Manuela Arciniegas
Manuela is a community organizer, cultural worker, activist, and mother who is interested in advancing communities of color and the cultures of the African Diaspora. Currently she is the recipient of the Social Justice Fellowship of the Wagner School of Public Leadership, where she is spearheading The Legacy Circle, a project for cultural arts teachers and youth of African descent. She was the former Director of Education at the Franklin H. Williams Caribbean Cultural Center, Outreach Coordinator at Sustainable South Bronx, and the arts project manager with "We got Issues!" Young women's arts and empowerment project. She is also a singer and musician with Yaya, an All-Women's Afro-Caribbean Musical Group and Alma Moyo Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba Music Troupe.
She is a member of The Legacy Circle, which is dedicated to empowering African Diaspora youth and adults in New York City through cultural arts education. Its goal is to awaken young people to their identity as African descendants and their legacy as leaders and Maroon Warriors.
www.thelegacycircle.org
Pietro González, LaMicro Theater
Pietro is an actor and a drama teacher. He has performed in several theaters around the country: La Jolla Playhouse, The Delaware Theater Company, The Spanish Repertoire, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, The Barrow Group, and La Tea. His most recent work was performing with LaMicro Theater in Finished from the Start at Northwestern University. He has appeared in TV series such as One Hundred Center Street and Law and Order, and in films such as THE INTERPRETER where he plays the Chilean Ambassador.
LaMicro Theater, Inc. was founded September 2003 by Ana Puga, Martin Balmaceda, Pietro González and Berioska Ipinza. LaMicro Theater’s mission is to present high-quality Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Latino theater in English and bilingual productions. Its creators want to expose their audiences to contemporary and emerging playwrights whose work will lead audiences to explore new ideas and generate dialogue concerning the realities faced by our diverse communities. LaMicro is committed to presenting under-produced playwrights and also to experiment with new media technology and work in collaboration with contemporary artists. LaMicro wants to produce plays that attract non-traditional audiences, including spectators who might never before have been to the theater.
http://www.lamicrotheater.org
Ben Stock, Brainpower
BRAINPOWER Research and Development Services, Incorporated creates pathways out of poverty through art business education. Currently developing a marketing plan/ faculty/ funding strategy for art and business programs for homeless LGBT youth in existing shelters in New York CIty. Producing an opera Just ME -- Ali, the life of Ali Forney, to teach performing arts utilizing a reality TV show of the making of the opera: $treet $mARTs, for LOGO, and, of course a music special, to publicize the plight of street-involved queer youth and to teach the production business and "360" arts/entertainment marketing. We were founded in 1970 by Marshall McLuhan, Andy Warhol, Jackie Curtis and Ben Stock.
www.benstock.com
Manny Vega
Noted mosiac artist and life-log resident of El Barrio, five of Manny’s best-known mosaics are in East Harlem including several community-inspiring ones at the 110th Street station of the Lexington Avenue #6 subway, and a tribute to the poet Julia de Burgos on 106th Street. His work draws on many traditions including Byzantine cut, New York City Puerto Rican references, and icons and rituals of the Candomblé religion. In 1998 Manny lovingly restored “The Spirit of East Harlem” mural at 104th Street and Lexington Avenue, on which in 1973 he had first worked as an apprentice during its creation. The mural, depicting Puerto Rican culture, was created by Hank Prussing with a commission from Hope Community, Inc.
