Essence McDowell is a writer, communications strategist and creative director. She is the author of two books including the most recent, Lifting As They Climbed: Mapping A History of Trailblazing Black Women in Chicago, created in collaboration with Mariame Kaba and published by Haymarket books. 

 

Essence utilizes community engagement, digital design, and communication technologies to strengthen community institutions, and advance justice-based organizations. She has worked with national and local entities: Illinois Humanities Council, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials, Latino Policy Form, Black Feminist Future, and Chicago Public Schools. 

 

Essence is the former director of arts and communications at the Social Justice Initiative, where she co-founded the Chicago Justice gallery and created over 50 public programs, community events, and symposia.

 

Essence is also an arts leader who has developed numerous exhibitions including 2019 Black Chicago Resists, 2020 Belonging: Place, Power and Impossibilities, and the 2023 Climates of Inequality: Stories of Environmental Justice which is currently open to the public in Chicago.

 

Holding a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and news editorial from Bethune Cookman University, as well as a Master's in Communications from DePaul University, Essence has over 15 years of experience creating educational resources, organizing tools and media platforms to facilitate social change. 

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With a vision of centering the legacies and current contributions of Black women in Chicago, Essence has ventured into filmmaking. In celebration of the publication Lifting As They Climbed, she released her debut documentary project, Invisible Giants. The film underscores the importance of highlighting Black women's legacies and the contemporary impact of organizers, educators, and scholars.