Keila Myles

@keilamyles

My name is Keila Myles. I am a multi-talented independent artist, band leader, singer, songwriter, rapper, and visual artist hailing from New Haven, Connecticut. I am the frontwoman and band leader of Keila Myles and the Moose Knuckles, a punk soul band that blends elements of punk, soul, and rock into a unique sound. My music is characterized by my powerful vocals and introspective lyrics that explore themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. As a visual artist, I create bold and colorful paintings and illustrations that reflect my passion for music and hip hop culture. My DIY approach to art and music has led to the release of several singles, an EP and several collaborations. I have gained a reputation for my unique style and voice and have been featured in several exhibitions and galleries throughout Connecticut.

Farmington Valley Arts Center

@artsfvac

The Farmington Valley Arts Center is enriching lives through art. We are dedicated to cultivating a community where people can create, learn, exhibit, exchange ideas and inspire each other. We welcome and support participants of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds on their personal artistic journeys. Housed in historic sandstone buildings of the former Climax Fuse Factory in Avon CT, FVAC has been connecting the community to the creative process for almost 50 years! We offer unique educational programming, gallery exhibits, special events and the opportunity to engage with a with a community of professional artists working in 17 studios on campus.

Lael Marie Saez

@royael

Lael Marie Williams (Saez) Bio (2020 update) My name is Lael Marie Saez, artist name Royael and I am a Hartford native. I started my dance career first under the teachings of my mother Ann Marie Williams and her educational arts program "K La Rue". From there as a child I studied ballet at Albinos for 3 years. I received more early training through the artist collective from middle school through high school, partaking in modern/jazz, ballet, hip-hop, tap and African dance under the direction of the honorary ACO Lee Thompson of New York and Kresha Hudgens of Hartford CT/ New York. While with the Artist Collective I performed at the Hartford Stage in the play "Oedipus" and performed a solo piece with a few other classmates at the Bushnell for the late Maya Angelou, who later that night personally told me ��ｿｿ�to never stop dancing". During high school I attended the classical magnet program and Hartford Public High school (where I did my academics) as well as the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts where I was trained in modern dance (Graham technique base), ballet, repertoire, improvisational, dance history, tap and numerous other dance and art classes. I graduated from all three schools in 2004 and started full time teaching at FootLights Performing Arts Center of Hartford, CT. In 2005 for the winter/spring semester I proceeded to Long Island University in Brooklyn, N.Y. where I continued my dance training under Donna Hash (Alvin Ailey��ｿｿ�s former principal dancer) and 4 other credible instructors. In the fall of 2005 I returned home and decided to continue teaching dance under the direction of FootLights and took classes in mortuary science at Briarwood college. In 2009 I joined the cultural dance troupe of the West Indies dance company with Stephen Hankey as head choreographer and stayed with them for 4 years. In 2010 I became a company member of the Judy Dworin project for 3 months working on the project "In this house��ｿｿ�; and was also recognized as dance instructor of the year at FootLights. In 2010 FootLights dissolved and transitioned in a new direction and entity called FootLights Performing Arts & Education Program under the late Debra Mauldin, which became a program offered at the Downtown YMCA where I have been currently active for the past 10 years and as of 2018 have become the sole owner of FootLights Performing Arts and Education Program after 19 years of service between FootLights Performing Arts Center and FootLights Performing Arts & Education Program LLC. In 2012 I had the privilege along with 5 other great dancers to create and be the first members of "Island Reflections Dance Theater Company" under the direction of Stephen Hankey, I am currently active with the company. In 2013 I was asked to be featured on the OPP workforce ��ｿｿ�Wall of Success��ｿｿ�. In addition to being the head Dance instructor I completed my time at the Downtown YMCA starting from assistant program coordinator to Program Director for the Downtown YMCA FootLights Program. I currently still own the FootLights Program and was recognized for 10 years of service in June 2015 ( 5 years with the YMCA) and 2020 was 10 years of service with the Downtown YMCA. As of March 2020 I became one of the teaching artists for the Bushnell Theater of Performing Arts. Outside of my dance career I am number 7 in the top 10 international Body Paint models with my Visual artist Joy Monroe for ��ｿｿ�Living Art America��ｿｿ� Body paint competition 2017, as well as #14 for International ��ｿｿ�Beyond The Canvas��ｿｿ� top 20 international body paint competition of 2018. In 2020 I was appointed as an Artist of Color Unite advisory board member for the Hartford Foundation For Public Giving and became one of the first fellows of the Artist of Color Accelerate lead by Shelley Best of the 224 Ecospace. In the the Fall of 2021, through an unanimous vote, I became Hartford CT��ｿｿ�s first artist representative as ��ｿｿ�Flow Artist��ｿｿ� through the Commission of Cultural Affairs, an honor that I hold deeply. As of 2022 I have been in collaboration with The Gambia West Africa��ｿｿ�s Arts and Culture sector as a Cultural Ambassador between Hartford, CT and The Gambia. I always stay active and committed to the community that has raised me, I am for us and by us, " I am Hartford, CT". Lael Marie Saez First City representative Flow Artist, CEO, Master Performing Teaching Artist,AA Royael Toujours Mignon LLC FootLights Performing Arts & Education Program LLC Batelles of The Diaspora LLC Hartford,CT 06114 860-913-4928 (work cell) https://www.facebook.com/FootLightsPerformingArtsED LaelMarieSaez.com Royaeltm IG

Joshua Hummel

@joshummel

Joshua Hummel loves being creative and loves to inspire people with beauty and subtlety. He owns an award-winning composition studio, holds an M.A. in Theatre and a MMus. in Composition, and has studied with professors from the Hartt School of Music, San Francisco Conservatory, and Julliard. Composition awards include ten choral awards, the Frederick Fennell Prize, the NBA Merrill Jones, and the Leonard Bernstein Award. Josh is an Associate Professor of Music at Capital Community College in Hartford, owns New Leaf Arts, is owned by his nine-year old son, Sebi, governed by his lovely wife of 19 years, Trista, and is utterly smitten with five-year-old daughter, Anya Evangeline. When not doing music, you might find Josh bombing local mountain biking trails, bikepacking, playing disc golf or strategy games with his son, or maybe hiking, cooking, reading, or working on his novel.

Black Tech Futures Media

@blacktechfuturesmedia

Black Tech Futures Media connects Creators to economic opportunities on the Blockchain and Web 3.0. We advise, develop, and educate culture creators through social media promotion, design, meetups, podcasts, advice, and consultation. Since April of 2020, Jamil Ahmed and Ira Revels have met every week consistently to deliver news about Black and Latinx NFT (non-fungible token) and digital art developers. This March 2022 our podcast about NFTs will celebrate 52 weeks! Contact us at https://blacktechfutures.media to learn more about how to get involved in creating NFTs and building a legacy and generational wealth on the Blockchain or preparing your business for Web 3 and Metaverse interactions.