Joan Lipkin is an internationally recognized playwright, director, producer, educator, facilitator, and social activist based in St Louis, Missouri, USA. Joan is the founding artistic director of That Uppity Theatre Company, DisAbility Project, Dance the Vote, and Playback Now! She has worked on environmental justice for years, as a playwright, dramaturg, and educator, designing curriculum for teaching climate change and storytelling online. Some awards include Woman of Achievement, Visionary, Bravely, Arts Innovator, and the Ethical Humanist of the Year. Her work has been widely produced and anthologized in Best American Short Plays, Scenes from a Diverse World, Amazon All Stars, CCTA anthologies Lighting the Way and The Future Is Not Fixed, and also featured in the rapid-response theatre projects Every 28 Hours and After Orlando.