ACT-SO Alumni Profile: Goldie E. Deane
To celebrate Women's History Month, NAACPConnect is highlighting ACT-SO alumnae charting their course and making history in 2014.
Name: Goldie E. Deane
ACT-SO Category: Poetry and Dramatic Interpretation
Goldie E. Deane is a Detroit native currently living in Washington DC. as a playwright, performer scholar, curator and teacher and cultural practitioner of hip-hop culture. Goldie has gained recognition for her passion for bridging the generational gap in the hip-‐hop community for women. Most recently named one of the top 40 under 40 by the Envest Foundation, Goldie is a self-‐proclaimed "hip-‐hop womanist", using education and art to create conversations and movements that empower Black women and girls socially and politically.
A graduate of Howard University's Theatre Arts Department, Goldie’s acting career took off early giving her the opportunity to work under the direction of Ricardo Khan, Dominique Morisseau, and Playwright Sybil Williams. Some of her work includes, "HERstory: Love Forever, Hip-‐Hop", “Unpacked”, “Bite Me” and most recently, “Feminine Folklore”. After writing, directing, and producing her original works, Deane, published her first book of poetry, Soulatude. Goldie has been a feature poet and performer at several poetry venues nationwide, and has led several creative writing workshops and presentations internationally.
After successfully completing the Non-Profit Roundtable’s Future Executive Director Fellowship, Goldie, founder and Executive Director of F.R.E.S.H.H. Inc, Females Representing Every Side of Hip-‐Hop, began building and developing the next generation of the female hip-hop community; young sisters from 11-‐25. Goldie is currently working on the third year of the Power of the Pen, an all girls Hip-‐Hop theatre summer program through FRESHH Inc, as well as launching new programming with local schools and institutions in the District of Columbia and a Hip-Hop rites of passage program for middle school and high school aged young women. Through FRESHH Inc Deane offers consulting for local grantmakers, funders, and organizations to increase their community engagement, advocacy efforts, and cultural competency.
The work she produces serves as a community catalyst to address prudent social and political issues. Her experience as an educator allows her to offer her audiences the unique opportunity to extend the learning process from the stage to the classroom and into their homes. Nearly all of Goldie’s plays come with a learning tool, curriculum, or resource guide. Goldie creates a variety of performances aligned with tailor made curricula for students, teachers, and parents.
Goldie has received several awards, and has been featured by the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities, The DC Black Theatre Festival and The Smithsonian Museum. She has worked for years with the DC Hip-Hop Theater Festival, The Baton Rouge Hip-Hop Festival developing an arts education platform including workshops, panels, and performances and most recently with the John F Kennedy Center. With her feet planted firmly in both the world of arts education and arts presenting and performing, Goldie is passionate about the transformative and healing power of hip-hop, theatre, and education and humbled to work as an advocate to empower other artists and communities.
Connect with Goldie by visiting www.goldiedeane.com or www.freshhinc.org.
