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Utah Black Artists Collective |
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Discipline: Multidisciplinary |
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Discipline: Multidisciplinary |
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Discipline: Multidisciplinary |
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Discipline: Multidisciplinary |
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Discipline: Multidisciplinary |
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Vaimoana Oufi Khalil is an artist, educator, and performer whose work spans painting, mural-making, poetry, acting, and theater directing. Born in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, and raised in Hawaiʻi and Utah, she has spent more than 20 years teaching at colleges, universities, public schools, senior centers, and community centers across New York City. Khalil earned her undergraduate degree in painting and performance from New York University, received the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Fellowship in painting and drawing at Yale University, and attended Columbia University’s graduate program in theater and acting. She has created and led over 38 community murals around the world, including projects in Australia, Kenya, Jordan, New Zealand, Palestine, South Africa, and across the U.S. in California, New York, and Utah. She was a founding member of Mahina Movement (2000–2020), an all-BIPOC women’s music and poetry trio that performed on more than 700 stages in the U.S. and traveled to Ireland. Khalil has written, performed in, and directed numerous theatrical productions at various venues, showcasing her dedication to storytelling and community art. |
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Discipline: Media Arts Vicente Salas II, also known as “Ben,” is an indigenous Chamorro independent filmmaker, spoken word poet, hip hop artist, photographer, and writer with deep ties to Saipan, Guam, and Hawaii. A deeper dive into his familial roots also reveals a rich tapestry of Carolinian (Satawalese), Spanish, African, Filipino, and Scottish ancestry. From an early age, he has traveled globally, fostering a lifelong passion for uniting diverse cultures and communities through a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary filmmaking and poetic arts. Beyond his cinematic endeavors, Salas’ career achievements include working as a journalist for publications like Marianas Variety and serving his native Marianas community as a former caseworker and indigenous Chamorro cultural advocate for the CNMI Indigenous Affairs Office. Today, he continues to create compelling film projects under his Todu Båli Media banner, dedicated to bridging cultures and inspiring meaningful connections through his art. |