Artivista

Kayhan Irani is a multidisciplinary artist and cultural worker whose practice bridges storytelling, theater, and social justice. An Emmy Award recipient and 2016 White House Champion of Change, she specializes in creating participatory art experiences that foster community healing and transformation. 

Through her work as a Theater of the Oppressed practitioner and trainer, Irani has developed innovative approaches to civic engagement and community development, working with organizations ranging from grassroots movements to international institutions. Her creative portfolio includes the acclaimed one-woman show "We've Come Undone," which toured internationally, and her current participatory digital storytelling project "There is a Portal," which examines themes of belonging and migration. 

As a consultant and educator, she has designed and implemented programs for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the National Parks Service, and the BBC World Service Trust, among others. Irani's influence extends beyond performance through her published works, including co-editing "Telling Stories to Change the World" (Routledge) and contributing to major publications on arts-based social justice. such as, essays in Culturally Relevant Arts Education for Social Justice: A Way Out of No Way. (Routledge, 2015) and Storytelling for Social Justice: Connecting Narrative and the Arts and Antiracist Teaching, 2nd Edition (Routledge, 2019).

Her approach combines rigorous artistic practice with a deep commitment to community-centered storytelling and social transformation.