illuminating talks + presentations
Sharing insights at the Emergent Strategy Immersion in DC
Sharing stories, process and the aha-moments that I’ve had throughout my creative practice is something I love offering audiences.
I get excited about ways I can engage the hearts and minds of the people in the room. From presentations, panels, interviews and conversations in community, I combine my experiences with authentic expression and a message mindfully crafted to inspire deeper creativity, collaboration and care in listener’s work and lives.
Audiences leave the experience feeling uplifted, more in tune with their creative capacity for transformation and inspired to begin applying insights to their own practice.
topics i love offering
CREATIVE REST + RECOVERY
How I protected my time to rest, dream, and write. This is for creative spirits who want insight into designing a dedicated pause that will softly propel them into the next cycle of their life and work.
DESIGNING MY LIFE’S WORK
The iterative, emergent process of my lifework journey, my insights and aha-moments, beautiful questions and what designing futures for justice can look like with care and collaboration.
being well in a DISABLED body
Sharing the challenges and celebrations of the everyday care work that’s necessary to be well while living with disabilities and the personal truths of what I believe is needed to build more accessible, supportive communities.
This particular talk is inspired by my essay in Womanly Magazine.
UNCOVERING your lifework mashup
Channeling inspirations from the book, Roadmap,
I share my personal process of mixing and matching core interests, values and desired futures to create a unique combination that defined my vision of a Holistic Design Strategist—and how you can uncover your lifework mashup, too.
PREVIOUS LOCAL + VIRTUAL AUDIENCES
Speaking on Creating Spaces for Wellness & Joy at Harvard
mica design theory LECTURE
Sharing the conception and creation journey of my cohort program, Design for the Wellbeing of Black Womxn, to undergrad and graduate students broadening their perspective of design.
harvard’s black in design conference: “black futurism: creating a more equitable future”
Panelist on the session, The Sanctity of Black Bodies: Creating Spaces for Wellness & Joy. Exploring how mental wellness, community-grown wealth, and Black dream-spaces will converge to create a future where the sanctity of our bodies is honored.
design justice network philly EVENT
Guest and presenter at Philly’s Design Justice Network kickoff event highlighting how the set of principles created by the network can show up in practice in and with communities.
20th Annual Allied Media Conference, Design Justice Track
Workshop presenter of Designing Possibilities for the Wellbeing of Black Womxn—the first iteration of a team-based session inviting all movement builders wanting to help strategize community-driven approaches and address rising health concerns through design.
WE’RE DONE WITH PATRIARCHAL BUSINESS AS USUAL: A RADICAL RETREAT FOR FEMINIST ENTREPRENEURS by sister
Joining other feminist entrepreneurs from around the world as a panelist for the topic “Doing the Work: Bringing Our Feminist Principles into Our Business Practices.”
podcast interviews
AFFIRMATIONS
“I’ve hired Denise multiple times to speak to graduate and undergraduate students about her practice. She’s a captivating speaker who makes a huge splash with our students because of her vibrancy, relatability and professionalism. She brought actionable ideas that motivated our students to design excellence, reflected in their projects. I highly recommend her skills, creativity, and expertise.”
“Uplifting, inspiring, heartwarming and reflective— Denise’s talk checks all the above. I found myself deeply resonating with her story and life philosophies, while gaining clarity in my own practice as a designer. Gems from her sharing are still constantly being referenced amongst my classmates, as we navigate social complexity and designing for justice. Denise’s journey in designing her life’s work serves as a guiding light, to a future filled with creative abundance and community care.”