d'bi.young anitafrika

Renowned artist, activist, and academic, d’bi.young anitafrika, is celebrated for transformative theatre practices advocating social justice. A nonbinary African-Xaymacan-Tkarontonian womxn, their work, including the acclaimed Sankofa, Orisha, and Ibeyi Trilogies, demonstrates an unwavering commitment to Black queer feminist theatrical forms while rupturing colonial-systemic oppression. Accolades include three Dora Awards and twelve nominations, a KM Hunter Theatre Award, a Global Leader in Theatre and Performance Award from Arts Council England and most recently a Siminovitch Prize Playwriting Finalist Award. Beyond writing, as Founding Artistic Director of Watah Theatre, d’bi.young has mentored hundreds of emerging playwright-performers into industry leaders. They conceived The Anitafrika Method, a decolonial praxis, nationally and globally applied in spaces like Soulpepper Theatre and Ubuntu! Decolonial Arts Centre. Presently a PhD candidate, d’bi.young is completing their first monograph on the transformative pedagogies of Black womxn theatre-makers in Northern Turtle Island.

Image credit: d’bi .young anitafrika. Photography: Ocean Morisset.

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