Education:

• M.A. in Music and Music Education, Teachers College, Columbia University (2022)

• B.S. in Music Education, Towson University (2018)​​

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Conference Presentations:​

• Collins, D. (October, 2026). In Search of Curricular “Ceremonies” (Wynter, 1984) of a Blue Episteme [Paper presentation]. Bergamo Conference on Curriculum Theory and Classroom Practice. Dayton, OH.

• Howell, C., Sellers, C., Collins, D., Nagle, C., Rose, B., VanTuyle, J., Anderson, W., Bohan, C., Broome, J., & Saxe, A. (2026, October 2). Downstream effects of the United States' teacher staffing crisis [Panel presentation]. American Association of Teaching and Curriculum Annual Conference, Scottsdale, AZ.

• ​Collins, D. (2026, October 1). Misanthropic curriculum: A sea shanty "from the world of the unseeable" in 3 versos (Brand, 2018) [Paper presentation]. American Association of Teaching and Curriculum Annual Conference, Scottsdale, AZ.

• Collins, D. (2026, October 1). Black music as curriculum [Paper presentation]. American Association of Teaching and Curriculum Annual Conference, Scottsdale, AZ.

• Finkle, K., Hawthorne, E., Williams, R. L., & Collins, D. (2026, June 26). Exploring community-based curriculum: The jazz club, the protest encampment, the art studio, and the public park as sites of the curricular commons [Paper presentation, virtual]. American Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies.

• Collins, D. (2026, June 26). Infrasonic curriculum: Sounds of subversion [Poster presentation, virtual]. American Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies.

• Collins, D. (2025, January 18). Go-Go as Public Pedagogy: Exploring Joy and Resistance through Arts and Culture. Presented at the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair, virtual.

• Collins, D. (2024, August 17). Go-Go as Public Pedagogy: Exploring Joy and Resistance through Arts and Culture. Presented at the Social Justice Curriculum Fair, Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS, Washington, D.C.​

• Collins, D. (2020, October 9-10). Portals of Freedom for Black Children, K-12 Music Education. Presented at the Black Music Matters Summit, virtual. 

• Collins, D. (2020, July 1). Anti-Racist Music Education [Facilitator], virtual.

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Panels, Workshops, and Invited Discussions: 

• Collins, D. (2026, June 27). For the people: Living traditions in the classroom [Panel discussion]. Arts and Industries Building, South Hall, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. https://www.si.edu/events/detail?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D204188922

• Mellizo, J., Reifsteck, J., & Collins, D. (2026, June 1-2). Arts integration [Workshop]. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.

 

Article Appearances:​ 

• Broadway World. (2025, February 27). Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts awards 14 grants to public school educators. https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Wolf-Trap-Foundation-For-The-Performing-Arts-Awards-14-Grants-To-Public-School-Educators-20250227

• Teaching for Change. (n.d.). Teaching truth curriculum fair: Centering Black lives, art, and resistance. https://www.teachingforchange.org/teaching-truth-curriculum-fair-centering-black-lives-art-and-resistance

• DC Area Educators for Social Justice. (n.d.). The power of place at the Social Justice Curriculum Fair. Teaching for Change. https://www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/news/social-justice-curriculum-fair-2024

• Sanders, D. (2020, July 28). Black music matters rally exposes racism in classical music. Chicago Defender. https://chicagodefender.com/black-music-matters-rally-exposes-racism-in-classical-music/

• Teachers College, Columbia University. (2020, August 13). Black Lives Matter movement inspires community art. Teachers College Newsroom. https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2020/august/black-lives-matter-movement-inspires-community-art/​​​​​