Dante Jervaise Kirkman (he/him) is a senior at Stanford University majoring in Art Practice. As an African-American, his artistic vision is intimately tied to social justice, and his art practice focuses on documentary photography of marginalized communities.

 

He has received numerous creative accolades, including being named a YoungArts winner and a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. His work has been published in The New York Times, and he has attended the prestigious University of Iowa Young Writers Workshop. At Stanford, Dante is an Ernest H. Johnson Scholar and an Art + Justice Grant recipient, and his visual art has been exhibited at Stanford’s Student Art Showcase. He served as a student member of the President’s Committee on Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation. 

 

Dante is also a super welterweight professional boxer (3-0, 1 KO), the first pro boxer in Stanford history. His nickname “The Inferno” captures the fire of his intensity as well as his academic antecedents in terms of referring to the famous poet Dante Alligheri. Before turning pro, Dante placed bronze at the USA Olympic boxing qualifiers and worked as a ringside photography intern at USA Boxing and Mayweather Promotions. 

 

Dante lives and grew up in Palo Alto, attended Palo Alto Senior High School and is trained in San Mateo by former champion Eddie Croft. With his focus on marginalized communities, one of Dante’s goals is to use both boxing and his visual art practice to help uplift communities and inspire youngsters to pursue their education.