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photo credit Akintola Hanif
Lillian Ribeiro is a multi-disciplinary artist rooted in trauma-informed, participant-centered applied theatre/ drama therapy practices. Lillian identifies as she/her/ela, tri-lingual, Portuguese-American, born and made in Newark, New Jersey. These urban, immigrant roots have shaped her work in terms of culture, knowledge, language and understanding the different communities she serves.
Lillian has a long artistic history of working with children and adult survivors of domestic violence, foster care, adults with dementia and Alzheimer's, and youth in urban areas. Currently, she works at NJIT as an adjunct professor for Rutgers - NJIT Theatre Arts Program, and as drama therapist and community educator for YWCA Union County. She has worked with Arts 4 Kids, Arts Horizons, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair State University, Cornerstone Theater Company, Roots and Branches Theater, Newark Recreational Centers and schools, Windsor Healthcare, Catholic Charities Dioceses of Metuchen, and Women Aware, Inc. Her most recent notable works are “Newark at the Intersections: Who is the renaissance for?”, “Newark Artists’ Stories”, “Into the Past with the Bethany Seniors of Newark”, “The Next Chapter: Stories of Survival”. Lillian wrote The Next Chapter, performance narratives with adult and teen survivors of domestic violence in a series of workshops and directed their stories as part of YWCA Union County’s Empty Place at the Table event held at Kean University during October’s domestic violence awareness month.
Recently, Lillian was awarded a Newark Art Start Grant and The City of Newark the Creative Catalyst Fund in 2021 and 2022 for her “Back 2 the Future: A Virtual Intergenerational Arts Program” with Elliott Street and Roberto Clemente Elementary School in North Newark and elders living with first and mid stages of Alziemer’’s and Dementia.
As an undergraduate, Lillian received her BS from Rutgers University - Newark where she majored in Arts Management from Rutgers Business School, and Theatre Arts and Speech in the School of Arts and Sciences, received her MA. from the Applied Theatre studies program at CUNY’s School of Professional Studies, and her RDT from North American Drama Therapy Association. Additionally, she has trained with SoJourn Theatre, Lincoln Center Directors Lab in NYC, LaMama Umbria, New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence and the National Center for Creative Aging. Lillian holds certifications through Rutgers University School of Social Work, New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, is certified Yoga Teacher and facilitator of TimeSlips, a participant-centered storytelling method that creatively engages aging adults’ with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Lillian is a fluent in Portuguese and speaks Spanish.
Ribeiro has been featured in The Star Ledger, LusoAmerican, 24 Horas, The Hudson Reporter, TAP.net and Rutgers Magazine.
When Ribeiro isn’t changing the world with art she is enjoying her off time hiking, mountain biking, and traveling.
For more information on Lillian’s work history link to her LinkedIn. Follow Lillian’s work @LIPSNewark.