David Olawuyi Fakunle, Ph.D. is a self-described “mercenary for change,” willing to employ any talent and occupy any space to elevate anyone who feels divested from their truest self, particularly People of Color. David earned a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he is currently associate faculty in the Mental Health department. David’s research interests include stressors within the built environment, manifestations of institutional racism in society, and the utilization of arts and culture to strengthen health, equity, and ultimately liberation.

As an artist, David has utilized African storytelling, African drumming, vocal and theater performance in the proclamation of truth for over 20 years. He has performed with companies such as the Sankofa Dance Theater, the Washington Revels, and WombWork Productions, among others. His affiliations include The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum, the National Association of Black Storytellers, and the Griots’ Circle of Maryland.

David is co-founder and CEO of DiscoverME/RecoverME, an organization that empowers narrative for personal and organizational growth through the African oral tradition. David also serves as Chair of the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the first state body in the United States dedicated to chronicling and bringing justice to racial terror lynchings.