Upcoming Engagements
#EquityWithQuo #HealingWithQuo
Opera Conference 2025
OPERA America | Memphis, TN | March 20 - 23, 2025
Opera Conference is the world’s most influential gathering or opera producers. Taking place May 20–23 in Memphis, Tennessee, this year's conference will challenge the industry to envision a new future for opera as an art form and a business. Attendees will explore the big topics in the industry through Plenary Sessions, collaborative Working Groups and Roundtable Discussions, a New Works Pitch Session, Member Presentations, and a new Co-Production Assembly.
Quodesia “Quo” Johnson returns as facilitator, presenter, healing practitioner, and social justice advisor of OPERA America. Quo will lead carefully curated sessions and experiences, including interactive workshops and a post-tour racial healing and dialogue circle at the National Civil Rights Museum.
Previous Engagements/CV & Impact
Quodesia “Quo” Johnson engages organizations of local, national, and international impact in the arts, culture, business, education, social justice, and faith-based sectors.
National & International Community Organizing
2024 Black Administrators of Opera Symposium | Seattle, WA | August 1 - 3, 2024
OPERA America | 2024 Racial Justice Opera Network Forum | Online | March 5 - 7, 2024
2023 Black Administrators of Opera Symposium | New Orleans, LA | June 14 - 17, 2023
OPERA America | 2023 Racial Justice Opera Network Forum | Online | March 7 - 9, 2023
2022 Black Administrators of Opera Inaugural Symposium | Pittsburgh, PA | April 28 - 30, 2022
OPERA America | Inaugural Racial Justice Opera Network Forum | Online | February 1 - 5, 2022
Speaker & Moderator Engagements
Taking the Stage with Kristian and Quo™ | Online, Creator, Curator, Speaker, Co-Host (2020 - 2022)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | The Stamped Project Banned Books Festival: Postshow Talkback with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Dallas, TX, Moderator (2025)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | The Stamped Project Banned Books Festival: Postshow Talkback | Dallas, TX, Moderator (2025)
OPERA America | New Works Forum: Clarifying Community Roles: Elevating Civic Practice in New Works Workshop & Panel Discussion | New York, NY, Facilitator & Moderator (2025)
The Dallas Opera | 2024/25 Hart Institute for Women Conductors: Recognizing Bias in Opera | Online, Moderator (2024)
The Dallas Opera | TDO Connections™: Making Musical Connections | Dallas, TX & Live Stream, C0-Moderator (2024)
Seattle Opera & Black Administrators of Opera | Community Gathering & Leontyne Price Stage Naming Dedication | Seattle, WA, Poet & Speaker (2024)
OPERA America | 2024 Opera Conference: Storytelling & Wellbeing | Los Angeles, CA, Presenter & Moderator (2024)
OPERA America | 2024 Opera Conference: Harmonizing Social Dissonance | Los Angeles, CA, Presenter & Moderator (2024)
OPERA America | 2024 Opera Conference: Combined Affinity Space | Los Angeles, CA, Presenter & Co-Moderator (2024)
OPERA America| 2024 Opera Conference: Racial Justice Opera Network | Los Angeles, CA, Curator, Presenter (2023)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer Post-Show Talkbacks| Dallas, TX, Speaker & Facilitator (2024)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | The Sum of Us: One-Act Festival Post-Show Talkbacks | Dallas, TX, Speaker & Facilitator (2024)
Houston Grand Opera | Let the Truth Be Told: Intelligence | Houston, TX, Moderator (2023)
The Dallas Opera | 2023/24 Hart Institute for Women Conductors: Dignity & Creativity With Robyn Short and Marta Torres | Online, Moderator (2023)
