Writer ~ Performer

Director ~ Conceptual Artist

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Hailing from the heart of Detroit, Tonja, The Disruptor is a multiformat storyteller, conceptual and social practice artist. Trained in musical theatre and film, Tonja wields the page, screen, the stage and placemaking to amplify signature Black women, Black Detroit and Black agency. Tonja’s social practice work is also shaped to serves teams in diverse spaces.

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Tonja has paid her vision and talent forward a s a writer-in-residence with Inside Out Literary Arts and as a mentor with Nia Arts Centre. As a teaching artist, Tonja also draws on being a recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Screenwriting Fellowship,  Creators of Culture and Art Place America/Revolve Detroit grantee, a mentee of Start With 8 and Project Involve (NY) and a Screenwriting Finalist at the Urbanworld Film Festival.

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Tonja has been featured at The Sidewalk Festival, CulturePop, Revolve Detroit, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Apollo Cafe and has exhibited at Allied Media Projects and Afrofuturist Affair.  Additionally, Tonja won acclaim as Dorothy in The Wiz and Charlaine in Ain’t Misbehavin’ and other lead roles in musicals and Hip Hop Theatre.

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Tonja is developing short and long form, multiformat projects and social practice initiatives.