Faheem Majeed is an artist, curator, and community facilitator.  Majeed blends his unique experience as a non-profit administrator, curator and artist to create works that focus on institutional critique and exhibitions that leverage collaboration to engage his immediate, and the broader community, in meaningful dialogue.From 2005-2011, Majeed served as Executive Director and Curator for the South Side Community Art Center(SSCAC).  In this role he was responsible for managing operations, staff, programs, fundraising and curation for the SSCAC. During his time with the SSCAC, Majeed curated exhibitions of numerous artists including Elizabeth Catlett, Dr. David Driskell, Charles White, Jonathan Green, and Theaster Gates. 

LaShana Jackson is the Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion for Aon Corporation. In this role, she is tasked with providing thought leadership, setting strategy and driving execution in support of Aon's diversity and inclusion objectives to hire the best, build the best, and be the best. LaShana is responsible for managing Aon's Affirmative Action function, select leadership development programs, Aon’s global mentoring tool, 11 Business Resource Groups, key diversity and inclusion performance indicators and assisting business unit leaders in creating and implementing their diversity and inclusion strategies. After receiving her B.A. in Marketing from Howard University in 2002, LaShana began with Aon that same year as a participant in the Firm’s Early Career Development Program, a rotational program designed to accelerate the development of high potential, recent college graduates.

Melissa DuPrey is a Chicago native with roots in Humboldt Park. After earning two degrees from the University of Houston, she returned to Chicago to join Teatro Luna, a nationally recognized all-Latina theatre group, where she performed in Luna Unlaced (multiple roles), Crossed (Rita), PUTAS! (Daniela), Not Your Generic Latina (multiple roles), and Generation Sex(self). She recently made her debut on The Goodman stage in the world premier of Luna Gale (Lourdes). Her self-produced solo shows, SEXomedy and SUHI-frito, are both Chicago Reader "Recommended" and earned a "Member Pick" rating, the highest accolade of the publication. Ms. DuPrey is also a stand-up comedian that has performed in various venues throughout Chicago including Zanies, Laugh Factory, Second City (UP Comedy Club), Riddles, The Abbey Pub, and Joe's on Weed St. For more information, please visitwww.melissaduprey.com. As a musician and active member of her community, she is dedicated to the preservation of Puerto Rican culture by way of the folkloric music, Bomba y Plena.

Laley Lippard is a Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Chicago Home Theater Festival. A director, producer, and educator, Laley is fueled by the belief that elemental storytelling engenders radical compassion which is the foundation of lasting social change. She investigates intimacy and invisibility through new work by creating devised performance, developing new plays, and freelance directing. Laley has directed with Steppenwolf Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Cleveland Play House, Playwrights Foundation, Magic Theatre, foolsFURY Theatre, Seaside Repertory, side project, and TheatreWorks and has workshopped plays with Alliance Theatre, American Theater Company, O’Neill Theater Center, Just Theatre, and The Garage. Laley has worked with HowlRound and the AVNPI at Arena Stage, Guthrie Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Court Theatre, and Woolly Mammoth. Laley is a proud member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, The National Directors Fellowship, and SDC Directing Observership Program. She holds an M.F.A. in Directing from Northwestern University. 

McKenzie Chinn is a poet, actor, and curator whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in PANK, Crabfat Magazine, The Fem, Sundog Lit, Juked, and others. She has performed her poetry throughout Chicago, including for The Fly Honey Show, the curated show-case Salonathon, and in conjunction with the nationally touring exhibition Art, AIDS, America. She is one third of Growing Concerns Poetry Collective with Mykele Deville and Jeff Austin. She has performed as an actor both on camera and on stages across Chicago including Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens and The Goodman Theatre where she is also a teaching artist. She lives in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.

Stacy Rene Erenberg is an activist, healer, and socially conscious songstress.Since her 2006 Chicago Debut as front woman of 10 piece neo-soul band Vertikal, she has performed at legendary Chicago venues such as The Jazz Showcase, The Metro and The Park West. She is also the 2011 recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Professional Development Grant. Musically Stacy Rene seamlessly blends improvisational and traditional genres with sultry sweet vocals that create an inventive interpretation of jazz and blues. Stacy Rene believes in the power of storytelling through music. Stacy Rene’s original lyrics tell stories of love, struggle and resistance in movements for social change.

Windy Indie is a classically trained violinist from the West Side of Chicago. She has studied the violin for over ten years and has performed at The Chicago Cultural Center, The House of Blues, and a plethora of private venues with sounds reminiscent of Jill Scott and Esperanza Spaulding. With an aspiration to bridge the gap between music and education to use as a tool to introduce urban demographics to a wider selection of sound, Windy Indie utilizes her expansive musicality to blend genres such as Soul, HIP-Pop, Classical and Folk in order to articulate her vision.

Laura Reibock is a performer, dancer, percussionist, choreographer and teaching artist. She has training in a multitude of styles of music and dance. Laura has trained in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Belly Dance, Salsa, Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena, Cuban Rumba and more. Laura plays Caribbean and Middle-Eastern percussion. She is currently a teaching artist with the Center for Community Arts Partnerships of Columbia College Chicago. Laura is the Music and Dance instructor at Erie Charter Elementary as well. She has been a member of several performance ensembles such as Lotus Bloom, Blue Lotus Tribe, Jasmin Jahal Dance Company, Las BomPleneras, Latin Rhythm's Equipo Mambo and Boogie Down Salsa Steppers. Laura currently performs with AfriCaribe and I Can Can Dance. Laura has a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish with a Minor in Dance from Loyola University of Chicago. For more information, please visit www.lauradances.com.