Dallas Symphony Orchestra & The Dallas Opera | 2023 Women in Classical Music Symposium & Hart Institute for Women Conductors: Conducting the Way - Exploring Career Paths for Conductors | Dallas, TX & Live Stream, Moderator (2023)
The Dallas Opera | 2023/24 TDO Connections™: The Brain and The Heart | Dallas, TX & Live Stream, Co-Moderator (2023)
OPERA America| 2023 Opera Conference: Managing the Political Dynamics of Art | Pittsburgh, PA, Curator, Moderator (2023)
OPERA America| 2023 Opera Conference: If Audiences Like It, Why Not? | Pittsburgh, PA, Curator, Moderator (2023)
OPERA America| 2023 Opera Conference: Racial Justice Opera Network | Pittsburgh, PA, Curator, Presenter (2023)
The Dallas Opera | 2022/23 TDO Connections™: Women in Opera | Online, Curator, Moderator (2023)
Fort Worth Opera | Race. Equity. Arts. Symposium | Fort Worth, TX, Speaker (2023)
OPERA America | Race in Opera: Blackface, Yellowface, and Casting | Online, Speaker (2023)
HBCU Opera & Musical Theater Collective | 2nd Annual Virtual Forum | Online, Speaker (2023)
MASS Culture Canada | 2023 TRAIN Program: Never Walk Alone | Online, Speaker (2023)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | The Fairview Post-Show Talkback | Dallas, TX, Speaker & Facilitator (2022)
New Orleans Opera | Can White People Write Black Opera? | Online, Moderator (2022)
The Dallas Opera | 2022/23 Hart Institute for Women Conductors: Women in Art and Leadership | Online, Curator, Moderator (2022)
The Dallas Opera | 2022/23 Hart Institute for Women Conductors: Cultivating an Opera Community | Online, Curator, Moderator (2022)
The Dallas Opera | 2022/23 TDO Connections™: Women in Leadership & Creativity | Dallas, TX & Live Stream, Co-Moderator (2022)
OPERA America | 2022 Opera Conference: Dismissing Reality for Art’s Sake: The Psychic Impact of Opera | Minneapolis, MN, Curator, Moderator (2022)
OPERA America | 2022 Opera Conference: Racial Justice in Action | Minneapolis, MN, Curator, Moderator, Speaker (2022)
OPERA America | 2022 Opera Conference: From Pipeline to Ecosystem: Case Studies in Developing Healthy Environments for Opera Professionals | Minneapolis, MN, Curator, Moderator, Speaker (2022)
OPERA America | 2022 Opera Conference Opening & Closing | Minneapolis, MN, Speaker (2022)
The Dallas Opera | 2021/22 TDO Connections™: Exploring Representation in Opera | Online, Curator, Moderator (2022)
Opera Theatre of St. Louis | Belonging in Opera: Learning From Our Past, Engaging With Our Future | Online, Speaker (2021)
Cincinnati Opera | Diversity in Opera | Online, Speaker (2021)
Black Women in Opera | Race & Opera | Online, Speaker (2021)
Black Opera Alliance | Remembering Tulsa | Online, Speaker (2021)
OPERA America | 2020 Opera Conference: Making Change Panel Discussion | Online, Speaker (2020)
OPERA America | 2020 Opera Conference: Creating Real Belonging | Online, Speaker (2020)
OPERA America | 2019 OPERA Conference: ALAANA Network | San Francisco, Speaker, Participant (2019)
OPERA America | 2017 OPERA Conference: ALAANA Network | Dallas, TX, Speaker, Participant (2017)
Healing Offerings & Facilitations
The Dallas Opera | 2024/25 TDO Connections™: Community Healing & Dialogue Circle | Dallas, TX (2025
OPERA America | National Day of Racial Healing Racial Justice Opera Network Healing Circle | Online (2025)
OPERA America | OPERA America Grantee Creativity Workshop Opening & Closing | New York, NY (2025)
Arapaho United Methodist Church | Racial Healing Circle | Richardson, TX (2024)
Black Administrators of Opera | 2024 Annual Symposium Healing Circle | Seattle, WA (2024)
National Collaborative for Health Equity | National Convening Rx Racial Healing Circle™ | Washington D.C. (2024)
OPERA America | 2024 Opera Conference: Learning, Healing, and Dialogue Circle | Los Angeles, CA (2024)
OPERA America | 2024 Opera Conference: Racial Justice Opera Network Healing Circle | Los Angeles, CA (2024)
