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Yao Kahlil Newkirk is a multidisciplinary artist, scholar, poet, and professional keynote speaker whose work lies at the intersection of performance, racial trauma, and Black cultural expression. He holds a BA and MA in Theatre Performance and a Ph.D. in Africana & American Studies from the University at Buffalo.

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As the founder and Artistic Director of Black Feather Theatre Co., Newkirk leads a traveling collective that stages provocative, socially engaged works centering voices from the Black diaspora. His widely recognized durational performance, Separation Anxiety, honored Trayvon Martin and victims of racial violence through a one-year embodiment of mourning, resistance, and artistic testimony.

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Yao is also the creator of EMBODY™, a groundbreaking methodology that integrates emotional intelligence, movement, somatic awareness, and Black cultural memory. EMBODY™ is a transformative approach currently being introduced into academia, the arts, and corporate spaces to support healing, resilience, and equity-centered learning.

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As a professional keynote speaker, Yao conducts interactive workshops and trainings for colleges, universities, and cultural institutions. His offerings help organizations integrate the EMBODY™ method into their curriculum, community culture, and long-term strategic vision. He is also the host of Your Next Level, a YouTube channel dedicated to helping everyday people elevate their lives using tools and resources already within their reach. Through motivational insights and practical strategies, Yao encourages audiences not to change their situation, but to transform the way they see it. His work:

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• Bridges Gaps Between Disciplines: Merging Black Studies, Performance Studies, and Trauma Theory

• Centers Student Experience: Especially for BIPOC students navigating racially charged academic spaces

• Deepens DEI Work: Moving conversations beyond policy into embodiment, expression, and reflection

• Provides Pedagogical Innovation: Offering practical strategies for teaching race, grief, and resistance through art

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Newkirk is also a certified Mental Health First Aid provider and a passionate advocate for the arts as tools of social transformation, healing, and institutional change.

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