Amma Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin

JOY All: I am Dr. Amma — a scholartist* and TED Fellow who transforms history + archival material into entertaining works for theatre, television, and film. I am the founder of the national creative team behind AT BUFFALO, a new musical in development about blackness, American identity, and a presidential assassination at the 1901 Buffalo, NY world’s fair. I have worked across academia and the entertainment industry, including previous stints as a professor and VP / head of Creative Affairs for JusticeRx, a production company that had an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV. When I’m not in a writers room, archive, or rehearsal studio, I am resting. Or, working on creative justice initiatives to make Hollywood a more just space for all. Or, napping. Or, baking gluten-free, vegan desserts. Or, dancing full out to a Afrobeats song. Or, creatively dreaming. I am deeply loved by a fun, multi-generational household filled with my husband, parents, and millennial niece who comes to visit from time to time. Tacos and kelewele are my favorite food. I am exci-TED to meet you (and impressed if you’ve read this far.) Feel free to reach out to me on TEDConnect anytime or find me at a snack station. (*Scholartist coined by Joseph Shahadi and Mila Aponte-Gonzalez.)