Carrie Carter (no pronouns) lived most of childhood unable to speak to others outside of the home due to a debilitating anxiety condition called Selective Mutism. Folding paper became a method of grounding, mindful, meditation; a way to block out anxiety and enjoy comforting silence of mind and body. During that time, Carrie also began her journey as a storyteller, writing fictional stories, letters to penpals around the world, and proofreading articles for her journalist father.
Aaron Maybin is a 34 year old contemporary artist, educator, community activist, and former professional football player from Baltimore Md.
selected as the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills as a former All-American defensive end at Penn State University. Aaron went on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets and the Cincinnati Bengals in a 5-year career before making the decision to walk away from football to pursue a career as a professional artist, activist, author, educator, and community organizer.
Brooke Mazurek is a screenwriter, journalist, and editor whose work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Vanity Fair, NPR, GQ, and Variety. She previously served as the Senior Features Editor for Harper’s Bazaar and as a Senior Associate Editor at Billboard.
Edward has been involved with artistic endeavors from an early age; in middle school, he created a comic book series which he released once or twice a month, as time permitted between his junior high studies. His work found instant success among peers, friends, and family members, all of who highly encouraged Young to continue drawing and writing as they eagerly anticipated the release of future issues.
Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, DeVonte’ has always had a strong passion for the performing arts and the impact that art expression can have on peoples lives. He has studied many forms of dance, such as; ballet, modern, tap, jazz, hip hop, and more. He is also a rapper, singer-songwriter, and show curator. He has released two studio projects under the artist name D.T. , fusing Hip Hop, R&B, and Soul music with his dance training to give the audience a full package performance experience!
Michelle Chen is a Taiwanese-American muralist, painter, and calligrapher based in Baltimore, MD. In her work, she investigates stories, new and inherited, that we weave to build realities of self, community, and culture. Her art often highlights women whose voices and visions for society are underrepresented. Michelle has created murals in the DC area and around the world.
Marta is a multimedia artist and creator that believes art is one of the most valuable commutation tools available to humanity. Enthusiastic about all art forms, her practice is mostly in the visual arts and traditional textile crafts.
Originally from the region of Andalucía in the south of Spain, she has lived in the United States for the last 40 years.
As a painter, she works and practices with various media and techniques. Building on years of watercolor and acrylic painting experience, she currently enjoys experimenting with various artistic mediums and techniques.
Creator • Wanderer • Alchemist • Healer • Teacher • Feeler
For Lauren, creating and sharing knowledge isn’t just a job, it is her life. She received her Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Maryland in 2020 and is a classically trained musician. You will often find her instructing art-related courses at area universities and arts centers, taking commissions for sculptures, prints, paintings, and graphic design, as well as consulting on large public art projects.