Elton Monroy Durán is a Detroit-based visual artist born on December 22, 1978 in Ciudad Sahagun in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. Monroy Durán acquired a BFA from the School of Fine Arts at the University of the State of Querétaro (1998-2003). He describes himself as a humanist artist with scientific and sociological approaches, which he seeks to convey through his work. He started the mural and art company Corpus Art Inc. in Detroit, 2016.

Giizhigad [Christy B.] is an Anishinaabe artist, filmmaker & cultural producer based in Southwest Detroit. Currently building creatively and collaboratively with The Aadizookaan [ADZKN] in the facets of music, dance, & mixed media design as a part of dynamic storytelling installations alchemizing the worlds we want to live in. Producing experiences that are educational, contemplative, and transformative, she works through organic collaboration, mentorship & facilitation within ADZKN and extending out to all our relatives and interconnections on Turtle Island and around the world.

Mathangi’s Dance Crew (MDC) is Michigan's No. 1 Indian Dance School on a dream mission to take every soul on a blissful journey through dance. The crew was assembled by its founder Mathangi Vinoth, solely to share her love for dance and showcase various unique dance forms that India has to offer to the rest of the world. MDC we bring the whole of India's dancing culture under one banner - Indi. Apart from training the aspiring dancers, MDC also has taken up the mission of entertaining the audience of Michigan with our International dance shows. We focus on not only entertaining the audience but also serve as a cross cultural platform where we showcase our vibrant, exuberant ideas and portray our festive culture through our dances.

Born in Sidon, Lebanon, and raised in Lansing, Rola Nashef is a writer, director, producer and multi-media artist who draws upon her extensive experience in the arts and involvement in Michigan’s diverse communities as a catalyst for creative expression and social movement.

Named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Cinema" (2011), Nashef has received the Kresge Arts in Detroit Award (2014) for her long-standing work, and has been awarded the Adrienne Shelley Director’s Award (2015) for her second feature script, Nadia’s House. 

Nashef’s debut, award-winning feature, Detroit Unleaded, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (2012) where Nashef won the inaugural Grolsch Film Works Discovery Award and the film was dubbed the first Arab-American Romantic Comedy that became a favorite amongst audiences and film critics alike. Prior to it’s release, Detroit Unleaded was supported by the Sundance Institute Screenwriter’s Lab, IFP New York, The Lincoln Center and the A2E Distribution Labs.

Nashef is a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences, where she draws upon her 17 years experience and knowledge of independent filmmaking to teach students about developing media projects and learn the practical elements of storytelling, screenwriting, producing and directing.  

We Found Hip Hop brings international, national and local girls and women together through the arts to educate and empower the community through sharing love of the arts, inspiring change and growth, building leadership, and influencing the perceptions and roles of Women in Hip Hop for current and future generations. 

Piper Carter is a Community Organizer in the Environmental Justice, Maker Space, Food Justice, Education Justice, Arts & Culture, and Entertainment Justice communities. She is Co-Founder of We Found Hip Hop (The Foundation Celebrating Women in Hip Hop). 

Tazeen Ayub is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and community organizer. She hosts spiritual music and meditation sessions, monthly open mics, and a weekly show on IG Live, Digging Deeper, where she discusses art, spirituality, and activism with local artists of various genres. During the day, Tazeen is a tenured professor of Arabic at Henry Ford College.

Tamæ is a Vietnamese immigrant and DJ and artist who has traveled all over the world touring with Grammy award winning producer Illmind. She continues to further her craft and strives to change the direction of the music industry. 

Mary Mar aka BGIRL MAMA is a Cambodian Muslimah B-Girl, part of Hardcore Detroit & Venus Fly dance crews and the dance duo Mama2. She performs, judges and competes throughout the United States and Canada and runs a performing arts studio empowering youth and adults of all ages.

 Sacramento Knoxx is a hardworking interdisciplinary artist with strong roots in Detroit from the southwest side. He produces a sound of electronic, indigenous, ghettotech, afro-latino, hip hop, soul, and rhythm and blues. Knoxx versatile background with different forms of music, allows him to blend traditional and contemporary styles creating dynamic storytelling experiences with live music performances, dancing, and video projections that take audiences on a participatory journey and a creative experience. Currently he travels nationally and internationally sharing interactive music performances, blending captured moments in life and creative imagery through large projection motion graphics. Building from raw experience and grit his works send vibrations to help assemble the worlds we want to live in.

music links: https://ampl.ink/gG5le

Djembefola Detroit pulls members from a vibrant African drum and dance community, presenting professional performers at their best. From stage productions to world festivals, Djembefola Detroit connects to audiences, bringing a unique energy and excitement! Djembefola Detroit comes from a large community family tree, with longstanding members of the Detroit African drum and dance community at its roots: King Sundiata Keita, Baba Ali Abdullah, and Mama Latifah, just to name a few. By walking in their footsteps, Djembefola Detroit brings African drum and dance into a new age.

Ballet Folklorico Mayocoyani Izel was established in 2005 by Jaime and Maria Luisa Carrillo, who continue to donate their time and effort leading the group. As part of the BFMI mission to bring art and culture to the community, all new participants are welcomed regardless of experience. The group is free of charge to the community and stands as a nonprofit organization; 100% of funds collected from performances and fundraisers is invested back into the group. Jaime and Maria Luisa have studied under excellent folkloric instructors since the early 1980's and continue to study with master instructors. With a passion to continue to learn and grow in the history and art of folklore, Jaime Carrillo has joined the ANGF (Asociacion Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos) Conferences for the past three years and most recently earned a position on their board as Great Lakes Representative. With nearly 40 years of experience in the folklorico world, we have merely scratched the surface; and so, we must live by our motto:

“You don’t stop dancing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop dancing.”