Ifayomi Christine
Filmmaker/Multidisciplinary Artist
Detroit | USA
Ashley ‘Ifayomi’ Douglas is a Black Queer multidisciplinary artist, healer, and filmmaker currently based in Detroit, MI. Ifayomi’s work is centered around ritual, memory, self intimacy, and prayer. She finds inspiration in the layered stories and experiences of Black Femmes, African diasporic connections to water, ancestral magic, and finding “home.” Her objective is to synthesize the worlds of ancestral healing, art, and wellness with intention centered on accessibility. Her artistic credits include Allied Media Conference’s Ethics and Aesthetics Film screening, Detroit Narrative Agency’s Radical Remedies Film Series, Art Basel 2019 for N’Namdi Gallery, and Danny Brown’s “Flower Car” with Eightfold Collective Studios and Lisa Waud
Oganga Mangiti
Poet
Nairobi| Kenya
Oganga Mangiti, is a poet, born, raised and residing in Nairobi, Kenya. He has been writing poetry from 2010, with his debut poetry anthology, “Love and Pain,” coming out in 2019. The book contains poems which focus on the emotions of love and those of pain, with the belief that going through each emotion individually, leads to the process of healing and growth through acceptance.
His work has been described as poetry of emotion, as it mainly focuses on the emotions of love, pain and heartbreak. He initially started writing, to express the emotions he felt; but that has morphed into a constant search; using words to express different emotions and social issues. He draws a lot of his influence from African writers, such as Chinua Achebe, Francis Imbuga, Margaret Ogolla and Ijeoma Umbinyo; and poets such as R.H Sin and the oriental poet, Rumi.
Currently, Oganga Mangiti, is working on his second book, which will focus on the themes of blooming and coming of age. He is also constantly engaged in growing his art form and experimenting with various forms of expression. Furthermore, he has engaged in various campaigns, using poetry and prose in various digital and marketing campaigns.
Yvonne Shortt
Visual Artist
New York City| USA
Yvonne Shortt is a multidisciplinary artist who takes a question-based approach to understand and activate the community around her. Recent questions include, “How does one care for community spaces left to decay?”, “How does one respond to racism using art?”, and “How does one heal from trauma?”. Her areas of focus are equality, disability, race, and sustainability. Her mediums include sculpture, installation, mural, and social practice art.
Some of Ms. Shortt's projects include African American Marbleization-An Act of Civil Disobedience, The School Fence Project, Underpass Murals, and Woman Who Build.
Ms. Shortt's selected awards include NYC Parks Public Art Award, NYC Department of Education Art in Schools Award, Illumination Fund Award, Queens Council on the Arts New Works Grant, Elmhurst Sculpture Garden Public Art Award, and The Burning Man Educational Grant.
Trabolee
Rapper Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
Truth Reigns Above But Only Love Exists Eternally is coded in my rap name while Tra is Art is a mantra that mirrors my innermost reflections when I'm creating. I've always been amazed at how the mundane nothingness of life can be transformed into a canvas ,especially if one is in-tune enough to see the patterns and connections that are always presenting themselves in the now.
I'm a recording and performing artist who conveys his creativity through the genres of Hip Hop and spoken word poetry but not necessarily limited by them. My art stretches the imagination through varied subject matter that ranges extensively from the sacred to the profane, from the profound to the mundane.
Nzilani Simu
Visual Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
Nzilani Simu is an illustrator and graphic designer born, raised and based in Nairobi, Kenya. She specialises in illustration, hand lettering, infographics, identity design and is passionate about design for social impact - particularly when it comes to an African lens and projects focused on women's rights. She has over ten years of experience working as a freelancer and for creative agencies. She has a BA in Sociology from the University of Western Ontario, and a BA in Graphic Design from Curtin University in Malaysia. In the last few years, she has been working on her art brand Kulula; Kulula comes from the Kikamba word meaning 'to draw' and is an outlet for more creative ideas and personal expression using illustration and mixed media. In addition to this, Nzilani works as a graphic design teacher in a Nairobi college.
