Dr. NICOLE JOHNSON
I am a multi-sensorial artist whose immersive storytelling reimagines how we dismantle systemic oppression.
MY STORY
My creative universe is built with vibrant characters and transformative narratives that bridge historical wisdom with future possibilities. Through animation, music, written works, and visual art I seek to craft worlds where healing and justice intertwine, offering audiences both emotional resonance and practical pathways toward change. My immersive, healing experiences are designed to awaken empathy, inspire agency, and reimagine just futures — by transforming personal and collective pain into beauty, joy, and connection.
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ANIMATION
My animation work embodies the belief that stories can inspire hope and foster sustainability in our collective journey toward transformation. I aim to translate the narratives from my literature into the animated realm, focusing on world-building through 2D animation. As an animation producer and creator, I've collaborated with talented storyboard artists, animators, illustrators, designers, and musicians to produce music videos and short films. My ultimate vision is to create feature-length animated films led by historically marginalized voices, capturing American joy, challenges, and triumphs through the lens of the global majority. I aspire for these animated stories to enlighten and empower those impacted by systemic oppression.
BOOKS
Tales of a Time Traveling Playmaker" follows the journey of Melvin Jones, a young Black woman grappling with profound loss and the discovery of her extraordinary abilities. As she navigates the heartache of losing her family and mentors in her late 20s, Melvin, a researcher and philosopher based in Jupiter, Florida, begins to uncover her powers of time travel and playmaking.
Supported by her loyal best friend, Randy, Melvin initially suppresses her grief, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of each loss, including that of Dr. Barnheart, her mentor and a vital figure in her life. As she sells her family's house, Melvin embarks on an inward journey that connects her with her ancestors, including notable figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, Harriet Tubman, and Ida B. Wells.
Driven by the need to honor her loved ones and actualize her research on reparations for Black Americans, Melvin's grief becomes a catalyst for exploration into the soul realm. Throughout her time-traveling adventures, she imagines a future of freedom for Black people while processing her pain.
This profound narrative explores themes of abandonment, grief, and dissociation, showcasing Melvin's playmaking abilities and terraforming as her superpowers that arise in response to trauma. Ultimately, her journey serves as a testament to resilience, as the world she strives to build has the potential to reshape history itself.
PLAYMAKING
Playmaking is an emerging practice that uses storytelling techniques to dismantle systemic oppression in American workplaces. My work in academia has reminded me of the importance of literature, research and facilitated dialogue that illuminates pathways for liberation and dismantling systemic oppression. As part of my auto autoethnographic dissertation I developed a set of 40 Playmaker tools for dismantling systemic oppression on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional and societal level. I hope these resources will provide workplace professionals, researchers and academics with the courage to address systemic challenges in their everyday lives. The deck of cards will available for purchase here in August 2025.