Essence McDowell is a writer, multimedia developer, and creative director dedicated to amplifying Black women’s histories and advancing community-driven narratives. She is the author of two books, including the acclaimed Lifting As They Climbed: Mapping a History of Trailblazing Black Women in Chicago, co-created with Mariame Kaba and published by Haymarket Books.

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With over 15 years of experience, Essence integrates community engagement, digital design, and communications technologies to build resources that empower justice-based organizations and strengthen community institutions. Her collaborations span national and local initiatives, including Illinois Humanities, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials, Latino Policy Forum, Black Feminist Future, and Chicago Public Schools.

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As the founder of Kemtiyu Arts & Media, Essence leads an organization that develops educational tools and multimedia platforms to preserve underrepresented histories and foster cultural empowerment. She is also the co-founder of the Chicago Justice Gallery, a space for art and activism that foregrounds movements for social justice.

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As an arts leader and curator, Essence has produced multiple exhibitions exploring resistance, belonging, and environmental justice, including Black Chicago Resists (2019), Belonging: Place, Power, and Impossibilities (2020), and Climates of Inequality: Stories of Environmental Justice (2023–2024).

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Expanding her storytelling into film, Essence is releasing her debut documentary, Invisible Giants, at the Chicago History Museum spring 2025. The film honors the enduring legacies and contemporary impact of Black women organizers, educators, and scholars—continuing her mission to center the stories that shape collective liberation.