Afatasi The Artist
Fine Art Textile Artist
San Francisco, CA | USA
Afatasi The Artist, is a cultural curator of Afro-Polynesia. Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Afatasi is a multidisciplinary creative, whose mediums include, and are not limited to: textile artist, designer, writer, poet, photographer, and singer/songwriter. She creates fashion, art, prose, and music, all through her unique Afro-Polynesian lens and perspective. A few of her personal values include: honoring ancestors, the DECOLONIZATION of spaces, Black Lives Matter, self-love and Afros.
Tayleur Crenshaw
Spoken Word Artist/Writer
Oakland, CA | USA
Though Tayleur wrote stories and poetry her whole life, she never considered herself to be a writer. What she did know was that she loved seeing her people thrive and being in spaces that inspired her. As fate would have it, those two things became what eventually developed her career as a writer and poet and co-founder of @Gold.Beams. Through @Gold.Beams, Tayleur curates amazing events, programming and productions for black creatives and her black community at large. As a writer and poet Tayleur shares her art and teaches art in schools and youth programs.
Tayleur is also a New York native, Howard University alumna. Her ultimate goal is to love on black people and to support their wildest dreams.
Vanessa Mwingira
Photographer
Dar es Salaam | Tanzania
Vanessa Mwingira is a photographer based in Tanzania. "Punkandblack" is the artistry name used by Vanessa and it explores her photography foundation which is rooted in portraying black and brown individuals as her main subject matter. The photographer aims to amplify the presentation of black people in mainstream media visually through usage of complementary tones and colors which provide a perspective of richness and beauty.
Valerie Fab-uche
Visual Artist
Lagos | Nigeria
FAB-UCHE Nnenne Valerie (b.1996) has spent most of her life and work in Lagos, Nigeria. Danfo as she is fondly called due to her “never stop, never settle” attitude and insatiable love for Lagos metropolitan life and street culture is constantly using her art practice whether in form of painting, drawing, installation, photography or performances, to document, mirror and question everyday life and challenges as a human being first and a female millennial. Valerie is a fellow of the art in medicine fellowship an initiative of tender arts Nigeria and holds a national Diploma in General arts from Yaba College of Technology Lagos, Nigeria.
WEB | IG
Kiazi Malonga
Performer/Instructor
Oakland | Congo Brazzaville
Kiazi Malonga was initiated in Congolese dance/drum culture at two years old by my late father Malonga Casquelourd. Casquelourd, former principal dancer with the National Congolese Dance Company, and Tanawa, co-founder (first US based central African dance company) was instrumental in helping build the African diaspora artistic community in the Bay Area and beyond. Organizations within this community include Mandeleo Institute, Worlds Arts West, University of California and Cal State campuses, and Everybody’s Creative Arts. Kiazi has been deeply steeped in this community my entire life, and feel fortunate to be a leading educator, advocate, and performer in the African music community.
Nico Phooko, The Music Painter
Visual Artist
Johannesburg | South Africa
Nico Phooko is one of Africa's most gifted visual artists who has embraced and popularised the unique concept of LIVE PAINTING, through which he captures the essence of special events live on canvas!
This novel entertainment genre becomes a truly unforgettable part of the event, which is captured and memorialized as an artwork. Guests love watching how the event unfolds on canvas, representing the mood, the sounds and rhythms, and the highlights of the evening in a most unique and colourful way. The final product is the perfect memento of the event, for the client to keep.
Nico has been invited to artistically capture events such as A Tribute to Samora Machel, painting alongside world renowned musicians and politicians who had come to honour the life of the late Samora Machel. The painting was presented to Mrs Graca Machel, her husband Dr Nelson Mandela, and the Machel’s Family.
He has also painted live on stage with Africa's great musicians, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Ringo Mandlingozi, Joyous Celebration, Joe Nina, Bongo Maffin, Voice and a host of Traditional and Jazz Musicians throughout South Africa and abroad.
Nico's live painting cv includes many award ceremonies, private and corporate gala dinners, conferences, weddings, children’s celebrations, music launches, and many more prominent events.
Agaba Solomon Peabo
Photographer
Kampala| Uganda
My name is Agaba Solomon Peabo, a photographer and digital artist born and raised in Uganda. My inspiration behind my street photography and afro-futurism is we always dream for a better Africa bringing that dream into reality through my work is what motivates me each day.
