(Old video – I’ll make a new one eventually)
“If you understand my name; you’ll know my work”
Current Profession: Communication Specialist for Southern SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) www.SSARE.org
Read on to learn about me and click on my media kit to learn more about this site, what I do and why.
I believe that names are mantras and the more we hear them, the more we’re encouraged to be them. I do my best to live up to the many meanings of my name in my character no matter what hat I’m wearing be it the mediator, liaison, diplomat, activist or even socially and personally as a multi-media artist, educator or Media and Communications professional.
As named by my parents from within the West African Swahili language, Dara means “the beautiful one“. In Hebrew, Dara means compassion or pearl of wisdom. In Punjabi, Dara means “leader“. In Khmer, Thai and Lao, Dara is a masculine or feminine name meaning “star“. An Irish saint’s name, from Irish dara (“oak”). Also an ancient Persian male name meaning “one who is rich“.
Monifah is derived from African-Yoruban origins. Monifah is a form of the West African name Monifa. In both Yoruba and Egyptian, the meaning of the name Monifa is: Lucky or one who brings fortune.
DaraMonifah®
I merged my first and middle name together then added an “h” for my tradename, which I use to distinguish myself both personally and professionally. Learn more about that specifically here in my (“Sankofa Story”) history, purpose and future.
So that’s a little about me, the person. To learn more about what types of work I do specifically, read on or check out my extended bio here. Be sure to check out my media kit to learn more about this site, what I do and why.
DaraMonifah® Cooper am a multi-media artist, poet, musician, culture preservationist, public speaker, digital media consultant, community organizer and whatever else I’m called to do. I am a proud University of the Virgin Islands Communications alum with a Masters in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University. Born on St. Thomas and literally raised on campus by two UVI professors, now as a mother of three, I currently run Conch Shell Media, LLC, my multimedia production, education and consultation marketing business.
Since January 2022, I have been traveling to the southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States as the Communication Specialist with the Southern SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program.
The Southern SARE program supports a more sustainable and just farm system nationwide providing ag research and education grants, professional development opportunities, event sponsorships and educational materials from decades of SARE-funded research. A grassroots functioning team centered around farmers’ needs, we focus on profitability, stewardship and quality of life.
I previously worked as the Communications, Technology and Distance/Online Learning Communication Specialist with the UVI School of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. I was also a UVI Communications Visiting Professor (Instructor), teaching courses including radio broadcasting, public speaking, interpersonal communications and web publishing. Channeling my love of training youth in multi-media, I taught broadcast engineering (radio with live online audio/video), management and new media to University and high school students as the WUVI Student Radio (& New Media) Station Manager.
Prior to my media related work with UVI, as the Founding Director of KWANZAA365 and through my non-profit youth initiative, Sankofa Saturdays, Inc. I passed on all that I knew to youth in the areas of new/multi media, technology and the arts. I also tirelessly gave back to my alma mater by voluntarily serving as the adviser for various University student clubs including the Student Government Association African (“Black”) Heritage Committee and The Writer’s Block as well as initiating the formation of the WUVI New Media Club.
