My Mother always told me stories. I began telling stories formally when I was in high school in Chicago (St. Ignatius) in the 60’s, stories of Africa and the struggles of African-Americans for freedom. In 1992 I met Joel ben Izzy from Berkeley, CA who was introduced to me as…
Mel was born and raised in Vallejo, CA. He has been a martial artist since 1972. He teaches Balintawak Arnis, Filipino Martial Art, in the context of Philippine and Filipino culture and history. He’s is also the author of “Filipinos in Vallejo.” Mel is a member of the Mark of…
Antara Bhardwaj is one of the most dynamic kathak artists of this generation. She began her study of kathak (an Indian classical story-telling dance form) at the age of nine with legendary maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, and now runs her own dance ensemble and school, Antara Asthaayi Dance. Antara’s panache…
Gayatri Subramanian is the Founder/Artistic Director of KA Academy of Indian Music & Dance. She is a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and instructor is one of the senior most disciples of Guru Smt. Padmini Radhakrishnan, the Founder-Director of the institute “Soundarya Natya Kalalaya Foundation”, Mumbai. She has undergone intensive training for over…
Will Marsh has been a dedicated student of the sitar since 2006. He was initiated into the rich tradition of Hindustani music by Ustad Aashish Khan (eldest son of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan) while a student at the California Institute of the Arts. He has also had the privilege of…
Ora Clay is a contemporary fiber artist who has exhibited her work in galleries, museums, and public buildings locally and nationally. Her artwork has also been featured on the front page of The New York Times Arts Section. Her quilts tell stories by incorporating photos, sayings, and events…
Anana Clark is a master braider and threadwrap artist originally from Los Angeles, now living in the Bay Area. She teaches an online course in African Threadwrapping and is also available for in-person classes for cosmetology schools and African centered workshops. She also has note and…
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an internationally acclaimed Kathak artist – performer, choreographer and instructor, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance. As a performer, Farah is known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace, with two decades of training from the late Pandit…
Indian-American percussionist and composer Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy is one of the leading voices of Indian classical and cross-genre music in the South Asian diaspora. Acclaimed a “musical ambassador” and “pride of India” by The Times of India, Rohan received advanced mridangam training from maestro Sri. Guruvayur…
Charya Burt is an acclaimed master dancer, choreographer, vocalist and teacher of Classical Cambodian Dance. After the Khmer Rouge genocide, Burt trained extensively with Cambodia’s foremost surviving dance masters, eventually joining the dance faculty of Cambodia’s Royal University of Fine Arts. As a member of Cambodia’s…
