About Our Session: 

What makes us human? In this interactive workshop, Esther Triggs, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Interlochen Center for the Arts and Co-Founder of Journey Theatre Project, demonstrates how implicit bias negatively affects daily workplace engagement, preventing individuals from bringing their full selves to work and ultimately stalling overall organizational growth. Drawing from her extensive background in corporate, educational, and theatrical settings, Esther utilizes theatrical tools of dialogue, reflection, and action to drive sustainable, positive change across all aspects of life. Attendees will walk away with an actionable toolkit to navigate challenging organizational terrain and facilitate necessary, sometimes difficult conversations in any department. Come curious, and learn how to establish a more effective, supportive, and inclusive workplace where open, positive communication drives both cultural and operational success.

About Our Speaker: 

Esther is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Interlochen Center for the Arts and co-founded Journey Theatre Project (JTP). JTP works with non-profits, corporate entities, educational, and community organizations to create space for necessary conversations. Esther challenges traditional power structures and disrupts implicit bias, through the use of theatre, dialogue, reflection, and data.

Esther has dedicated her career to educating communities in anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Esther’s unique experience in both theatrical and corporate settings allows her to bridge gaps in facilitating conversations which leads to empowerment of individuals and groups toward equitable solutions. Esther, through JTP, has served and continues to serve Michigan’s diverse population through her interactive workshops. 

Esther is an alumnus of Cornell’s Diversity and Inclusion certificate program and a graduate of CUNY SPS’ master of arts in Applied Theatre program, which utilizes theatre for social justice work. Esther was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Art and Culture Council in 2022 and reappointed in 2025. Esther serves on the Dennos Museum Curation Committee and as Co-Chair of ALPACT. She supports organizations in understanding the perceptual, institutional, and psychological process which impact the bottom line of an organization and how we, in community, interact with each other and create a culturally competent workplace.

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