Student and Alumni Voices on the Arts and Social Justice

A diverse roster of artists from different disciplines will answer facilitator questions. Then, participants will have a chance to meet in smaller, breakout ‘zoom rooms’ to further strategize and discuss the issues with panelists.

Join the Panel Discussion on Zoom

For more information, please contact the co-facilitators:

Chotsani Williams West
Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
cwest@adelphi.edu

Brooks Frederick
frederick@adelphi.edu

Panelists

Olivia Maybee

Olivia Maybee is a member of the Seneca Nation, an Indigenous tribe in Western New York. She is an artist, businesswoman, and activist. Olivia Maybee is an undergrad student at Adelphi University studying Business Management and Fine Arts. She is also an active member of the oldest prestigious black women’s club in the U.S, the National Association of Colored Women’s Club. She also serves as the treasure for Adelphi’s Kappa Pi. Olivia has been an activist as early as 2014, protesting on behalf of her tribe’s fight for land sovereignty.

Michael Gayle

Michael Gayle is a multi-talented musician, orchestral composer, music producer and film composer with a passion for neuroscience. Michael Gayle is currently a Doctoral Candidate for the Ed.D.C.T. in Music Education at Columbia University. He is an applied lessons instructor at Columbia University, and an Adjunct Professor at and St. John’s University. Michael’s profound love for music is evident in each note he plays, and his dedication to sharing this love will ensure his musical and educational longevity for years to come. Michael is also a loving husband and father of four children.

Isuri Wijesundara

Isuri Wijesundara is based in Sri Lanka, New York, and New Haven, USA. Currently pursuing her MFA Acting degree from Yale School of Drama, Isuri is a 2018 BFA graduate in Theatre with an acting concentration and a Levermore Global Scholar from Adelphi University. Isuri holds two Associates Diplomas from Trinity College London in: Speech and Drama, and Musical Theatre, in addition to a Classical Acting Semester Diploma after having trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts

During her time at Adelphi and since, Isuri has developed theatre around issues of justice based on experiences, and real stories. Some of her work is around the areas of : The role of women in war and racial injustice. In 2016, Isuri along with one of her mentors Maggie Lally, co-directed a piece titled “Now You See Me/Now You Hear Me” where they brought the entire Adelphi University community together to hear 99 diverse voices give voice to the Stanford rape survivor’s statement.

Part of the Fall Arts Festival. 2020 festival posters and icons designed by graphic design student Jenna Ventura.