced the Harlem Arts Festival, serving as Creative Director from 2010-2015 and Board Chair from 2015-2017. As a consultant and freelance producer, she has worked with organizations including Octopus Theatricals, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, The Play Company, and Spotify. J.J. is a member of Women of Color in the Arts, the Creative Independent Producer’s Alliance, and an alum of Theatre Communications Group’s Rising Leaders of Color. She holds an MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a BA in Theater Arts and in International Global Studies from Brandeis University.

J.J. El-Far | Developmental Consultant

Nideen Froukh is a Palestinian-American historian and museum professional who specializes in public history, social justice, and decolonization. Nideen’s work aims to uplift both those in her position and those across all socio-political lines through education and radical empathy, the crux of all social change.

Passionate about collective memory and combating injustice, Nideen is personally and professionally invested in forging connections that respect and honor our distinct identities within the broader diaspora. Her mission has led Nideen to hold positions at numerous cultural and historic organizations including the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Historic Germantown, and the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection. Nideen holds a BA in History with a minor in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, and is currently pursuing a MA in Public History at Villanova under the Presidential Graduate Fellowship.

Nideen Froukh | Archives & Education Consultant

Left to right:

Mthokozisi Nyathi - Operations Volunteer

Ashley Jirak - Communications & Marketing Intern

Christine Yang- Multimedia & Podcast Intern

Not pictured: Fiona Breen - Development Intern

Kelci Baker is a mission-driven Community Engagement Manager working at the intersection of arts, culture, and community empowerment. With a background in project management, program development, and artist residency administration, Kelci brings a collaborative and strategic approach to creating meaningful cultural experiences that reflect and serve local communities.

She holds a Master of Library and Information Science with a concentration in Museum Studies from Kent State University, and has dedicated her career to nonprofit initiatives that prioritize equity, access, and creative expression. Her work spans the design and implementation of programs that support emerging artists, engage diverse audiences, and build infrastructure for long-term community impact.

Kelci is particularly passionate about building inclusive systems of support for creatives—connecting vision to action through partnerships, thoughtful planning, and sustained engagement. Whether leading public programming, supporting artist-led initiatives, or cultivating space for dialogue and growth, her work is grounded in care, curiosity, and collective purpose.

Kelci Baker | Interpretive Associate Volunteer

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You're getting this message through your affiliation with Monica O. Montgomery MA who is a curator, community engager and consultant & Founding Executive Director of DiasporaDNA Story Center.