Al Elliott is an educator, spoken word artist, emcee and community catalyst. “Thed Weller” is his moniker and his music can be found under this alias on all music streaming platforms. He currently hosts “Bards & Brews”, one of Birmingham’s longest running open mics, which happens on the first Friday of each month at the Birmingham Public Library downtown. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UAB and currently serves as the sixth grade social studies teacher at Phillips Academy with Birmingham City Schools. Al has performed in both stage plays and films and is also the founder and facilitator of the It Is Written Musical Series. It Is Writtens are crowd-sourced songwriting events that happen in various locations around Birmingham. Al Elliott was also selected to serve with Birmingham Creatives for Impact and is currently contributing to multiple art projects under this umbrella movement.

Celeste Amparo Pfau is a Birmingham-based interdisciplinary artist and educator whose work explores human relationships with the natural world. Through installation, printmaking, video, and collaborative performance, she creates immersive environments that invite reflection, movement, and ecological connection. Pfau teaches full-time at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and is pursuing her MFA at the University of Alabama, where she received a Distinguished
Graduate Fellowship.

Her recent project Embodied Forest: Human-Tree Ecology brings together dancers, projected video, and natural materials to explore symbiotic relationships between people and trees in Alabama. Pfau’s work has been recognized with awards from the Cahaba River Society and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. She has exhibited internationally, including residencies in Japan, and has completed major public art commissions across Birmingham.

Follow her work at @amparo_creative_house or www.amparocreativehouse.com.
Contact: celestepfau@gmail.com

Desiree’ Pearson is a self taught multidisciplinary artist from Birmingham, AL, who discovered her passion for art at a young age. She has experimented with different forms of art including design, garment construction, and painting. After graduating high school, she began creating sneaker art, selling clothing and canvas at local pop up shops, and being commissioned for portrait paintings. Since then she has built a clientele and also became a local muralist in Birmingham, AL.

Her artwork primarily focuses on landscapes, saturated colors, and abstract figures in both latex and acrylic paint. She creates on several types of canvas while specializing in glass storefront murals. Desiree’s journey as an artist has been a path of vivid discovery, transforming blank walls into storytelling landscapes that resonate with the soul of the community. Her work can be viewed at The Summit Birmingham where she has installed several murals of different styles. To learn more about Desiree’; visit her website www.ByDezire.com

Erika E. Wade, a 34-year-old writer, producer, and actor from Birmingham, Alabama, is a storyteller dedicated to championing diversity in the arts. She began her creative journey as a teenager with the publication of her poetry book eyestodewhurld. Her performances have graced Off-Broadway stages, Los Angeles festivals, and even the Tampax #LiveRadiant campaign.

Erika holds an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design (2016) and was recognized as a semi-finalist at The Kennedy Center MFA Playwrights Workshop that same year. As the founder of Glenda’s Baby Productions, she has been celebrated for advancing inclusivity through stage and screen projects. Returning to her hometown, Erika has launched innovative programs and led workshops in the Birmingham City School District, amplifying local voices.

A Southeast EMMY-winning voice actress, Erika also serves as Writer in Residence at The Alabama School of Fine Arts, The 2025 Alabama River Alliance Poetry and Film Fellow, and Workshop Consultant for PEN America. Her mission is to portray Alabama in film and television as she sees it: magically.

Jasmine Martin is a passionate photographer and digital storyteller, capturing the essence of life’s most meaningful moments through her lens. A proud Birmingham native, Jasmine’s journey in the arts began at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, where she honed her talents in the music department. Her creative pursuits led her to the Savannah College of Art and fDesign, where she expanded her expertise in branded entertainment and television production.

As an adoptee, Jasmine has leveraged her personal experiences to become a powerful advocate for those within the adoption system. She uses her voice to raise awareness and support for children who are waiting to find their forever families, drawing from her own journey to inspire and uplift others.

In her free time, Jasmine has a zest for exploration and adventure. She loves to travel, seeking out new cultures and experiences that enrich her storytelling. When she’s not behind the camera or on an advocacy mission, Jasmine cherishes moments spent with her family, whose love and support have been a cornerstone of her life.

Kat Files is a Birmingham, Alabama native and accomplished dance artist, educator, and arts advocate. A graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance—where she was a four-year Glorya Kaufman Foundation Scholar—Kat also holds a Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Hootsuite certifications in social marketing.

