Erika Dickerson is an educator and artist pursuing careers in literary and performance arts education. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Education and is pursuing a Master's degree. Her work uses art to investigate educational inequity and combat social injustice. She has extensive experience teaching, directing, and creating multidisciplinary works that incorporate storytelling, music, poetry, theater and visual art.

1. Erika Dickerson
Website: www.thedaughterstable.com — E-Mail: erikaimpacts@gmail.com — Telephone: 312.404.9959
CURRICULUM VITAE
Summary
Erika is a scholar, writer, vocalist, mixed-media artist, and educator pursuing a career in literary and performance arts in education and
education law. She is committed to using art as a tool to reinvigorate the learning experience. Erika believes that art coupled with
traditional academic curricula enables more effective and creative ways to investigate how educational policy and systems work for and
against underrepresented groups while combatting social and educational inequity in the classroom.
Objective
Erika seeks to maintain and expand her career as a literary scholar and artist by creating work that investigates, dismantles, critiques, and
re/constructs mass media images of figures within the African Diaspora, both iconic and commonplace. She challenges notions of
membership within Black communities using a medley of traditional storytelling, music, poetry, theatre, movement, mixed-media art,
and critical Black feminism. Erika aims to apply her talents in diverse spaces including but not limited to academia, community outlets,
grassroots organizations, and mass media, in order to garner partnerships and a wider audience/readership while advocating coalition
politics amongst underrepresented groups.
Education
Dallas Theological Seminary
Pursuing Th.M. 2014—2018
University of Madison-Wisconsin 2009—2014
Bachelor of Science in English Secondary Education
Major: English Secondary Education
Minor(s): Gender & Women’s Studies; Afro-American Studies
Projected Graduation date: May 17, 2014
Cumulative GPA: 3.679
• Full 5-Year Scholarship to UW-Madison via The First Wave Spoken Word & Hip-Hop Arts Learning Community
• G&WS Thesis: The Black Hair Politick: The Role of Hair in the Lives of Black Collegiate Women at Predominately White
Universities (critical research essay)
• Dean’s List, 2009—Present
Chicago Academy of the Arts 2007-2009
Media Arts Concentration—H.S. Diploma
Walter Payton College Preparatory H.S. 2005-2007
World Language Program
Accolades & Accomplishments
National Conference on Race & Ethnicity (NCORE) Presenter 2014
NCORE Performer & Panelist 2013
Member of Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society of Educators 2012-Present
NAACP Member2011—Present
Founder and Artistic Director of The For Colored Girls Project 2010—Present
• The FCG Project is the first and only women of color
theatre company based on the UW-Madison campus
Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars 2010—Present

2. 2
Women in Redzine Editor-in-Chief 2010-2011
• Women in Redzine is the first and only multicultural women’s
literary magazine on the UW-Madison campus
Midwestern Regional Miss Black & Gold & National Finalist 2010
• Scholarship Pageant hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.,
the world’s oldest Black Greek letter organization
Released second book of poetry This Side of Mourning 2010
Independently produced the Chicago solo gallery exhibition AKIMBO 2010
Prime Magazine Publishing Coordinator 2009-2010
• Prime is the oldest multicultural literary magazine on
the UW-Madison campus
Wisconsin Black Student Union Afro.-American Studies Liaison 2009-2010
Louder Than A Bomb Teen Poetry Slam Champion 2009
Mayor Daley’s Poet for the Women’s Annual Sage Awards 2008
Theatre
Acting
Cult of Blk Bodies Erika Chris Walker, Dir. 2013-14 Overture Theatre Madison, WI (USA)
Get A Room Elaine Cydney Edwards, Dir. 2011 Overture Theatre Madison, WI (USA)
For Colored Girls Lady in Red Erika Dickerson, Dir. 2010 Union Theatre Madison, WI (USA)
The Issue Narrator/Chorus Chris Walker, Dir. 2010 Historical Society Madison, WI (USA)
For Colored Girls Lady in Brown C.C. Carter, Dir. 2008 DuSable Museum Chicago, IL (USA)
Directing
Big Butt Girls The For Colored Girls Project 2011 Play Circle Theatre Madison, WI (USA)
For Colored Girls The For Colored Girls Project 2010 H’Doubler Theatre Madison, WI (USA)
Literary Publications
Books
This Side of Mourning (chapbook) New School Poetics July 2010
Talk Over the Sound (chapbook) Young Chicago Authors Spring 2009
BlackLight BlackLight Fall 2008
Speaking Me Anthology Osbey Books, Inc. November 2007
Magazines & Journals
OVS Magazine “For Isaac” Summer 2012
The Madison Times “In Defense of Diversity Programming” Fall 2011
GirlSpeak excerpt from Hard-Softness Burnin Black; Summer 2010; Summer
“Baby Be Parched Too,” “On Breaking 2008; Summer 2007
Commandments,” “While on Chicago Ave.”;
“9 Months,” “Imperfect Perfection: Josephine
Baker,” “Mahogany Grenades”
Women in Redzine “Baby Be Parched Too,” “The Moses of Fall 2009; Spring 2010

