ABIGAIL BIRHANU: Abigail (she/her) [a-buh-gale] is an artist and art educator who teaches at the secondary level. She was born in Ethiopia and grew up with an appreciation not only for her culture but a diversity of cultures and experiences. Abby is a Fulbright scholarship recipient who has taught in England. She loves traveling and has visited twenty-one countries so far. She is committed to anti-racist, anti-bias, culturally responsive teaching that cultivates understanding and value for our diverse world community.

ANJALI MADAN WELLS: Anjali (she/her) [ahn-juh-lee] is an art educator from Maryland who is passionate about teaching others to use art as an outlet. She believes everyone’s voice is powerful and deserves to be heard and can be expressed creatively. To share this mission, she created the nonprofit Creative Outlets Arts Center. Learn more about how you can use art as an outlet for wellness at CreativeOutletsAC.com.

KHADESIA LATIMER: Khadesia (she/her) [kuh-dee-shuh] is an art educator and artist from South Carolina. She has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in art with a certification to teach PK–12. She is passionate about art making that encourages empathy, critical thinking skills, and anti-racist and anti-bias practices. She believes that art education is the perfect outlet for spiking creativity while helping develop culturally responsive children. She aspires to continue to find ways to commit to unifying her community through service. In the future, Khadesia hopes to pursue a career as an author and illustrator to help bring awareness to social justice issues and anti-racism. In her free time, Khadesia loves spending time with her family, drawing, and cooking. Follow @thebusybrushes on Instagram.

PAULA LIZ: Paula Liz (she/her) [pao-la-lees] is an artist, activist, educator, and author. She was born in Puerto Rico and attended the Maryland Institute of Art, receiving a bachelor of fine arts in painting and a master’s degree in art education. She has taught art in New York, Texas, Washington, DC, and Maryland, where she was named art educator of the year in 2022. Her passion for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the center of her lessons and expand beyond the classroom. Paula Liz is a member of the National Art Education Association’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission and an initial cohort member of the Maryland Department of Education’s Anti-Racist Educators in the Arts Learning Lab (A-REALL). She enjoys traveling, running, and spending time with her husband and two dogs. Learn more at paulalizart.com.

LORI SANTOS, PHD: Lori (she/her) [lor-ee]is a professor of art education and engages learners with art making through stories of awareness, conversation, transformation, and empowerment. Lori’s scholarship is a collaboration with Indigenous artists and communities of the Americas. As the founder of the Puzzle Peace Pledge Project (4PEACE), a cross-cultural art initiative, she supports art making as an action for social and ecological amity. She maintains active memberships in the National Art Education Association, US Society for Education through Art, National Association for Multicultural Education, and National Indian Education Association. In addition to creating art, she enjoys reading, birding, caring for her garden and dogs, and spending quality time with family and friends.

TAMARA SLADE: Tamara (she/her) [tuh-mar-uh] was raised in California by a single mother who immigrated from Brazil. Tamara is Afro-Latina, Indigenous, and Ashkenazi Jewish. Tamara obtained her master’s in education from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her lifelong commitment to fighting for justice fuels her passion as an educator. She teaches students of color in Southern California and has taught elementary school for almost seven years. Additionally, she coaches and mentors teachers and student teachers. In her spare time, she creates social justice curriculums and facilitates professional development related to social justice education, ethnic studies, cognitively guided math instruction, and more. She enjoys reading, writing, walking her dog, and traveling with her husband. She hopes to one day publish a children’s book of her own. Follow her passion on social media as Tamara teaches for a better tomorrow on Instagram and Twitter @teach4tamara.