Art Form: Dance
Raymond Wong
“Being a Taproot fellow underscores that learning from the past can determine the level of one's success in the future. Preserving and passing on the cultural teachings to benefit others.”
Raymond Wong
LION DANCE team performers at Venue
Dual Lions on stage performing
Photo by Christina Bell
Tai Chi Kung Fu Group excercise
Photo by Christina Bell
of 6
A cultural study encompassing multiple aspects of life & tradition
Raymond Wong and his family immigrated from Hong Kong and resided in Washington DC in 1958. Raymond Wong’s father gave him a sampling of what Chinese Martial Arts or Kung Fu was like during his pre-teen years. When Raymond Wong reached his teen, his Mother encouraged him to study Kung Fu in an official capacity by enrolling in a Kung Fu school. He enrolled under the tutelage of Master Dean Chin who operated a school in Chinatown Washington DC. Raymond Wong planned to take Kung Fu classes during summer break while school was out. After taking the Kung Fu class for a couple of months Raymond Wong realized that the study of Kung Fu is not only about self-defense and fighting, but a cultural study encompassing multiple aspects of life and tradition. He realized that learning the Art of Kung Fu is not a few quick and easy lessons but a lifetime study. So he continued and is still doing it in the present day. Over the decades Raymond Wong has taught thousands of students some started up their own organizations. He is presently piloting several programs in the city teaching children, adults, and senior citizens Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and Lion Dance free of charge.
What does the Taproot Fellowship mean to you and how will it affect your practice?
Being a Taproot fellow underscores that learning from the past can determine the level of one’s success in the future. Preserving and passing on the cultural teachings to benefit others.
Meet more of our Fellows
See All
Delores Taitano Quinata
Bilembaotuyan Maker & Player
Hagatna, Guam
Lydia “Louise” Goings (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Cherokee Basket Maker
Birdtown Community on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee, NC)
David Comingdeer (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)
Cherokee Ball Stick Maker
Flint District of the Cherokee Nation (Stilwell, OK)
TJ Sgwaayaans Young (Kaigani Haida)
Haida Wood Carver
Hydaburg, AK
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo
Vietnamese Traditional Musician & Composer
El Cerrito, CA
Reba Jo Teran (Eastern Shoshone)
Traditional Shoshone Saddle Maker & Bead Worker
Fort Washakie, WY
Raymond Wong
Traditional Chinese Lion Dancer & Martial Artist
Chinatown, Washington, DC
Ramón Rivera
Mariachi Musician & Educator
Mount Vernon, WA
Omar Santiago Fuentes
Puerto Rican Troubadour, Improviser of Verse & Décimas
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Manuel A Delgado
Old-World Luthier
Nashville, TN
Lani Strong Hotch (Chilkat-Tlingit)
Chilkat/Ravenstail Weaver & Textile Artist
Klukwan, AK
Kewulay Kamara
Mandeng Finah Poet & Storyteller
Jackson Heights, NY
Karen Ann Hoffman (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin)
Haudenosaunee Raised Beadworker
Stevens Point, WI
Inna Kovtun
Ukrainian Ethno-Singer & Folklorist
Portland, OR
Hamid Al-Saadi
Iraqi Maqam Vocalist
Brooklyn, NY
Elena Terry (Ho-Chunk)
Indigenous Chef
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Dena Jennings
Affrolachian Musician & Culture Bearer
Nasons, VA
Chum Ngek
Cambodian Musician & Ritual Artist
Gaithersburg, MD
Billy Branch
Blues Musician
Chicago, IL
Chef BJ Dennis
Gullah Geechee Chef & Cultural Bearer
Charleston, SC
Brett Ratliff
Traditional Appalachian Musician
Stamping Ground, KY
Bruce Bradley
Tap Dancer
Flint, MI
Annetta Koruh (Hopi)
Hopi Weaver
Village Bacavi, Third Mesa-Hopi land, Arizona (Bacavi, AZ)
Alejandro López
Chicano Muralist
Santa Cruz, NM
Wayne Henderson
Appalachian Luthier & Musician
Mouth of Wilson, VA
Willard John
Moko Jumbie Stilt Dancer
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Veronica Castillo
Mexican Polychromatic Ceramicist
San Antonio, TX
Theresa Secord
Penobscot Basketmaker
Farmington, ME
Stan Rodriguez
Kumeyaay Culture Bearer
Santa Ysabel, CA
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto
Japanese Koto Musician
Oakland, CA
Shaka Zulu
New Orleans Black Masking craftsman & stiltdancer
New Orleans, LA
Sami Abu Shumays
Arab Musician
Queens, New York, NY
Roy & PJ Hirabayashi
Japanese American Taiko Musicians
San Jose, CA
Pedro Adorno Irizarry
Puerto Rican theater artist and director
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ofelia Esparza & Rosanna Esparza Ahrens
Chicana Altaristas
East Los Angeles, CA
Meklit Hadero
Ethio-Jazz Vocalist & Composer
San Francisco, CA
King Khazm
Hip Hop Artist
Seattle, WA
Juan Longoria, Jr.
