By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | September 22, 2025

When Atlanta-born actress, comedian, and writer Cherie Danielle steps onto the stage at the PushPush Arts Center this October, she will not simply be performing a play. She will be carrying forward a mission — to use art as a weapon for liberation, political education, and collective imagination.

Her one-woman show “Afro Goddess Pt. 2 R/evolutionary Love” and “The Shootout” by Jihad Abdulmumit will be featured in The Cultural Workers Got Something to Say, runs October 3–5, 2025 in College Park. It is the newest expression of her artistic journey, shaped by a lifetime of acting and a recent commitment to redefining herself not as a “creative,” but as a cultural worker. The distinction, inspired by Musa Springer’s essay “A Cultural Worker, Not a Creative,” reflects Danielle’s belief that art must serve the people.

“The role of a cultural worker,” she explained in our interview, “is to open minds, hearts, and actions toward collective liberation.”

From DeKalb to New York

Danielle’s foundation as an artist was laid in Atlanta. She majored in drama and minored in vocal music at DeKalb School of the Arts before moving to New York to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. There, she built a stage résumé that included The Colored Museum, Chains, and Angela’s Justice, while also touring nationally in I Have a Dream.

Her training continued at institutions such as Marishka Phillips Theatrical Preparatory, The Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The Acting Studio. Alongside her theater work, Danielle began to appear on screen, earning credits in Netflix’s Barry, HBO’s The Deuce, and short films featured at festivals worldwide.

The Afro Goddess Legacy

In 2016, Danielle wrote and performed her first solo show, The Diary of an Afro Goddess. Premiering in New York and later staged in Atlanta at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, the play earned an AUDELCO Award nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance. The project also launched Afro Goddess Productions, her vehicle for developing original films and digital content.

That foundation now continues with her latest work, The Cultural Workers Got Something to Say. The production critiques capitalism, empire, and systemic exploitation, while urging audiences to imagine and organize for a liberated world. Danielle performs alongside pieces from other artists, including work by former political prisoner Jihad Abdulmumit.

Atlanta Roots

Danielle’s connection to Atlanta runs deep. She is the daughter of Charles Bythwood, a respected Atlanta architect. Where her father built with concrete and steel, Danielle builds through performance — constructing frameworks of culture, memory, and resistance. Both legacies are grounded in shaping spaces where people can thrive.

Movement Context

Her latest work also situates itself in present-day struggles. Danielle points to the Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta and to global calls for justice as inspiration. For her, art must reflect and respond to these conditions, whether by demanding universal healthcare and basic income or by challenging what she calls “the false promises of Black capitalism.”

Expanding the Audience

Danielle is committed to making sure her work reaches beyond traditional theater spaces. She plans to bring The Cultural Workers Got Something to Say to colleges, community centers, and grassroots organizations, emphasizing political education and dialogue. Each performance will conclude with a community talkback — part of her belief that art should spark collective action, not just reflection.

A Call to Action

As she prepares for her October performances in College Park, Danielle frames her mission in simple but urgent terms: art must open pathways to liberation.

“Getting involved, organizing, and imagining a better world — that’s the work,” she said. “Theater is just the beginning.”

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Event Details:

• The Cultural Workers Got Something to Say!
• October 3–5, 2025 | PushPush Arts Center, 3716 Main Street, College Park, GA 30337
• Tickets: $25 general admission (sliding scale available)
• Presented by Community Movement Builders Atlanta Political Education
• Two 50-minute plays with intermission, followed by a community talkback
• 90% of proceeds benefit Community Movement Builders
• To Purchase Tickets

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