Director, In-Schools Programs
Lawrence Blackwell is the Director of In-Schools Programs for Memphis Music Initiative. His passion for Black arts was born in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he worked with the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program to integrate theatre and mentorship with New Orleans Black youth. As an African American Theatre professor, professional actor, director, and playwright, he has worked on over fifty performance pieces that explore diverse contemporary American social issues including race and identity in the U. S. Armed Forces, stereotypes of African American fathers created by African American media and art, and Afro-Latino Caribbean history. Lawrence currently serves as a board member for Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group and the Memphis/Shelby County TV & Film Commission.