Olori Lolade is a creative intuitive, corporate mystic and digital evangelist who uses interdisciplinary art & technology to help organizations cultivate, amplify and profit from their genius. Through creative intelligence, Olori believes we can build equitable, Liberated futures in which all humans have the opportunity and access to understand, amplify and flourish from their innate gifts and talents. She’s helped teams at Amazon, the Brooklyn Arts Council, Yale and other organizations to cultivate thriving communities focused on innovating for equitable futures.

A multidisciplinary artist and master storyteller, Olori Lolade is the host of the Black Genius podcast where she elucidates the stories of the world’s future Black leaders. A Gates Cambridge Scholar and Harambean Fellow, she began doctoral studies in Sociology at Cambridge University, on the heels of her Yale MA in African Studies, where her research focus was worldmaking through cultural production. Her Bachelor’s degree is in Computer Science.

Olori Lolade is the Founder of NOIR Labs, where she is spearheading the development of Portal X, a gamified social ed-tech platform, as well as Black Genius University, the interdisciplinary African-centered learning system to be housed on Portal X.

In 2018, Olori went viral after livestreaming an incident in which police were called on her for sleeping on a Yale common room couch. Her words, “I belong here” inspired millions around the world to take up space and to own the infinite value of their Black identity. In 2022, she was interviewed by social innovator–Brooklyn Nets owner and Alibaba co-founder–Joseph Tsai on her vision for social equity through technology. Olori continues to be sought after by organizations and leaders for her thought leadership at the intersection of ethical tech, creative intelligence and radical healing for the Global Majority.

Work with Olori Lolade

Degree Programs

University of Cambridge ▪ Sociology ▪ PhD 2019-TBD
Yale University ▪ African Studies (Discipline: Sociology) ▪ MA 2017-2019
University of Missouri ▪ Computer Science ▪ BA 2001-2004

Professional & Training Programs

Certified Scrum Master (2015)
Project Management Professional (2015)
Flow & Restore Yoga Teacher Training (2022 – 2023)
Somatic Healing (2022)
Institute of Integrative Nutrition (2011)

• Leadership, venture and educational consulting
• Speaking engagements
• Interactive workshops
• Design & facilitation of team & community retreats
• Content development strategy & consultation
• Leadership opportunities
• Mentorship opportunities

Work with Olori Lolade

• Publicly interviewed by Joseph Tsai, Co-Founder of Alibaba Group, Co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets on my vision for social justice through art, technology and community building
• Recognized across global media (CNN, BBC, New York Times, Al Jazeera and more) for my work and my anti-racist stance on police violence
• Awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarship for doctoral studies at Cambridge University, UK to research Nigerian immigrant identity and worldmaking through cultural production
• Built the framework and global community for high-profit social enterprise, NOIR Labs, galvanizing youth and their families in the quest for social justice in the Black world through intergenerational healing, wealth creation and visionary storytelling
• Awarded Tsai CITY Summer Fellowship at Yale
• Selected as Harambean Fellow
• Awarded several grants and honors in recognition of my work as a Cultural Curator

• Leadership – activating, galvanizing and mobilizing high-quality communities towards a shared vision by upholding humanist values, collaborative structures, high transparency and accountability
• Project Management – taking loose ideas and implementing/driving a structure around them that centers the vision, values and most critical needs of stakeholders. Leading with Agile principles, driving exceptional outcomes with early and frequent delivery of high value outputs through agile theory alignment
• Content Development – amplifying an unforgettable collective voice through publications and media content providing leading commentary and insights that shift thinking, culture and understanding. Storytelling that integratedly weaves together a strikingly variegated cosmos of ideas and experiences
• Public Speaking – thoughtful vision crafting and storytelling with commentary as mentioned above, but with the powerful, thought-provoking energy of an unforgettable force of nature
• Algorithm Design – designing, creating and implementing systems that work–for organizations, communities, platforms and more

• NOIR Labs – Founder (2019-Present) Leading a team of 12 and vendors in developing multi-pronged global social enterprise transforming the Black experience through creative media, tech, art education. Consulting with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion clients. Advising ventures.
• African Diaspora Awards / Applause Africa – Editor in Chief  (2016 & 2022) Editor in charge of publishing commemorative 10 year anniversary magazine documenting journey of the brand, its community and collaborators
• Verizon – Certified Scrum Master / Project Manager ( 2017) Leading a team of 15 creatives and technologists in Verizon’s in-house creative agency

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• Black Genius University (2022) Curriculum development, team cultivation and instruction in indigenous-origin science, art and technology education
• Yale University (2017) Teaching Assistant: “The Wire” using film and media analysis to guide students on strategies of racialization
• Yoruba Cultural Institute (2008-2019) Curriculum development, team cultivation and institutional development for Diasporans learning Yoruba, the second most widely spoken African language

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• Sweet Mother: Nigerian Mother’s Journal for Intergenerational Healing (2022)
• The Costs of Nigerian Exceptionalism (2022)
• Olori’s Book of Affirmations & Prayers (2022)
• Black Migrant: Nigerian Identity formation in New York, Tokyo & Mumbai (2019)

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• UAC Nigeria Travel Fund (Cambridge University) 2020
• Gates Cambridge Scholarship (Cambridge University) 2019
• Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance 2019
• Tsai CITY Summer Fellowship 2019
• Council on African Studies Fellowship Award (Yale University) 2018

See full CV for more.