Darius Rashad Parker (He/Him) is a Queer Black Scholar, Activist, Poet, and Performer based in Chicago, IL. Darius is a graduate of Northern Illinois University where he received a BA in Journalism and a minor in Black Studies. He has been a member of the Kuumba Lynx Performance Ensemble since 2005, and has performed in a multitude of plays and has toured performances across the world. Darius Parker's teaching, research, performance, and activism has grown out of his commitment to social justice, focusing on arts, culture, race and gender inequities in education, and performance art. He is particularly concerned with the relationship of educational practices, and the politics of Queer & racial identities. Darius is the former Resource Coordinator for Kuumba Lynx, the Sustainable Community School's Lead Partner Agency at Uplift HS. His role included contributing to an educational model that will build transformative schools, where students, parents and their communities play a key role in public education, in partnership with educators. He is active in multiple coalitions of educators, artists, activists, and community organizations including the SCS, where he supports the notions of racial justice through efforts that include providing real equity to Black and Brown children who make up the majority of Chicago Public Schools. Globally, Darius contributes frequently to forums of parents and teachers, as well as locally facilitates opportunities for youth and their families to engage with Social Justice work through arts and culture. Darius collaborates with an array of national collectives and organizations enabling him to produce large scale culturally relevant programming. His work in arts and culture has contributed to local dialogues on topics of educational injustices, and Hip Hop Ed praxi. As of late Darius has led multiple workshops and Think Tanks on Anti-Racist Education and on how educators can show up at their best for students of color, specifically Black students. Darius hopes to empower youth through the arts and to make any experience involving youth, art, and poetry one infused with love, liberation, and truth. Darius received his Master's Degree in Critical Ethnic Studies from DePaul University in the Spring of 2020. His passion for his people and community is what drove him to academic excellence. Darius is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and serves as the National President of Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity Inc. He is also extremely proud to step into this role as the Professional Development Coordinator for Anti-Racist Education for the Sustainable Community Schools Initiative, a joint effort between the Chicago Teacher's Union and Chicago Public Schools.