Conjunto Accordionist & Educator
Los Fresnos, TX
Jontavious Willis
Blues Musician
Luthersville, GA
Jesus M. Cepeda Brenes
Afro-Puerto Rican Musician & Folklorist
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Iris Brown
Puerto Rican Foodways & Agriculture
Philadelphia, PA
Gertie Lopez
Tohono O'odham Waila Musician
Tucson, AZ
Eva Ybarra
Conjunto Accordionist & Bandleader
San Antonio, TX
Dr. Dwayne Tomah
Passamaquoddy Language Keeper
Edmunds, ME
Deborah Gourneau
Anishinaabe (Chippewa) Culture Bearer
Belcourt, ND
Dani Pikolakitisaata Tippmann
Miami Plant Tradition-Bearer
Myaamionki (Fort Wayne, IN)
Bill Harris
Catawba Master Potter
McConnells, SC
Carolyn Mazloomi
Quiltmaker
West Chester, OH
Adrienne Benjamin | Amikogaabawiikwe
Jingle Dress Maker, Cultural Artist
Chiminising, Misizaagaiganing (Isle, MN)
Anwan “Big G” Glover
Go-Go Music Pioneer
Washington D.C.
“Being a Taproot fellow fosters a heightened sense of self-esteem, which helps fuel my lifelong endeavor to reach my full potential as a human being.”
Bruce Bradley
Photo courtesy MY CITY MAGAZINE
Creative Expressions Dance Studio Class. Photo courtesy Bruce Bradley
Tapology Festival Class. Photo courtesy Bruce Bradley
Photo courtesy Flint Institute of Music
of 6
A rich resonance for communities of color
Alfred “Bruce” Bradley has worked to support tap dance for 40 years and communities in both Flint, Michigan, and nationally for over 20 years. Tap dance, a traditional art that emerges from Black history, continues to have a rich resonance for communities of color. Bruce teaches, organizes, and presents performances of tap dance especially accessible to Black communities in the greater Flint area, especially in urban schools and neighborhoods. Though initially gaining recognition as a theater performer, Bruce Bradley came to tap dance relatively late. Despite only beginning to study tap dance in his 30s, he went on to study with Kevin Ramsey (a protégé of renown tap dancers Chuck Green and Henry LeTang) as well as the co-founder of the Detroit-based tap legends The Sultans, Lloyd Storey, who danced with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Between time spent touring and visiting his mentors, he continued to live in Flint and was thereby largely self-taught. He performed widely, from New Orleans to Zürich. However, he always brought his new repertoire back to his students in Flint.
What does the Taproot Fellowship mean to you and how will it affect your practice?
Being a Taproot fellow fosters a heightened sense of self-esteem, which helps fuel my lifelong endeavor to reach my full potential as a human being.
Meet more of our Fellows
See All
Delores Taitano Quinata
Bilembaotuyan Maker & Player
Hagatna, Guam
Lydia “Louise” Goings (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Cherokee Basket Maker
Birdtown Community on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee, NC)
David Comingdeer (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)
Cherokee Ball Stick Maker
Flint District of the Cherokee Nation (Stilwell, OK)
TJ Sgwaayaans Young (Kaigani Haida)
Haida Wood Carver
Hydaburg, AK
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo
Vietnamese Traditional Musician & Composer
El Cerrito, CA
Reba Jo Teran (Eastern Shoshone)
Traditional Shoshone Saddle Maker & Bead Worker
Fort Washakie, WY
Raymond Wong
Traditional Chinese Lion Dancer & Martial Artist
Chinatown, Washington, DC
Ramón Rivera
Mariachi Musician & Educator
Mount Vernon, WA
Omar Santiago Fuentes
Puerto Rican Troubadour, Improviser of Verse & Décimas
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Manuel A Delgado
Old-World Luthier
Nashville, TN
Lani Strong Hotch (Chilkat-Tlingit)
Chilkat/Ravenstail Weaver & Textile Artist
Klukwan, AK
Kewulay Kamara
Mandeng Finah Poet & Storyteller
Jackson Heights, NY
Karen Ann Hoffman (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin)
Haudenosaunee Raised Beadworker
Stevens Point, WI
Inna Kovtun
Ukrainian Ethno-Singer & Folklorist
Portland, OR
Hamid Al-Saadi
Iraqi Maqam Vocalist
