Omekongo Dibinga
- Award-Winning Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist
- Professor of Cross-Cultural Communication
Travels From
District of Columbia
Omekongo Dibinga Speaker Biography
A professor of cross-cultural communication at American University, trilingual poet, TV talk show host and positive rapper, Dr. Omékongo Dibinga’s writings and performances have appeared in O Magazine, as well as on TV and radio from CNN, BET, and the BBC to NPR, Music Choice, and Voice of America in millions of homes in over 150 countries. He has also written songs for major motion pictures as well as organizations such as NASA and the Enough! Project. He has spoken before the United Nations, partners with the State Department to conduct leadership training overseas, and speaks to corporate, government, and educational organizations across the country.
Dibinga has studied at Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Georgetown, Morehouse, and The Fletcher School, where he earned his M.A. in Law & Diplomacy. He earned his Ph.D. in International Education Policy at The University of Maryland (UMD) where his dissertation centered on the global hip-hop phenomenon and JAY Z. A book based on the dissertation is in the works. At UMD, he also worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Teaching Diverse Students Initiative.” Across the country he has worked with school districts on culturally relevant instruction including Washington D.C., Texas, New York, Ohio, Florida, Massachusetts, and California. He provides leadership, educational and diversity empowerment as a consultant and motivational speaker for organizations, associations and institutions.
Dibinga knows that helping people learn to communicate can help them reach their goals. His high-energy, interactive presentations incorporate multiple forms of communication including customized poems and songs. He believes that everyone he encounters is, or has the potential to be outstanding.
Finding Common Ground In Uncommon Times
The purpose of this keynote/breakout is for participants to explore what unites them as opposed to what divides them. We live in a society that is becoming increasingly polarized but even in our darkest moments, there are areas where we can all shine. Participants will learn how to have difficult conversations, how to challenge implicit biases, and how to build a community where differences are not just tolerated but celebrated!
Leveraging and Embracing Diversity in the Workplace
This keynote/breakout explores the importance of achieving true cultural diversity and appreciation in a corporate or governmental environment. Research has shown that companies that value diversity are more productive and profitable. Participants will probe deeply into the challenges that prevent employees and leaders from having a truly inclusive work environment. By acknowledging their truths as it relates to experiences of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, and more, participants will feel empowered to carry the dialogue back to their colleagues and beyond.
Be an UPstander, Not a BYstander!
This keynote/breakout uses spoken word poetry and hip-hop to speak on the importance of how participants can create social change. Participants build their cultural self-confidence and respect for other cultural, religious and racial groups through critical analysis to understand the root causes of misconceptions that exist across different groups. It challenges cultural paradigms in an effort to create greater appreciation for differences. Participants emerge from this keynote/breakout empowered to not only make a change in their own lives but in their communities and throughout the globe.
Creating Culturally Competent Schools
This keynote/breakout focuses on what schools to create inclusive environments for the wide array of diverse students in their schools. Participants will identify how the key features of mainstream American culture shape teaching and learning. They will also discuss the assumptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values embedded in mainstream culture that contribute to the achievement gap. Lastly, participants will engage in courageous conversation about excellence and equity in education.
