David Olawuyi Fakunle, Ph.D.

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, and serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine. David’s research interests include manifestations of institutional racism in society and the utilization of arts and culture to strengthen health, equity, and, ultimately, liberation. David has utilized Black storytelling, African drumming, and vocal and theater performance in the proclamation of truth for over 20 years. David serves as Chair of the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the first commission in the United States dedicated to chronicling and bringing justice to racial terror lynchings.