3. 3
Vol. 3 Editions 1&2 Mixed Media”; “The Sound of a Sunday
Morning Jook Joint”
Chicago 6 Corners “My Cobalt Railroad Hammock” Winter 2008
Visual Art
Publications
Women in Redzine “Waiting II”; “Natural State of Mind” Fall 2009; Fall 2010
Vol. 3 Edition 1;
Vol. 4 Edition 1
GirlSpeak “What You Consume”; “Black Diamond,” Summer 2008; Summer 2010
“Model Type,” “Natural State of Mind”
Exhibitions
A 100 Canvases for a Better World 2011 The Silver Room Chicago, IL (USA)
Not Enough Mics Art Cypher 2011 UW-Madison Madison, WI (USA)
AKIMBO 2010 The Silver Room Chicago, IL (USA)
Women in Redzine 2009 Red Gym Gallery Madison, WI (US
Professional Affiliations
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Metropolitan Dallas Alumnae Chapter
IMPACT Movement Administrative Assistant to the Director of Conference Workers
Margin to Center Support Group Founder
The For Colored Girls Project Founder & Artistic Director
Blk Girl Freed Collaborative Founder
Not Enough Mics Collaborative Publications Coordinator & Artistic Associate
First Wave Hip-Hop Theatre Ensemble Ensemble Member, Linebreaks 2011 Participant
Young Chicago Authors (YCA) Teaching Artist, GirlSpeak Co-Editor in Chief & Contributor
Teaching Experience
PEOPLE Drama Instructor PEOPLE Program/UW-Madison 2013 Madison, WI (USA)
• Developed and implemented a three-week theatre and drama curriculum for students in grades 9-11 to learn foundational
dramatic, literary, and performance techniques via engaging dramatic texts and movement, utilize performance art to facilitate
intertextual dialogues with visual and literary texts, and employ hip-hop theatre performance as a mixed-medium vehicle for
develop cognitive skills and challenge power structures
College for Kids Facilitator School of Education/UW-Madison 2013 Madison, WI (USA)
• Facilitate the day-to-day activities of 14 middle school students in Talented & Gifted programs
• Design and implement social and academic activities, field trips, social lessons, and demonstrations to help students develop
higher-level thinking, creative problem solving strategies and questioning skills
OVPDC Intern First Wave/Office of the Vice Provost 2012 Madison, WI (USA)
for Diversity and Climate

