P A C E U N I V E R S I T Y
W W W. P A C E . E D U / D Y S O N
8
Imagining a Different
Kind of Future
C
linical Assistant Professor and Writer-in-Residence Ty Defoe, MFA is a visionary in his field. But Defoe's medium is
sentient, and his outputs are new communities commi ed to what he calls "radical acceptance and radical care."
"To me, building community relates to the concept of decolonizing, moving things into the center that
have been historically invisible or forgo en," Defoe said. "At Pace, I'm drawing upon a lot of Indigenous philosophies to
imagine and create a different kind of future for our students."
As a writer and interdisciplinary a ist, Defoe's award-winning work spans a range of genres and forms, from
Indigenous activism to environmental justice, using dance, music, and the wri en word to unite people in exploring
contemporary challenges through the lens of traditional culture, history, and values.
One such workshop occurred in November 2024, when, for the first time in Pace's history, an Indigenous group
from the Wampanoag Nation joined students, faculty, and staff to mark the National Day of Mourning, an annual
demonstration to dispel myths surrounding the Thanksgiving story in the United States. In a university se ing, especially
one in New York City, such an event brings a ention to Indigenous voices and practices that are o en overlooked or
Ty Defoe, Professor and Writer-in-Residence, uses dance, music,
and the wri en word to unite people in exploring contemporary challenges
through the lens of traditional culture, history, and values.
Professors Emilie Zaslow, Ty Defoe, and Stephanie Hsu