She currently serves as Director of Education for EMERGE125 under Tiffany Rea-Fisher, managing key partnerships with Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts, The Stars of Tomorrow Project, and schools like Trinity and PS 481. Kat has also led initiatives such as the E125 Masterclass series and the redesign of its Summer Series, while coordinating the first-ever education partner participation in the 2025 E125 Company Season. A founding company dancer, she performed with EMERGE125 from 2019–2024 and continues to perform independently.

Kat is a Teaching Artist for the Ailey Arts in Education Program, with additional teaching credits including the Misty Copeland Foundation’s BE BOLD Initiative, Lake Placid School of Dance, University of Connecticut at Stamford, Repertory Company High School, Girls Inc., Atlanta Dance Connection, and Samford University.

Her performance credits span stage and screen, including performances with renowned choreographers like Germaul Barnes, Sidra Bell, and Ebony Williams, and productions with the Classical Theatre of Harlem (Memnon, The Bacchae, Twelfth Night, A Christmas Carol in Harlem), and appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Gotham, Deception, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She recently joined Classical Theatre of Harlem as a database administrator.

Kat is the Founder and Executive Director of The F.I.L.E.S. Arts Project (TFAP), a
Birmingham-based nonprofit providing free dance and music programming for underserved communities. Summer 2025 marks 12 years of offering arts education initiatives in the state of Alabama. She was recently selected for the Birmingham Creatives for Impact program by the Department of Community Development and is a creative artist in their inaugural Smithfield Public Art Walk.

Kat is also pursuing modeling and acting, and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association, represented by MMG and Parts Models.

Micah Althea Briggs is a multidisciplinary visual artist, designer, and founder of 4XA, a creative studio dedicated to storytelling through fine art, illustration, and graphic design. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, her work exists at the intersection of surrealism and magical realism, blending history, culture, and personal narratives into visually striking compositions. Deeply inspired by the resilience and creativity of her ancestors, Micah’s art reimagines erased histories, challenges conventional narratives, and invites viewers into spaces of transformation and contemplation. Her work has been exhibited in institutions such as the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and she has collaborated with cultural organizations to develop impactful visual experiences. Whether through large-scale paintings, digital media, or public art, Micah’s practice is rooted in the power of art to re-enchant, reimagine, and inspire.

Sonya Muhammad serves as the Programs Director for the Birmingham non-profit, Bib & Tucker Sew-Op. An accomplished educator with over 30 years of sewing experience, Ms. Muhammad, has taught hundreds of students the skills of machine sewing, hand embroidery, pattern design, quilting, and garment construction. Sonya has worked as an instructor with Bib & Tucker since 2018. She previously worked as the program lead of the Magic City Seams manufacturing program, Magic City Seams, Jr. and other youth programming. 

Tony Wright Jr. is the founder of Valley Creek Productions, a Birmingham-based creative technology company focused on immersive media, teaching tools, and interactive storytelling. A graduate of UAB, Tony also studied at Fairfield Preparatory High School and the Alabama School of Fine Arts. His early career in the entertainment industry includes roles at Handprint Entertainment, Columbia Records, and HLY Media Law, where he worked on artist management, script development, and media production.

Drawing from his experience in both Los Angeles and grassroots advocacy, Tony launched Valley Creek Productions to tell community-rooted stories through digital exhibitions, documentary film, and immersive experiences. His current projects include the Smithfield Immersive Gallery and a 3D interactive model of the human endocannabinoid signaling system, blending art, history, and science to engage public audiences and empower future generations.

Lougè Delcy is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller whose work centers on documenting people of color in Indigenous tribes and local communities around the world. Born to Haitian parents and raised in Brooklyn, his cultural heritage and upbringing are foundational to his artistic lens.

His journey has taken him from Paris Fashion Week to the vibrant coastlines of Tobago, but a 2016 assignment in Kenya for Merck marked a turning point, shifting his focus toward capturing the depth, identity, and humanity of people in underrepresented communities. That same year, he founded Dapper Studios, a creative agency and artist collective that merges his commercial projects with his fine art practice.

Lougè’s work spans cultural, humanitarian, and commercial spheres. He has collaborated with organizations such as Giants of Africa and the Sauti Kuu Foundation, and supports initiatives like Amref Health Africa and the Move Zanzibar Community Centre through proceeds from his art. His work has been exhibited at major institutions and art fairs, including the Smithsonian’s Men of Change, Fuze Caribbean Art Fair, and SCOPE at Art Basel. Most recently, he directed a National Geographic episode highlighting the Maasai community.

Whether capturing global communities or photographing cultural icons like DJ Khaled, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauryn Hill, Jaden Smith, and Coco Gauff, Lougé uses visual art as a powerful tool for storytelling, connection, and social impact.