Event Organizers & Influencers

Terresa Moses (she/her) is a proud Black queer woman dedicated to the liberation of Black and brown people through art and design. She is the Creative Director at Blackbird Revolt and an Associate Professor of Graphic Design and the Director of Design Justice at the University of Minnesota. As a community engaged scholar, she created Project Naptural and co-created Racism Untaught. She is currently a PhD candidate in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto. She serves as a board member on the Black Liberation Lab.

Madyson Sklar (she/her) is a M.A. student at the University of Minnesota in the Higher Education program. Raised by parents and family members who are passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, Madyson follows in their footsteps. She considers herself a passionate, year-round learner with a focus on making higher education more accessible for BIPOC students. 
 

Leesa Kelly (she/her) is an activist, writer, public speaker, and curator. Leesa is the Founder and Executive Director of Memorialize the Movement, a grassroots organization that preserves, displays, and educates the public on the protest plywood murals that emerged after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in 2020. Through her work with Memorialize the Movement, Leesa has spoken at over 17 conferences and universities, organized large-scale exhibitions in the Twin Cities and New York, and has led workshops on cultivating BIPOC representation and visibility in the museum and conservation industry. She believes in dismantling oppressive systems and rebuilding new systems that work for ALL people. 

Activist, mother, and poet Sandra Oyinloye (she/her) co-founded DanSan Creatives, an artist collective in Minnesota. She uses her platform and creativity to advocate for social justice by building positive spaces for change, connection, and art. Her work with DanSan Creatives reflects her commitment to creating spaces for artistic expression, communal engagement, and activism. Through her poetry and activism, Sandra Oyinloye exemplifies the power of storytelling and creative self-expression to foster change and challenge systemic injustices. Her poetry explores the themes of identity, womanhood, and the African diaspora, empowering and uplifting marginalized voices. Her founding role in DanSan Creatives amplifies her vision of building a community-based movement for social justice through the arts.

Gayle Smaller, Jr received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Gayle was born in Minneapolis and is the first in his family to receive a bachelor’s degree and/or a master’s degree. Prior to coming to the U of M, Gayle served at Augsburg University, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and, most recently, as an academic advisor in the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program in the U of M College of Liberal Arts here. Gayle is passionate about equity, justice and the development and utilization of human potential. You can sometimes find him performing poems or trying to inspire someone to be their best self.

Kelsi Sharp is an African American artist from the American Southwest. Growing up along Route 66, her work is strongly influenced by the signage, gas stations, and other relics found on the historic highway. After studying construction methods, earning certifications in fabrication technologies, and apprenticing in an iconic Santa Fe sign shop, Kelsi began Sharp Sign Co., a signage and environmental design company based in the Midwest, with projects all over the country.

Cornel Beard is the founder of Charizma Agency, a firm that excels in branding and design, and co-founder of UnderRepresented Design and Culture, a platform committed to elevating Black and Brown voices in the creative sector. This initiative provides a vital space for these voices to showcase their work and shape the industry. His approach to design integrates thorough research with innovative solutions, ensuring effective connections between producers and consumers. With a background as a Staff Sergeant in the US Army, he leads with a mix of confidence, humility, and curiosity, bringing a unique perspective to his creative endeavors.

Alvan Washington is an African photographer best known for capturing subjects in motion, while adding subtle hints of surrealism. Self-taught, Alvan brings forth his background in filmmaking, to create still photographs of what would be a critical scene in a movie he hopes to once be produced. After leaving Corporate America in pursuit of finding his place as an artist, Alvan has recently been exploring fine art photography as well as compositing to develop photographs that pushes his imagination.