The R.E.A.C.H. Collective was born from a moment of reflection, connection, and truth. In 2022, after closing the Masters’ Concert at NYU Steinhardt, founder Dominique M. Fontenot sat with a few cast members and reflected on the experience they had just shared. What lingered was not only the performance, but the feeling it created: a space where Black women gathered with intention, passion, and trust. A space where they felt safe to be fully themselves.

That collective experience was everlasting. It revealed what is possible when artists are seen, supported, and invited to bring their whole selves into the room. That feeling — of care, vulnerability, and shared purpose — became the foundation of R.E.A.C.H. It lives in the threads of every work we create together, shaping how we move, collaborate, and hold one another in process.

Over the past four seasons, The R.E.A.C.H. Collective has created and performed ten original works, each rooted in the Black experience. Our work explores themes such as the duality of Black womanhood, acceptance of physical appearance, systemic inequalities, and the ever-evolving question: what is love to you? These works are not created to simply be watched — they are invitations to witness, reflect, and feel.

As we enter our fifth season, R.E.A.C.H. is intentionally shifting its focus toward greater exposure and education-based experiences. We are committed to growing within the community we ground ourselves in, the Black and Brown community, by expanding access to meaningful artistic opportunities. This next chapter centers on deepening our impact through workshops, educational programming, and mentorship, while continuing to build a collective that reflects care, excellence, and shared growth.

A major goal of this season is to grow the collective itself, welcoming new artists into a supportive, intentional environment, while also laying the foundation for youth programming that nurtures the next generation of Black and Brown movers. Our work moving forward is rooted in legacy-building……honoring where we come from while creating space for what is still to come.