Ayofemi Kirby the Founder of ElevenThirtySix Strategies (E36), a creative communications firm partnering with global cultural and creative leaders to implement forward-thinking strategies, engage their communities, and expand their impact.
With nearly two decades of cross-sector experience in arts and culture, civic engagement, and strategic communications, Ayofemi has continuously worked at the intersection of politics, social movements, and the creative world. Her career includes significant tenures on Capitol Hill—most notably as a communications director for Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), under the leadership of Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and former HUD Secretary and Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH). In these roles, she amplified the work of 44 CBC member offices on issues such as immigration reform, voting rights, and responsible federal budgeting, crafting messages delivered everywhere from the Democratic National Convention stage to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Ayofemi’s passion for uplifting artistic and cultural expression came to the forefront at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, part of The New York Public Library, where she led communications and publicity. There, she shaped public conversations around policy, entertainment, and high-profile cultural initiatives—efforts that would later inform her work at E36. Ayofemi has consulted on landmark projects like Kehinde Wiley’s “Rumors of War” unveiling in Times Square and its subsequent installation at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, as well as initiatives with The Africa Center, Mickalene Thomas, The Laundromat Project, the International Center of Photography, Sean Kelly Gallery, Sony Pictures, and the NYC Office of the Mayor, and many more. Thanks to her strategic insights, these collaborations have garnered thoughtful coverage in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Art Newspaper, BBC Culture, OkayAfrica, and The Washington Post, among others.
Ayofemi’s academic background—spanning a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from UNC Chapel Hill, a nonprofit management certificate from Duke University, an MA in Public Communications from American University, and a Master of Liberal Arts in Museum Studies from the Harvard Extension School—reflects her commitment to rigorous research and innovative engagement. She has also completed coursework at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, further fueling her deep understanding of cultural markets and creative economies.