Creative Dissemination of Research
Outreach Pillar Two
Third Annual Afrofuturism Experience Festival
The OMNI Institute of Well-Being engaged in the #CapeBreak Project, which captured the experiences of Black women between the ages of 34 and 58. It challenged the "Strong Black Woman" stereotype. Christina Dugazon and Nailah Lee, the Year Two mentees, worked together to create a memorable ethnographic performance based on the research led by Dr. Chris Omni, MPH, MLS. Maintaining her human-centric approach to data dissemination, the mentees were accompanied by two of the research participants for their performance.
Ethnographic Performance:
The International
Symposium on Autoethnography
and Narrative Inquiry
The OMNI Institute of Well-Being has participated in the International Symposium on Autoethnography and Narrative Inquiry for several years. Dr. Chris Omni, MPH, MLS first introduced the concept of Black Joy to the Symposium in 2023. She led a panel discussion on The Omnipresence of Black Joy, accompanied by her first year mentees. She continued to share her findings in 2024 and 2025. She led discussion panels on her latest research project, "Sitting With Trees: A Nature-Inspired, Collective-Self Ethnographic Research Study About Optimal Aging and Black Womanhood." This project considered the optimal aging of Black women, highlighting practices that promote and maintain holistic wellness as the years progress. Both participants were present to answer questions offered by Dr. Omni and the audience members in attendance. The panel discussions were times of story sharing and culturally-sensitive public health research between community members representing several generations, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds.
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In 2023, Dr. Omni introduced the concept of Black Joy to IAANI by leading a panel on The Omnipresence of Black Joy. She was accompanied by all of her Year One mentees.
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In 2024, Dr. Chris Omni was accompanied by research mentees Ashley Powell, Michelle Gunn, Nailah Lee, and Christina Dugazon.
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In 2025, research mentee Gemini Williamson developed a Reader's Theater Script based on the research participants' interview responses, which was performed live by mentee Eryn Files.
Sitting with Trees Podcast
The OMNI Institute of Well-Being seeks to make its findings on optimal aging and Black women's wellness available to the general population in an effort to promote research. Interviews with our research participants will be organized into easy-to-follow, insightful podcast episodes. Coming soon.