'The Neuroscience of Surviving America'

Denison University’s Laura C. Harris Series welcomes  Uzo Nwankpa performing “The Neuroscience of Surviving America: A Black Immigrant’s Story.”

Nwankpa is a community health registered nurse, teacher, storyteller, dancer, and founder of the Uzo Method Project which explores the use of alternative healing modalities as a public health solution to increase wellness across communities.  A person of Igbo heritage (Nigeria), Uzo is a queer, first generation immigrant dedicated to invigorating her ancestral notions of health, well-being and healing that have been oppressed as a consequence of colonization, assimilation, and genocide. Through a ‘one-woman performance ritual’ that combines dance, music, and a research based-monologue, her performance investigates the unfamiliar, less understood and the less obvious perspectives of the healthcare system. Uzo combines her interest in health and social justice with performing arts to investigate questions and articulate insights about health from an indigenous and diaspora African orientation. The performance research will utilize Crenshaw’s (1989) theory of intersectionality to look at the distinct health challenges facing marginalized folk.

Residency: Sept. 8 through Sept. 16, 2019.

This performance takes place in Thorsen Dance Studio in the Michael D. Eisner Center for the Performing Arts.

Tickets are free but reservations required.