OPERA America | Inaugural Women’s Opera Network Healing Space: Support for Women in Opera | Online (2024)
OPERA America | Racial Justice Opera Forum Day of Healing | Online (2024)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | 2024 Rx Racial Healing Circle™ Series | Dallas, TX (2024)
The Dallas Opera | 2023/24 TDO Connections™: Community Healing & Dialogue Circle | Dallas, TX (2024)
The Dallas Opera | 2023/24 TDO Connections™: Opera Administrator Healing & Dialogue Circle | Online (2023)
Texas Organizing Project | 2023 TOP Pilgrimage: Stronger Together | Montgomery & Selma, AL (2023)
Black Administrators of Opera | 2023 Annual Symposium Healing Circle | New Orleans, LA (2023)
OPERA America | Racial Justice Opera Forum Day of Healing | Online (2023)
Lyric Opera of Chicago | The Walkers Racial Healing & Artist Support | Chicago, IL (2023)
The Dallas Opera | 2022/23 TDO Connections™: Community Healing & Dialogue Circle | Dallas, TX (2023)
Urban Teachers | Rx Racial Healing Circle™ | Dallas, TX (2023)
Texas Organizing Project | Black TOP Racial Healing Circle Series | Online (2022)
Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation | Racial Equity NOW Cohort Rx Racial Healing Circle™ | Dallas, TX (2022)
Black Administrators of Opera | 2022 Inaugural Symposium Healing Circle | Pittsburgh, PA (2022)
OPERA America | Racial Justice Opera Forum Day of Healing | Online (2022)
Dallas Theater Center | BIPOC Racial Healing Circle | Online (2021)
Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance | Racial Healing Circle | Dallas, TX (2021)
Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation | Community Healing Circle: Mediation, Connection, & Release | Online (2021)
Global Philanthropists Circle - Synergos | 2020 International Rx Racial Healing Circle™ | Online (2020)
Workshops, Coaching, & Group Facilitation
Arapaho United Methodist Church | Creating Belonging: Identity & Neighborly Love | Richardson, TX (2025)
OPERA America | Ongoing Staff Equity Workshops Series | New York, NY & Online (2021 - present)
The Dallas Opera | Ongoing Staff Equity Workshop Series | Dallas, TX & Online (2019 - present)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center | Board of Directors Equity Workshop | Dallas, TX (2019 - present)
Junior Players | Student & Artist SEL/DEI Workshop Series & Staff Retreat | Dallas, TX & Online (2017 - present)
Pacific Opera Victoria | Trust & Dignity Workshop | Victoria, British Colombia, Canada (2024)
Cedar Rapids Opera | 2023 Board & Staff Equity Leaning Workshop Series | Cedar Rapids, IA (2023)
Solar Preparatory School for Girls/Dallas ISD | 2023 Dallas TRHT Racial Equity NOW Coaching | Dallas, TX (2023 - present)
Swan Strings | 2023 Dallas TRHT Racial Equity NOW Coaching | Dallas, TX (2023)
OPERA America | General Directors Equity Workshop Series | Online (2022 - 2023)
Union Coffee | 2022 Dallas TRHT Racial Equity NOW Coaching | Dallas, TX (2022)
Big Thought | 2022 Dallas TRHT Racial Equity NOW Coaching | Dallas, TX (2022)
Dallas Theater Center | WorkplacePeace Institute: Racial Equity Coaching | Online (2022)
Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts | Faculty & Student Equity Workshop Series | Dallas, TX & Online (2021 - 2022)
Nashville Opera | Board & Staff Racial Equity Strategic Planning Workshops | Nashville, TN & Online (2021 - 2022)
Broadway Dallas | 2021 Dallas TRHT Racial Equity NOW Coaching | Dallas, TX (2021)
Hearing in Color | Staff Equity Learning Workshop Series | Online (2021)
Santa Fe Opera | Artist & Staff Connection Workshops | Santa Fe, NM (2021 & 2022)
Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education | Racial Equity Workshop Series | Online (2020 - 2021)