With a background in fine arts and cultural programming, Dara has over 9 years of experience in working with arts and social justice organizations, as well as cultural institutions. She serves as a Programs Associate at Common Impact where she manages relationships with nonprofits and provides support to the Programs team.
Before joining Common Impact, Dara worked with African Film Festival, Inc., an organization dedicated to championing stories from Africa and its diaspora. There she served as Program Manager and was responsible for overseeing program curation and facilitation of the organization’s annual film festival and year-round community engagement and educational programs. She managed relationships with a diverse array of collaborative partners, assuring that programs were relevant and tailored to community interests. Dara is deeply inspired by social justice movements of the past and present, and the ability for people to come together and harness their unique and innate dispositions to create change. Her other interests include learning about ecology and environmental justice. She is a practicing 2D visual artist and animator, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Hunter College.