Arafa C. Hamadi
Visual Artist
Tanzania/Kenya | Tanzania
Arafa Cynthia Hamadi is a non-binary, multidisciplinary artist working in Tanzania and Kenya. They create artwork in various mediums that address the intersections of the conceptual and the physical, as well as the ephemeral and the permanent, in hopes of provoking their visitors into considering their daily realities. Arafa’s work also explores their queerness in relation to space and occupancy. They work in the realms of 3D design, graphic design, sculpture, and architecture.
D’mani Thomas
Multi-discipline Writer/Visual Artist
Oakland |USA
D’mani Thomas (he/him/they) is a horror film fanatic, twitter sub-culture enthusiast, and dance lover. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley, where they were a two-time member of CAL Slam ( 2017 & 2018), representing UC Berkeley at CUPSI, an international spoken word poetry festival, earning the “Best Writing As a Team” accolade in 2018. He was a 2019 Pink Plastic House Resident, a 2020 “SHOW US YOUR SPINES” resident through Lambda Literary. D’mani is the 2020 Foglifter Youth Fellow and a “Bakanal de Afrique” fellow conducting research on transportation infrastructure in times of crisis. His work can be found in The Auburn Avenue, Foglifter, MARY: A Journal of New Writing, and elsewhere.
Olubori Babaoye
Visual Artist
Richmond| Nigeria/USA
Throughout my elementary years, I drew on the playground with chalk during recess and even sketched on my homework assignments. That was when I was introduced to the Oakland School for the Arts where I studied Visual Arts. My time there allowed my creativity to manifest into something remarkable. As a Nigerian-American artist, I feel that it’s my responsibility to commentate on the various socio-economic and political conundrums taking place today in both America and Nigeria. Being that I was raised in a Nigerian household, it’s inevitable that I’ve established such a powerful connection with my homeland. I’ve continuously strived to perfect my craft not only as a classical painter, but also a digital illustrator, Sip & Paint instructor, as well as a live performer/painter. I’ve come to realize the true power that I have as a creative to heal and inspire those around me.
Lauren Baccus
Textile Artist
Miami| USA
Lauren Baccus is a textile artist with roots throughout the Caribbean. Her work is centered around the reframing and retelling of Caribbean stories through costume. She is strongly influenced by masquerade, the region’s legacy of resistance through clothing, and the universality of play through dress.
Demetrius Borge
Filmmaker
Middlebury| USA
Demetrius has been producing videos since he accidentally erased all the family photos during a summer trip. In an attempt to make up for it he began making claymations in middle school, and transitioned to live-action in high school.
He attended Middlebury College as a Film and Media Culture major and produced videos for different student organizations, academic departments, and independently with friends.
From there he worked as a Digital Media Producer for Middlebury College’s Communications and Marketing Department, where he produced, directed, and edited videos for the college. In addition, he has worked as a producer, director, editor, and cinematographer on multiple short films and commercials.
He now co-owns 273 Productions where he continues to make videos.
Wole Hammond
Photographer
Abuja | Nigeria
Wole Hammond is a documentary photographer based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is a huge admirer of nature and the environment and he is interested in building inclusive and sustainable societies for the future. His work as an artist explores using visuals to tell socio-cultural and environmental stories of the 21st century and their inter-relationship with humans.
He attended the Canon Digital and Street photography workshop in 2018. Wole works with non-profits promoting clean environment and sustainable development goals. Some of his work has been featured on platforms such as the Transparency and Accountability Initiative, Institut du Francais Nigeria, Tell that Story, and Kurating. Wole is currently working on documentary projects promoting environmental sustainability in his city.
Vivi Karia
Visual Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
I am a photographer who main focuses on showing the beauty I'm surrounded by and Vivi Karia is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Nairobi. Vivi specializes in object design but has also had a background in installation design.
In 2018 alongside fellow artist Magati Maosa, they hosted an installation called Mental Tourist for Africa Nouveau Festival.The installation was a physical visual project that served to give a glimpse into the experiences artists go through when they create.
She is also a 2019 Catalyst Grant artist of the British Council NaNa Art program. Key themes that can be found in her work are religion and storytelling of everyday life narratives. Vivi always aims to pose the unfamiliar to her audience in hopes of triggering even greater conversations.