Dance, Culture and Empowerment | Ode Dixon (Part One)

Laila hosts a captivating guest on this week's Knowledge Mindfulness Porch: changemaker and community builder Ode Dixon. As founder and president of Deep Rhythm, Ode designs socio-economic programs to restore communities impacted by historical injustice. An educator, homeschool parent, dancer, and nurse for over a decade, Ode created healing dance curriculums that empower youth confidence and capabilities. Her work, from documenting endangered cultural arts to investing in women entrepreneurs, represents values of human dignity, justice, and equality. Tune in as Laila and Ode have an uplifting discussion about the power of the arts, nurturing future generations, leadership, and using one's talents to drive social change. Ode's wisdom and inspirational work epitomize the podcast's themes of mindful knowledge and purposeful action.About Ode Dixon: Ode is a Nigerian-American social entrepreneur, educator and repat known for her work in the field of nautical exploration, career-readiness education and Pan Africanism. She is the founder and president of Deep Rhythm Inc., a US-registered 501c3 organization that studies the impact of the transatlantic slave trade on communities along the West Africa coast, designs and implements programs that encourage the restoration of these communities. She is the executive director of Afronautika Ventures, a Nigeria and Ghana-based organization that offers boat cruises along the intercoastal waterways of the Badagry Creek of Lagos and the Volta River of Ghana and pioneering oceanic cruises along the bight of Benin.She and her husband homeschool their children with educational programs that maximize their interests and capabilities. She is a dancer and the creator of several dance programs, including “Afrojuju for Flow Fitness and Fun” NACA 2020 and “Dance Your Angst Off”. Ode Dixon retired from her 12-year nursing career that spanned from bedside nursing to executive trainer, to fully focus on entrepreneurship and her socio-economic projects. She has been involved in various last-mile economic recovery initiatives, including the Afronautika Cruise and Craft Fair of Povita, a heritage cruise and shore excursion showcasing Africa’s local art forms and a history of disruption and artistic excellence. And just recently, Reeds of Harmony, a photo and video essay journaling the mat-making process of Deborah Avoseh of Iworo, Badagry.Ode is also committed and involved in the growing movement of Afrocentrism and the advancement of African cultures. She is known for her unapologetic outlook on the future of Africa and her belief in the power of equity, equality, and justice to solve most of Africa’s challenges and her relationship to the rest of the world.