ORIGINS & PEOPLE

In 2008, I found myself immersed in a highly experiential Organization Development (OD) graduate program. At the same time, I was deeply involved in creating community theater through The Saartjie Project, an endeavor close to my heart. During this transformative period, I realized that there was a need for my work as a cultural worker and an OD practitioner to intersect and inform one another.

I recognized that the power of storytelling and the richness of culture could enhance change theory and group dynamics. I saw how culture could make abstract concepts more accessible, relatable, and ultimately, capable of sparking profound transformation. This led me to launch a series of experimental initiatives, connecting cultural workers with social justice organizations. Initially, my focus was on the realm of changing hearts and minds; igniting a recognition of the transformative potential of the arts, and encouraging artists to become more civically engaged.

However, over time, I realized that lasting impact required more than just shifts in personal perception and awareness. It necessitated a comprehensive approach of behavioral and structural change. Recognizing the profound influence of external environmental realities on individuals, organizations, and communities, I expanded our framework to encompass these dimensions of change.

Inspired by Robert Gass’ Wheel of Change, I see culture as the lubricant that moves the “wheel.” We bridge realms of culture, storytelling, and OD to facilitate change within organizations, communities, and people.

It is with this philosophy that Art in Praxis was born.

“If you know the beginning well, the end will not trouble you” is an Ashanti Proverb introduced to Jess by National Black Theater.