Maia Livramento is a Cape Verdean/Native American visual and spoken word artist born, raised and residing in New Bedford, MA. She specializes in performance poetry known as “Slam” and won 1st place in the 2023 Juneteenth Virtual Poetry Slam. She served as a judge for New Bedford Art Museum's Echoes of Expression Poetry Contest and is a Team Leader and Program Director with the nonprofit organization 3rd Eye Youth Empowerment. She is a featured artist in Ethan de Aguiar’s short film “Love Letters for New Bedford”.

Emmanuel “Manny” Escobar is a dynamic musician and educator, with roots firmly planted in Jazz, R&B and Afro-Latin creative traditions. He is a graduate of the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory at Merit School of Music and Berklee College of Music and studied under Jan Berry Baker at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Emmanuel has performed and recorded with; Esperanza Spalding, Reggie Workman, Loren Allred, Mayra Andrade, Pentatonix, Thaddeus Hogarth, Louis Cato, Roberta Miranda, Jermaine Paul, Cesaria Evora Orchestra, Grace Evora, Mika Mendes, Boy Ge Mendes, Tito Paris, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Emmanuel is an endorsing educator for Cannonball Musical Instruments, Rigotti Reeds and Syos Mouthpieces and a signed performing artist with Nightshift Entertainment - New England. He has served as adjunct faculty at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School, Music Director at Providence Country Day School, and as a teaching artist at AS220.

Garrett Olson is a professional working actor, director, screenwriter, film maker, and seasoned fight director/stunt coordinator for stage and screen. He is currently the Technical Director and Associate Artistic Director for the WatermelonAlligator Theatre Company, co-founder and one of the managing/creative producers for Danu Pictures, and is the former Technical Director/acting coach for the Boston Zombie Apocalypse.  An accomplished teaching artist and combatant instructor, Garrett’s classes in public speaking, acting, staged violence, and improv are crafted for students of all levels and abilities. Classes include adaptive programs to accommodate all abilities creating a truly immersive and inclusive opportunity for learning and growth.

Candida Rose Baptista is a multi-hyphenate in the areas of musical, cultural, & spiritual enrichment, boasting credentials as a songwriter, vocalist, author, educator, entrepreneur, mother/grandmother/great-grandmother, and community leader. A proud KabuVerdiana hailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, Candida educates about the transnational musical legacy of Cabo Verdean Americans and performs jazz-infused takes on her musical heritage. She has published a book on this topic, KabuMerikanus - the Sum of US, based on original research for which she received a Master’s degree in Transnational, Cultural, and Community Studies from UMass Boston. Through her business, Golden Rose Music LLC, Candida Rose amplifies beautiful musical sounds, positive spirituality, and important cultural conversations.

Geovanny is the Community Relations Specialist for the City of New Bedford, serves on the Board of Directors for the Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford, and was Chair of the 2023 MLK Day Planning Committee. He has taught Cape Verdean dance styles at Our Lady of Assumption Church and The Zeiterion’s Decades Dance Party.

‍

Deb picked up her first ukulele and instantly fell in love with this small but mighty instrument. Her passion for the ukulele led her to become one of the few New England teachers certified by the prestigious James Hill Ukulele Instructor Institute. A lifelong music lover, she also directs a ukulele band and has studied with musicians both local and international.

Originally from Washington, DC, T. Blair Taylor, relocated to New Bedford in the fall of 2022, accepting the position of Director of Education at The Z.  However, Blair has a long history with the stage. Using the stage name, “TinaB.”, she has trained under vocal coach, Eric Arceneaux of the popular AApproach and has been a certified AApproach instructor since 2009. In 2008, Tina B. was one third of a Washington, DC based R&B group, releasing several singles before releasing her solo debut ‘Pretty Monster’ in 2011, a work that received the attention of Grammy award-winning songstress, Jill Scott. Her desire for music inspired her to switch careers, focusing on modern vocal pedagogy and arts education.  She served as the Assistant Vocal Director at the Maryland Performing arts Center in Severna Park, MD from 2012-2015 and the Vocal Director of the SEED Falcon Theatre (SEED School of Washington, DC) in Washington, DC from 2015 until her move to New Bedford.

‍

Jess Wilson is a former C-level executive leader with extensive experience as an actor, tech, designer, producer, playwright, and director, and is the Artistic and Managing Director of the WatermelonAlligator Theatre Company. An experienced actor-combatant, she also works as an Intimacy Director, Fight Captain, and Safety Coordinator for stage and film. Jess is an accomplished author, consultant, executive coach, teaching artist, and speaker who conducts classes and workshops on writing, public speaking, leadership skills, and a wide range of theatre disciplines, and frequently speaks across the country on a variety of healthcare, leadership, and humanitarian topics.

Sue Young’s passion for dance started at just 6 years old when her mom signed her up for dance classes, laying the groundwork for a lifelong love of dance. She has studied under a diversified group of instructors and is experienced in ballet, jazz, tap, Irish Step, Latin, swing and ballroom. After recuperating from open heart surgery in 2012, she returned to teaching and became The Z’s Salsa instructor in 2016. But Sue doesn’t just stay in the classroom, she’s also a Zeiterion Volunteer Usher!