Dawan Julien is a dynamic DEI strategist, facilitator, and coach with over two decades of experience working in schools and nonprofits. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, her mother was constantly seeking the best educational opportunities. After transferring between multiple public schools, Dawan was awarded a scholarship to attend Bryn Mawr, an independent school for girls. From 6th to 12th grade, she navigated between the separate and unequal worlds of West Baltimore and Roland Park. Out of this experience, Dawan’s lifelong commitment to racial equity work, particularly in education, was born. 

Dawan began her career through Teach For America as a Bilingual Language Arts and ESL teacher in the South Bronx. In the classroom and through several leadership roles at KIPP NYC and East Harlem Tutorial Program, she has been able to live out her personal and professional purpose: to advocate for racial equity from inside dominant culture institutions, particularly for families from all over the African diaspora who are seeking fulfilling and self-determined lives for their children and future generations. As a Lead Equity Transformation Specialist at Courageous Conversation from 2018-2022, Dawan led racial equity trainings for thousands of participants from schools, nonprofits and corporations across the country. She was one of the most sought after facilitators, especially for the company’s signature two-day seminar, Beyond Diversity. In 2022, Dawan started her own consulting business in order to continue doing this transformative work on her own terms, making space for a professional practice that is fully aligned with her values of balance, connection, authenticity and joy. Dawan earned her B.A. in African-American Studies from Columbia University and an M.A. in TESOL from Teachers College. She loves to travel, especially to the Caribbean and West Africa, but always returns home to Harlem, a special place that she and her family have proudly called home for more than twenty years.