Black History Month: Black History is the Future Featuring Mike Ellison

Wright State University invites you to join us at the Black History is the Future featuring Mike Ellison in honor of Black History Month. Mike Ellison is an actor, music and spoken word recording artist, and an Emmy® Award-winning producer. Born to parents living and working in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before the family relocated to Reston, Virginia, where he was raised, Mike fully realized himself as an interdisciplinary artist in Detroit. Also known as MIKE-E, his independent music projects include AFROFLOW I, AFROFLOW II and FLYTANIUM, along with popular singles released in Ethiopia and Rwanda, and collaborations with several international artists. Mike’s acting credits span film, theater and television, with recent appearances on CHICAGO PD, CHICAGO FIRE and BMF.

Mike created and headlined the AFROFLOW TOUR in partnership with the American Cancer Society. Utilizing live music and public events to raise cancer awareness, encourage prevention and tobacco cessation among youth populations disproportionately targeted by the industry, the groundbreaking US national tour endured for seven years.

With a Communications Degree from the University of Virginia, Mike began his career in sports marketing and public relations. He utilizes the creative arts as a vehicle for cultural collaboration, community and corporate engagement, and charitable endeavors throughout the United States and his birth country. His boutique agency, Wendemé Creative, provides a range of creative strategy, content and production services to an array of companies and organizations.

Mike’s father, the late journalist Bob Ellison, was the first African American president of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

This event is free and open to the public. Wright State University is committed to providing universal access to our events. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. For more information about the Division of Inclusive Excellence or for accommodations, please email inclusiveexcellence@wright.edu or call 937-775-2087.