Partner in supporting the “Black Joy is Lit(erature) Workshop Series”
Along with this webinar, we are hosting a fundraiser to help sponsor a FREE writing workshop for Black undergraduate students in Florida. Participants will be guided in the art of conducting literature reviews, and citations, along with creative and scholarly writing. Attendees will leave this immersive and nature-inspired experience with the confidence to write academic papers that expand the scholarship and conversation of Black Joy in green spaces.
What does it mean to propagate Black Joy? To begin, Dr. Chris Omni invites you to think about how we propagate plants.
In order to create new plants, the parent plant must be healthy and striving. In the space of propagating Black Joy, Dr. Omni, the parent plant, spent several years on an intentional healing and nature-inspired journey of self-discovery after the passing of her Mama from a 26-year battle with cancer. Seven years later, she is strong, whole, and grounded. Now, Dr. Omni joyfully enters a space of celebrating and growing Black Joy in the lives of other Black people such as Michelle Gunn and Ashley Powell - 2022/2023 Black Joy research mentees from Florida State University who were promoted to interns for the 2023/2024 season. During this webinar, you get to hear directly from these brilliant young leaders.
Now that you understand the metaphorical association of propagation, you might be wondering what exactly is Black Joy? As a poetic explanation of this high vibrational subject, Dr. Omni explains it as…
Black Joy is a Statement
Black Joy is a Stride
Black Joy is Permission
Black Joy is Pride
Black Joy is a form of Resistance
Black Joy is a form of Rest
Black Joy is anything you need it to be because Black Joy is the best!
During this 2023 Propagating Black Joy webinar, you will be re-acquainted with this poetic explanation from her first appearance in September 2022 and introduced to her new framework, “Kujima (pronounced koo-gee-mah) Theory of Collective-Self Motivation.” This heart-centered, three-pillar model reimagines and renews the worlds within and around Black people as it blends key principles found within the African American celebration of Kwanzaa (pronounced “kwahn-zuh”).
Propagating Black Joy Panelists
Dr. Chris Omni is a keynote speaker, panel moderator, award-winning entrepreneur, and Black Joy scholar, artist, and activist. She is the go-to-source for creative and compassionate conversations that lead to community change. Dr. Omni’s research explores nature’s influence on the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of Black people. By blending her 25-year background in public health with her foreground in art education, Dr. Omni’s presentations provide a counter narrative to the typical deficit lens generally applied to the Black experience.
Dr. Omni’s international and national honors include the 2022 semi-finalist, 3-Minute Thesis winner presented by the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, the 2021 First place, 3-Minute Thesis winner presented by Florida State University, the 2019 International Community Ambassador presented by iChange Nations, the 2018 American Small Business Champion presented by SCORE, the 2018 Black People who Rock presented by New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, the 2015 Minority-owned business of the Year presented by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, and the 2015 Woman of Achievement and Outstanding Entrepreneur presented by Topeka Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of teaching, mentoring, and winning awards, Dr. Omni can be found tending to her 60+ potted plants, walking her three dogs, or passing out hugs to people who need and/or want an emotional release. A single encounter with Dr. Omni will leave you feeling heard, seen, and valued. Learn more about Black Joy and Dr. Omni’s work here.
Michelle Gunn is currently a dedicated student at Florida State University. Originally from Orlando, Florida, she is an International Affairs major with a concentration in Public Administration. Her interests are in Black global politics and the Public Administration field. She aspires to one day own a non-profit organization aimed at solving the issues amongst the Black diaspora. She first began researching Black Joy as a research mentee for Dr. Omni’s The Omnipresence of Black Joy pilot research study under Florida State University’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. This research study sought to explore Black Joy and how it is represented through Black students on Florida State’s campus. During this time as a research mentee, Michelle completed literature reviews on Black Joy, assisted Dr. Omni in creating a website that would serve as a platform to showcase Black Joy, and distributed a survey to students on Florida State’s campus surrounding Black Joy. Michelle had the honor of presenting this research at the 23rd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at Florida State University. Michelle also served on The Omnipresence of Black Joy panel alongside Dr. Omni at the International Symposium on Autoethnography and Narrative.
Ashley Powell is a rising senior at Florida State University majoring in Psychology and completing a minor in General Business. She is an analytically driven student with a passion for psychology, business, and marketing. She was also a member of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) for the 2022 -2023 year. Within this program she was of four research mentees on the “Omnipresence of Black Joy” research project. This project has taught Ashley many values that she utilizes in her everyday life in the prioritization of Black Joy. Outside of school Ashley enjoys listening to music, spending time with her friends, and exploring her college campus. After graduation Ashley will be completing a master’s degree in business, and she plans to work in a field where she can utilize both psychology and business. Ashley is excited to learn and grow within her chosen field and cannot wait to gain more experience and opportunities to network and meet more like-minded individuals.