4. 4
• Developed a 13-week creative workshop curriculum integrating personal narratives in performance addressing diversity in
higher education for the incoming freshman at UW-Madison at Summer Orientation Advising Registration (SOAR) and
Summer Collegiate Experience (SCE)
• Developed and implemented diversity and arts in education workshops for the incoming freshman of the First Wave Program
Diversity Institute Instructor SOAR Program UW-Madison 2012 Madison, WI (USA)
• Developed and implemented a three-hour workshop focused on diversity in high education as a means of fostering cultural
competency amongst 20 new SOAR Leader employees.
SpeakerBoxx Instructor PEOPLE Program 2012 Madison, WI (USA)
• Design and implemented a three-week (performance) poetry curriculum for students in grades 6-7 to learn foundational
literary techniques and poetic devices, acquire effective performance techniques via theatre and movement exercises, and
utilize performance art as a vehicle for self-empowerment and community improvement
Functional English Teacher Sophumelela High School 2011 Cape Town (South Africa)
• Instructed students on Standard British English conventions of vocabulary, spelling grammar, and sentence structure
• Designed exercises and implemented language arts curricula to sharpen reading comprehension and enhance vocabulary
• Designed and executed individual learning plans to serve the individual needs of the students
Creative Arts Instructor Manenburg Primary School 2011 Cape Town (South Africa)
• Implemented twelve-week fine arts curriculum designed by the SHAWCO program for underserved sixth graders in the
Manenburg township for eight hours per week
Urban Arts Teaching Artist Wingra School 2011 Madison, WI (USA)
• Developed and implemented a Hip-Hop focused workshop for grades 5-7 to increase competency in the five elements of Hip-
Hop: DJing, Emceeing, Break Dancing, Graffiti Art, and Knowledge
Guest Urban Arts Trainer Lincoln Elementary School 2011 Madison, WI (USA)
• Developed a workshop teaching graduating UW-Madison student teachers how to integrate Hip-Hop Arts into their elementary
education curricula as an innovative means of energizing comprehension of key English and mathematical concepts
Guest Urban Arts Trainer University of Wisconsin-Madison 2011 Madison, WI (USA)
• Developed a workshop teaching UW-Madison student teachers with music and English emphasis how to integrate Hip-Hop
Arts into their elementary education curricula as an innovative means of energizing comprehension of key English concepts and
expand musical knowledge and technique
Poetry Instructor Virginia West High School 2010-2011 Madison, WI (USA)
• Developed a 34-week poetry and theatre & drama curriculum for grades 11-12 to increase competency in literary forms,
concepts, devices, and drama techniques such as narrative poems, masculine and feminine rhymes, and tableaus
• Reinvigorated traditional English course by implementing poetry, theatre & drama, and an intersectional lens to sharpen reading
comprehension of required texts such as The Bluest Eye (Morrison) and Persepolis (Satrapi)
• Selected finalists for the Wisconsin State Poetry Slam
Student Teacher Waisman Early Childhood Program 2010-2011 Madison, WI (USA)
• Designed and implemented creative drama curriculum for three preschool classes under the leadership of Annie Giannini and
Prof. Van De Water
• Designed, led, and evaluated secondary education lesson plans addressing social justice issues surrounding the intersection of
race/ethnicity, class, gender, and religious affiliation
English Tutor, Mentor, Site Coordinator Nehemiah LIGHT Program 2009-2010 Madison, WI (USA)
• Tutored six basketball teams in the areas of English, history, reading comprehension, and writing
• Assisted students with college preparation and created weekly and monthly goal lists with students pertaining to their
professional and academic goals

5. 5
• Supervise all tutors and students
Rotary Ethics Symposium Facilitator Rotary Ethics Symposium 2009 Madison, WI (USA)
• Designed and executed a 15-minute interactive performance based on the five sources of ethical standards (the utilitarian, rights,
group fairness, common good, and virtue approaches)
• Facilitated a workshop of 500 high school students engaging and analyzing the five ethical approaches while using Rotary’s six-
step framework for ethical decision-making
Poetry Teaching Artist Jane Addams H.S. (YCA) 2009 Chicago, IL (USA)
• Designed and executed a poetry workshop with a gang violence focus to develop alternative school students’ critical and creative
thinking and analytic skills while devising ways to end gang violence in their communities
Mixed-Media Teaching Artist CPS Girl Summit (YCA) 2008 Chicago, IL (USA)
• Crafted and implemented a mixed-media art workshop for 500 female high school summit participants that challenged them to
re/construct and re/member pedestrian and iconic figures in a way that challenges mainstream notions (both negative and positive)
of what it means to be a woman of color
Language Arts Teaching Artist George Manierre Elementary School 2005-Present Chicago, IL (USA)
• Devised and executed seasonal 3-6 week creative writing and theatre & drama workshops fro grades 7-8 aimed at developing the
students’ reading comprehension, their capacity for written and oral language, and real world application of vocabulary and theories
• Used poetry and prose to increase competency in literary forms, concepts, devices, and widen students’ reading selection
• Assisted lead teacher in designing and executing class assemblies, writing exercises, and grading papers
Skills
Administrative, Clerical & Technological Dexterity
Interpersonal Skills in High Volume Settings
Diversity & Cultural Competence Training
Event & Organization Management
Curriculum Development
Workshop Development
Problem Solving Abilities
Organizational Abilities
Team Management
Task Delegation
Lighting Design
Literary Editing