Staceyann Chin has been an activist, an agitator, and an artist. Her poetry and her writing are outspoken, fiery, and can’t be ignored. From the first angry rants delivered at the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe and one-woman shows Off-Broadway, to poetry workshops in Denmark and London, to co-writing and performing in the Tony award winning Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, Chin writes, speaks, and breathes in hopes of a world without poverty, prejudice or injustice.

Staceyann’s voice has resonated with anyone who hears it, and has helped her win five major poetry slams and captivate her audience in countless others.  Staceyann has written and performed three critically acclaimed one-woman plays; Hands Afire, Unspeakable Things, and Border/Clash. The film Staceyann Chin was released in theaters in Denmark in 2001. 60 Minutes, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, CNN’s Live From, BET’s Meet the Faith and BETJ’s My Two Cents have featured Staceyann and her perspective. As of recently, Chin has been co-hosting “She Said What?” on AfterEllen.com, a weekly online talk show featuring lesbian and bisexual women covering the latest in entertainment and pop culture news.

Staceyann lives in Brooklyn.

Bonair-Agard is a Cave Canem fellow and former National Individual Slam Champion (1999).  In 1998, he coached the Nuyorican team to victory in the National Poetry Slam and was named the Nuyorican Poets Café, “Fresh Poet of the Year.”   Bonair-Agard’s work has been widely anthologized, and has been commissioned extensively through the multi-disciplinary performance ensemble, VisionIntoArt.

A professional performance poet since 1997, Bonair-Agard has appeared in three seasons of Def Poetry Jam on HBO, performed and facilitated writing, performance and diversity workshops at colleges, universities and high schools around the country.  He has stirred audiences at festivals and concerts from Germany to South Africa to Anchorage, Alaska. In the summer of '05, he opened for calypso legend Shadow before an audience of 2,000 at the Celebrate Brooklyn Performing Arts Festival in Prospect Park.  He is currently a creative writing instructor and teacher trainer with Urban Word NYC (a writing and performance resource for New York City teens), Cooper Union’s outreach program, and the Bronx Writers’ Center.

Laurie A. Cumbo (MC) is the Executive Director and Founder of the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA).  Ms. Cumbo is also an adjunct graduate professor in the School of Art & Design at Pratt Institute.  Ms. Cumbo holds a Master of Arts degree from New York University in Visual Arts Administration.  She completed her undergraduate studies at Spelman College where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History.  Ms. Cumbo’s educational career has been bolstered by her extensive work experience in arts education as well as her travels abroad.  She has worked at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Grey Art Gallery.  She is also a member of ARTTABLE, the American Association of Museums, the National Alliance of African and African American Art Support Groups Conference, the Spelman College Alumni Association. Ms. Cumbo lives in Brooklyn.

MoCADA is Brooklyn’s first museum devoted to utilizing the visual arts as a medium to address, discuss, debate and resolve contemporary social, political and economic issues affecting the people of the African Diaspora.   MoCADA offers several art related programs within the Borough of Brooklyn such as: the MoCADA Exhibition & Curatorial Program, Interactive Tours for School Groups and Families, The KidFlix Outdoor Film Festival of Bed Stuy, The FAMflix Film Fest of Brownsville, High School Internships @ MoCADA and the National Black Fine Art Show Educational Series.  In the Spring of 2006, MoCADA reopened its doors in a newly renovated facility within the BAM LDC Cultural District, designed by the architectural firm of studioSUMO.  MoCADA’s new facility is located within the Fort Greene community of Brooklyn, New York within the James E. Davis 80 Arts Building at 80 Hanson Place.

The P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club Steppers have been entertaining students from elementary through college as well as adults with their high-energy step routines since 1996.  In addition to being the only step team to perform at The White House, this amazing troupe has accomplished more than most step teams can even dream about.

The PCS have toured with major recording artist such as Alicia Keys, Usher, and Ja Rule. The troupes’ unique routines have earned them numerous titles in step competitions across the country. Stepping has come into its own with films such as Stomp the Yard and videosby Chris Brown among others and the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club Steppers have been at the forefront of this movement.

Highlights of PCS:
*1st Step team to perform at the Soul Train Music Awards
*11 Time winners at Showtime at the Apollo
*Seventeen Magazine Step Champions
*McDonald’s Gospelfest winners
*NBA All-Star Challenge performers