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Ryan works to imagine and create new futures at the intersection of education, equity and community.

Celebrating the connections and experiences with nature in our own backyard

My debut solo gallery exhibition, Reclaiming The WIld, will run from August 29 - December 31 at the African American Cultural & Historical Museum of Washtenaw County. Starting off with an opening reception, the exhibit will host a number of community events exploring the intersections of my social justice work and the natural world.

Learn More @ AACHM

Ryan’s 2025 Community Giving Guide is now live!

The sixth edition of the Community Giving Guide is now available, highlighting worthy causes to support in housing, food access, health, youth, literacy and social justice across Southeast Michigan.

Learn More about the Guide
Care-Based Safety

Care-Based Safety
Unarmed Response: Coalition for Re-Envisioning Our Safety in Washtenaw County

Unarmed Response: Coalition for Re-Envisioning Our Safety in Washtenaw County
Police Brutality in America Teach-Out

Police Brutality in America Teach-Out
Envisioning an Anti-Racist World Design Challenge

Envisioning an Anti-Racist World Design Challenge
Housing Affordability

Housing Affordability
The Black Movie Podcast

The Black Movie Podcast
Photography

Photography
Educational Outreach

Educational Outreach
Real Men Wear Pink

Real Men Wear Pink
View fullsize There's been a ton more #greategret around this summer - was really pleased to see that there are now protected wildlife crossing signs up at the intersection of Parker and Scio Church, which seems to be making more birds comfortable in those ponds ✨
View fullsize I remember hearing @eve.ewing mention the concept of Love via Citation years back, and it's really stuck with me; creators love seeing the work they nurtured impact the world, and one of the most priceless things I can give away freely is to share wh
View fullsize Checking in on my roadside #trumpeterswan cygnets, which are firmly in their awkward teen phase - their giant wings are the bright white of their adult plumage but the rest of them are still grey! Can't help but worry about them being so close to the
View fullsize Summer in Silhouette - Independence Lake About a month into my new job, and doing my best to lean into the transition and let loose my natural curiosity 🥰 I've still been taking photos, but had a lot of unexpected adjustments to my workflow - did y
View fullsize I finished my first week at my new job, and so much of what awaits me is reframing and rethinking how I interact in this brave new space. I've had fewer outdoor adventures, but if there was a time to pull back a bit I think the new gig + Dad leaving
View fullsize On one of my preserve trips this past week, I didn't encounter many birds but did get to see a lot of dragonflies and bees enjoying the midsummer blooms by the water ✨ #explorewashtenaw #washtenawcreatives #cameramall #washtenawcountyparks @washtena
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View fullsize This is fun news - I'm nominated for Best Visual Artist in @current_mag Best of Washtenaw County 2022! Please vote for me at https://toledocitypaper.secondstreetapp.com/og/6dd06fe3-ecd4-46a8-8502-9217ccfdb8e4/gallery/328998454 and consider buying pri
View fullsize Been busy taking care of family things, house stuff and building up needed things for my DEI consultancy, but I'm also at work preparing new pieces for my photo store! Feeling like the next mini collection could be landscapes...
View fullsize Enjoyed following some charismatic cedar waxwings at Independence Lake last week! Taking some advantage of the additional flexibility I've got at the moment. . . #bird #wildlifephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotographer #nature_brilliance #nature_g
View fullsize There is a bit of magic in finding stillness sometimes; when my social battery is drained, when a terrible event makes it difficult to keep Dunbar's mask on, or when the dice tumbling in my head show no signs of ceasing. While watching herons on a la
View fullsize This has been a really trying couple weeks, and even my (apparently legendary) patience is stretched thin by the stress of leaving my job and dealing with tough family health things. In moments like this I’m grateful for building up some routin
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View fullsize What's good y'all? Day 3 of #blackbirdersweek is #learningtotakeflight and while I'm reflecting on my birding journey, I did a lot of learning and enjoying solo. Birding groups can be super fun but I love the slow solitary exploration of wandering. B
View fullsize So thankful for the folks who reached out and engaged with #blackbirdersweek day 1! For Day 2's theme of #inthenest I've been reflecting on how much I loved birds when I was younger; my father used to feed the local birds so reliably that it felt lik

Creating the Necessary Conditions: An Abolition Poster Set

View U-M Creative Gallery Entry

Community Giving Guide

Charitable Donation Guide for SE Michigan

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