Deah Berry Mitchell Speaking Topics

• Uncovering Myths: The Deep History and Living Traditions of Juneteenth

  Most people know June 19, 1865 as the day enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom — but Juneteenth is so much more than a date on the calendar and believe it or not, it's full of myths. It is a story of delayed justice, radical joy, community resilience, and a celebration tradition that survived more than 150 years before the rest of America finally caught up. As a 5th generation Texan, historian, and cultural preservationist, Deah Berry Mitchell doesn't just research this history — she is part of it. Her family's roots run deep in the Texas soil where Juneteenth was born, giving her a perspective that is equal parts lived experience and rigorous academic scholarship.

  In this powerful talk, Mitchell traces Juneteenth from its origins in Galveston, Texas through its years of suppression and community-led preservation, to its recognition as a federal holiday in 2021. She explores the food, music, red soda water, and gathering traditions that have always defined the celebration, and why understanding Juneteenth fully means understanding the Black Texas experience — from the inside out.

  Attendee Results:

  • Gain a comprehensive, accurate, and nuanced understanding of Juneteenth's origins and significance.
  • Learn how Black Texans preserved and protected the holiday through decades of official neglect.
  • Understand the cultural traditions — food, music, dress, and community gathering — that define authentic Juneteenth celebration.
  • Explore how Juneteenth connects to broader American themes of freedom, democracy, and delayed justice.
  • Leave equipped to honor and discuss Juneteenth with depth, accuracy, and cultural respect.

• From the Pit to the Table: Black Texas Food as History, Resistance & Community

  In Texas, food is history. And Black Texas food — from the barbecue pits of East Texas to the church supper tables of the Gulf Coast — is a history of survival, resistance, creativity, and deep community love. As a 5th generation Texan, Deah Berry Mitchell didn't discover this history in a library — she grew up inside it. The recipes, the pitmasters, the family gatherings, and the food traditions she now researches and writes about are part of her own story. That lived experience, combined with her credentials as a Julia Child Foundation Gastronomy and Culinary History Fellow, Kingsford Preserve the Pit Fellow, former James Beard Awards judge, and PhD candidate whose dissertation examines Black Texas foodways, makes her one of the most uniquely qualified voices on this subject in the country.

  In this rich, story-driven talk, Mitchell takes audiences on a journey through the flavors, techniques, and human stories that define Black Texas food culture. She explores how enslaved Africans and their descendants shaped Texas cuisine, how barbecue became a site of both economic agency and cultural expression, and what is at stake — and what is being lost — as food traditions go undocumented. This is food history as it should be told: grounded, alive, and deeply human.

  Attendee Results:

  • Discover the African and African American origins of Texas's most iconic food traditions, including barbecue.
  • Understand how Black foodways have functioned as acts of survival, resistance, and community building across generations.
  • Learn why documenting food culture matters — and how it connects to larger questions of historical erasure and recovery.
  • Explore the economic and cultural significance of Black-owned food spaces, from restaurants to backyard pits.
  • Leave with a deeper appreciation for the people, places, and practices behind the food that defines Texas.

• Augmenting the Past: Using Technology to Make Hidden Histories Visible

  What happens when cutting-edge technology meets centuries of overlooked history? Deah Berry Mitchell found out when she created Deep Ellum AR — the first augmented reality app in the United States developed by a woman to highlight Black history. Funded by the City of Dallas and now used in classrooms, walking tours, and cultural institutions across North Texas, the app proves that innovation and equity can go hand in hand.

  In this forward-thinking talk, Mitchell shares what it took to build a first-of-its-kind product, how she navigated the intersection of history, tech, and community trust, and why the future of innovation must include the stories that have long been erased. She speaks directly to educators, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and anyone ready to ask: who does innovation serve — and how do we change that?

  Attendee Results:

  • See how immersive technology like augmented reality can transform how communities experience and claim their history.
  • Learn the process of building a community-centered tech product from concept to city-funded reality.
  • Understand why diversity in tech innovation is not just a social good — it's a competitive advantage.
  • Gain inspiration for using digital tools to address gaps in historical representation.
  • Walk away with a new model for pairing purpose with product development.

• Reclaiming the Narrative: How Storytelling Preserves Community, Identity & the Future

  History doesn't belong only to textbooks — it lives in food, music, place, and the stories passed down through communities. In this compelling talk, historian and cultural preservationist Deah Berry Mitchell explores how storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect underrepresented histories and inspire the next generation.

  Drawing on her work founding Road East Magazine, her research into Black Texas culture, and her contributions to landmark academic publications, Mitchell reveals how centering the voices of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities transforms how we understand America — and ourselves. She challenges audiences to rethink whose stories get told, who gets to tell them, and what is lost when communities can no longer see themselves in the historical record.

  Attendee Results:

  • Understand why cultural preservation is an urgent civic responsibility — not just an academic pursuit.
  • Discover how storytelling bridges history and lived experience to build belonging and community pride.
  • Learn frameworks for centering underrepresented voices in education, media, and public life.
  • Gain tools for making history accessible, engaging, and relevant to modern audiences.
  • Leave inspired to document and share the stories of the communities around them.

• Build Something That Lasts: Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship Rooted in Community

  What does it look like to build a business when you're starting from the bottom — truly rooted in the community it serves? Deah Berry Mitchell has done it more than once. Just a decade ago she was an administrative assistant struggling to find her voice (and passion), today she is like a Phoenix! From founding Road East Magazine to creating the first AR app developed by a woman to document Black history, to earning recognition in an upcoming college textbook on innovation and entrepreneurship, Mitchell's career is a masterclass in purpose-driven work that creates lasting impact.

  In this motivating and practical talk, she shares the principles behind building ventures with integrity, how to find the intersection of your expertise and your community's need, and why the most durable innovations are often born from love — for a place, a people, or a history that deserves to be remembered.

  Attendee Results:

  • Learn how to identify the intersection of personal expertise, community need, and cultural purpose.
  • Understand how to secure institutional support — grants, city funding, and fellowships — for mission-driven projects.
  • Gain insight into building an audience and a movement around work rooted in community storytelling.
  • Discover frameworks for sustaining long-term projects when the work is both personal and professional.
  • Leave inspired to pursue the venture that only you — with your unique background — can build.

Read More +