Brooklyn, NY
Elena Terry (Ho-Chunk)
Indigenous Chef
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Dena Jennings
Affrolachian Musician & Culture Bearer
Nasons, VA
Chum Ngek
Cambodian Musician & Ritual Artist
Gaithersburg, MD
Billy Branch
Blues Musician
Chicago, IL
Chef BJ Dennis
Gullah Geechee Chef & Cultural Bearer
Charleston, SC
Brett Ratliff
Traditional Appalachian Musician
Stamping Ground, KY
Bruce Bradley
Tap Dancer
Flint, MI
Annetta Koruh (Hopi)
Hopi Weaver
Village Bacavi, Third Mesa-Hopi land, Arizona (Bacavi, AZ)
Alejandro López
Chicano Muralist
Santa Cruz, NM
Wayne Henderson
Appalachian Luthier & Musician
Mouth of Wilson, VA
Willard John
Moko Jumbie Stilt Dancer
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Veronica Castillo
Mexican Polychromatic Ceramicist
San Antonio, TX
Theresa Secord
Penobscot Basketmaker
Farmington, ME
Stan Rodriguez
Kumeyaay Culture Bearer
Santa Ysabel, CA
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto
Japanese Koto Musician
Oakland, CA
Shaka Zulu
New Orleans Black Masking craftsman & stiltdancer
New Orleans, LA
Sami Abu Shumays
Arab Musician
Queens, New York, NY
Roy & PJ Hirabayashi
Japanese American Taiko Musicians
San Jose, CA
Pedro Adorno Irizarry
Puerto Rican theater artist and director
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ofelia Esparza & Rosanna Esparza Ahrens
Chicana Altaristas
East Los Angeles, CA
Meklit Hadero
Ethio-Jazz Vocalist & Composer
San Francisco, CA
King Khazm
Hip Hop Artist
Seattle, WA
Juan Longoria, Jr.
Conjunto Accordionist & Educator
Los Fresnos, TX
Jontavious Willis
Blues Musician
Luthersville, GA
Jesus M. Cepeda Brenes
Afro-Puerto Rican Musician & Folklorist
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Iris Brown
Puerto Rican Foodways & Agriculture
Philadelphia, PA
Gertie Lopez
Tohono O'odham Waila Musician
Tucson, AZ
Eva Ybarra
Conjunto Accordionist & Bandleader
San Antonio, TX
Dr. Dwayne Tomah
Passamaquoddy Language Keeper
Edmunds, ME
Deborah Gourneau
Anishinaabe (Chippewa) Culture Bearer
Belcourt, ND
Dani Pikolakitisaata Tippmann
Miami Plant Tradition-Bearer
Myaamionki (Fort Wayne, IN)
Bill Harris
Catawba Master Potter
McConnells, SC
Carolyn Mazloomi
Quiltmaker
West Chester, OH
Adrienne Benjamin | Amikogaabawiikwe
Jingle Dress Maker, Cultural Artist
Chiminising, Misizaagaiganing (Isle, MN)
Anwan “Big G” Glover
Go-Go Music Pioneer
Washington D.C.
Willard John
“Being a Taproot artist will provide significant resources and publicity that focuses on my goal of promoting, educating and preserving the art of Moko Jumbie.”
Willard John
GOC Youth performance. Photo by Wendy Wynter.
Photo by Charlita Schjang.
Willard John and the Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbie Academy. Photo by Misty Winter.
Street performance, St. Croix. Photo by Willard John.
Parade St. Croix Festival. Photo courtesy Willard John.
Photo by Aujoli Images.
of 6
Teaching & training to assure the continuation of Moko Jumbie
Willard S. John, was raised in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. After returning from college he decided to learn the traditional art-form of Moko Jumbie stilt dancing. His cousin John McCleverty provided stilts, taught and encouraged him to perform on stilts. Willard made his debut in the St. Thomas carnival parade in 1975.
In 1979 Willard decided to move to the sister island of St. Croix, in the US Virgin Islands, where there were no active Moko Jumbies at that time. After performing on a regular bases in several venues for a few years he made the decision to teach others to assure the tradition of Moko Jumbies continue. During the 1980’s he taught several groups of children in schools and non-profit organizations. In 1993 Willard established the Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbie academy that operated out of a public elementary school. Youngsters both male and female were taught the skill and history of Moko Jumbie stilt dancing. Though the years approximately 400 youth received instruction at the Guardians of Culture Academy.
