Nybria Acklin is an artist and administrator based in New Orleans. She is a Human Resources Manager at an education and capacity building nonprofit, and she is a deeply invested supporter of the arts and equity initiatives. Over the past two years she’s worked with Friends of the Freedom House – a house museum and community space in New Orleans – as a lead project manager doing grant writing, research, and coordination support; strategic planning support; and administrative support for the organization’s museum and archives projects. She commits to transition into the arts full-time with hopes of supporting BIPOC artists and culture workers gain more access to funding, opportunities, and connections. Nybria graduated from Smith College in 2018 with a B.A. in Sociology. She is also a Venture for America and Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs alumna. Nybria is excited to participate in the National Leaders of Color Fellowship program where she hopes to connect with like-minded individuals, and to better educate herself on the arts landscape and equity in the arts in order to make a positive impact in the field.

Oaxaca en Utah

co-director of arts education, Arts Corps

Olisa Enrico is an artist, educator and administrator who believes in the unique power of art to cultivate community and culture. Olisa spent her childhood writing music and performing, traversing genres and rooting in hip hop as her primary form of expression. She branched out to theater and found passion for the power of story to reveal and heal. She earned her BFA in Theatre Performance Magna Cum Laude and an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy with a dual focus in Both Acting/Directing and Voice/Speech. She specializes in the use of Ritual Poetic Drama Within the African Continuum and Archetypes for the Actor. Olisa is a board member of The Conciliation Project (TCP) facilitating courageous conversations to undo oppression that is woven into the fabric of this complex nation.She is the Artistic and Executive Director of Griot Girlz, a collective of Black Womxn artists whose mission is to to engage the community in the art of storytelling through cultural practice and performance. Olisa provides performances, professional development, curriculum development, consultations and workshops through her business Praxis Essentials.Olisa believes that artists and art are vital to the state of culture and society and hopes to share her soul through performance. Olisa believes in collaboration, in relationship, in the value of community.