Join us as we learn ways to slow down and set intentions for the day with Valarie Williams

Valerie is an experienced 500-hour registered yoga teacher and reiki master, recently joining the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine in 2023. Valerie began her yoga teaching journey in 2019 at The Studio Cleveland, right in the heart of downtown. Upon graduating as a 200-hour instructor, Valerie spent the next several years deepening her education and taking additional training to add to her toolbox. She is now certified in all three levels of reiki healing, trauma-informed yoga, prenatal and postnatal yoga, yoga for children, intensive meditation, and 300-hour advanced yoga training. She is currently a student of yoga therapy, studying to become a certified yoga therapist.
In addition to Cleveland Clinic, Valerie is a yoga instructor for The Ohio State University, providing yoga as a part of research through the Department of Psychology. She is also on staff for the NBA G-League's local team the Cleveland Charge. She works closely with the P.E.A.C.E. Program, an initiative started in Houston, TX designed to help repair the relationship between police and the communities they serve using yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.
Valerie’s goal is to bring the healing power of yoga to underserved populations across Northeast Ohio.

Join in printmaking demos with Theadis Reagins!

Theadis is a painter and printmaker working from Cleveland, OH. Through acrylic and oil he creates portraits and figurative work reflecting on the iconography and representation of black people in the western world. All of his work comes from a place of curiosity, mystery, and surprise. Reagins work is an invitation for people to investigate the past in new and invigorating ways, a confrontation between contemporary observations and ancient representations. As a printmaker he involves etchings, lithography, and relief. Recurring in those etchings are sensitive and sometimes immediate expressions of portraits, or genre and religious narrative work recalling Rembrandt. Theadis's reliefs feature trios, speaking of the symbol, the figure, and time.

Join in an open mic led by Poetry Unplugged Jr

Morgan Paige Shorts is a dynamic spoken word artist, educator, and accomplished
author committed to artistic expression and community empowerment. In 2023, she and Calil Cage released BARE: In The Flesh: a captivating live-studio album and book. As co-founder and CEO of Poetry Unplugged LLC, Morgan has transformed the Northeast Ohio arts scene by fostering inclusivity and creativity through groundbreaking open mic experiences by way of Poetry Unplugged: An Open Mic Experience.

Antwoine Washington was born in Pontiac, Michigan, a small city located outside of Detroit. His wife, Carlise Washington, and he has two children named Grayson and Luca. Washington received his BA in Studio Art from Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA. As a kid he fell in love with drawing Saturday morning cartoons like Tiny Toons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Animaniacs, to name a few. While at Southern, Washington learned more about black history and art in America, further inspiring him to continue the legacy of Harlem Renaissance artists like Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, and Jacob Lawrence. Washington decided to continue to tell stories of the black experience in America through his art. After college he moved to Cleveland, OH with his wife, and began working for the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier. While working as a mail carrier he began to get the burning desire to make art again, realizing his dream was to create art full-time. He eventually quit this job and began his journey pursuing a career in art.

Washington's work is inspired by the black experience in America. Through drawing and painting he is focused on creating realistic story telling portraits. While creating bold colorful work showcasing the emotion of what black Americans go through on a day to day basis. The past often seems to remind us of how far we have come as a society, due to our nation’s original sin concerning racial inequalities.

Darius Steward (1984) is an American Artist from East Cleveland, Ohio. Outliving the neighborhood, he grew up in, Steward is one of a select few whose determination got him out of the zip code. Completing his undergrad at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2008 and his MFA at the University of Delaware in 2010 he recognized the importance of education and mentorship, investing himself and his creative process in the future of humanity. Symbolically and literally, he addresses cultural and societal conflicts and opens conversation across racial, socioeconomic, gender and cultural lines.

Steward also serves as the Program Manager for the Cleveland Museum of Art in their Education Department for “Currently under Curation.” He recruits and mentors inner city youth across interdisciplinary arts fields. Teaching them the art of curation in addition to numerous professional skills with the intended purpose of increased college application and attendance.

Steward deals with social issues of identity, race and placement within western culture. He is a Watercolorist who creates and highlights cultural consciousness. Steward chronicles the development of his children, family and the community around him, permanently documenting their place in history within various moments.

Mashaun Ali Hendricks is a seasoned Restorative Justice Practitioner and Peace Circle Keeper Trainer. His guidance empowers communities to commit to values that foster healing, build trust, and strengthen relationships.

With close to 15 years of experience, Mashaun has significantly influenced Chicago Public Schools, helping to reduce their reliance on punitive practices. He has contributed to rewriting the Student Code of Conduct, aiming to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and in-school arrests. Additionally, his expertise has been recognized by the Cook County Restorative Justice Community Court, where he served as a consultant, creating the Healing and Accountability Process.

Mashaun's passion for restorative justice extends beyond transforming systems and deeply into the community. He has merged his expertise with his artistic talents to open five restorative justice-based streetwear boutiques and galleries in Chicago. These spaces not only sell restorative justice-themed garments but also host events and offer no-cost peace circles and peace circle keeper training. Mashaun's artwork and community impact have been acknowledged by institutions such as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the DePaul Art Museum, and other art institutions around the country.