Monae Emmanda Freeman

Monae (she/her) is an IDBEA advocate who leads with a civic engagement approach relying on research, transparent communication, and dedicated service. She comes to NYU Tisch following her time at the Brooklyn Arts Council as the Arts in Education Program Manager of Schools, Metrics, and Equity. There, she managed school programming with teaching artists, developed an equitable recruitment strategy for artist engagement, identified and responded to access needs of students, and facilitated forums within the community to foster belonging.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Monae graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in International Economics and Modern Languages, concentrating in Spanish. Monae strives to increase socioeconomic mobility amongst those who are particularly underrepresented in the arts.

Monae is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, with a background in classical piano. Over the course of 10 years, she produced two radio programs, first in her hometown, Atlanta, then in Brooklyn. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts from NYU Graduate School of Arts & Science in XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement. Her research interests include public history, cultural memory, ethnomusicology, and intergenerational resilience, exploring these themes through interdisciplinary approaches. Monae's academic work informs her creative practice, where she focuses on ambient composition, utilizing field recordings and found objects to explore the intersections of sound and regional identity, with a particular emphasis on culture in the Deep South.