Currently, Mr. John’s efforts are focused on providing history and skill instruction on silt dancing to the youth of St. Croix as well as training teachers to assure the continuation of this important tradition. He produced a video entitled “Mokolution, the evolution of the Moko Jumbie” which chronicles the development of stilt dancing from Africa to and through the Caribbean. Mr. John coordinates performances in various venues on St. Croix in an effort to educate, promote, and preserve the art of Moko Jumbie.
What does being a Taproot Fellow mean to you in your practice and community?
Being a Taproot artist will provide significant resources and publicity that focuses on my goal of promoting, educating and preserving the art of Moko Jumbie. The Guardians Of Culture Moko Jumbies are headquartered on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. With additional resources, we will have the opportunity to travel to our sister islands of St Thomas, St. John, and the British Virgin Islands to provide workshops and edutainment (Mokolution), which is a narrated live performance that chronicles the history of Moko Jumbies from Africa to the Caribbean. These performances captivates the audience with skilled stilt dancers while providing the opportunity to educate the audience on its history.
“With additional resources, we will travel to our sister islands of St. Thomas, St. John, & the British Virgin Islands to provide workshops and edutainment that chronicle the history of Moko Jumbies from Africa to the Caribbean.”
Willard John
Meet more of our Fellows
See All
Delores Taitano Quinata
Bilembaotuyan Maker & Player
Hagatna, Guam
Lydia “Louise” Goings (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Cherokee Basket Maker
Birdtown Community on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee, NC)
David Comingdeer (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)
Cherokee Ball Stick Maker
Flint District of the Cherokee Nation (Stilwell, OK)
TJ Sgwaayaans Young (Kaigani Haida)
Haida Wood Carver
Hydaburg, AK
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo
Vietnamese Traditional Musician & Composer
El Cerrito, CA
Reba Jo Teran (Eastern Shoshone)
Traditional Shoshone Saddle Maker & Bead Worker
Fort Washakie, WY
Raymond Wong
Traditional Chinese Lion Dancer & Martial Artist
Chinatown, Washington, DC
Ramón Rivera
Mariachi Musician & Educator
Mount Vernon, WA
Omar Santiago Fuentes
Puerto Rican Troubadour, Improviser of Verse & Décimas
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Manuel A Delgado
Old-World Luthier
Nashville, TN
Lani Strong Hotch (Chilkat-Tlingit)
Chilkat/Ravenstail Weaver & Textile Artist
Klukwan, AK
Kewulay Kamara
Mandeng Finah Poet & Storyteller
Jackson Heights, NY
Karen Ann Hoffman (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin)
Haudenosaunee Raised Beadworker
Stevens Point, WI
Inna Kovtun
Ukrainian Ethno-Singer & Folklorist
Portland, OR
Hamid Al-Saadi
Iraqi Maqam Vocalist
Brooklyn, NY
Elena Terry (Ho-Chunk)
Indigenous Chef
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Dena Jennings
Affrolachian Musician & Culture Bearer
Nasons, VA
Chum Ngek
Cambodian Musician & Ritual Artist
Gaithersburg, MD
Billy Branch
Blues Musician
Chicago, IL
Chef BJ Dennis
Gullah Geechee Chef & Cultural Bearer
Charleston, SC
Brett Ratliff
Traditional Appalachian Musician
Stamping Ground, KY
Bruce Bradley
Tap Dancer
Flint, MI
Annetta Koruh (Hopi)
Hopi Weaver
Village Bacavi, Third Mesa-Hopi land, Arizona (Bacavi, AZ)
Alejandro López
Chicano Muralist
Santa Cruz, NM
Wayne Henderson
Appalachian Luthier & Musician
Mouth of Wilson, VA
Willard John
Moko Jumbie Stilt Dancer
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Veronica Castillo
Mexican Polychromatic Ceramicist
San Antonio, TX
Theresa Secord
Penobscot Basketmaker
Farmington, ME
Stan Rodriguez
Kumeyaay Culture Bearer
Santa Ysabel, CA
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto
Japanese Koto Musician
Oakland, CA
Shaka Zulu
New Orleans Black Masking craftsman & stiltdancer
New Orleans, LA
Sami Abu Shumays
Arab Musician
Queens, New York, NY
Roy & PJ Hirabayashi
Japanese American Taiko Musicians
San Jose, CA
Pedro Adorno Irizarry
Puerto Rican theater artist and director
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ofelia Esparza & Rosanna Esparza Ahrens
Chicana Altaristas
East Los Angeles, CA
Meklit Hadero
Ethio-Jazz Vocalist & Composer
San Francisco, CA
King Khazm
Hip Hop Artist
Seattle, WA
Juan Longoria, Jr.
Conjunto Accordionist & Educator
Los Fresnos, TX
Jontavious Willis
Blues Musician
Luthersville, GA
Jesus M. Cepeda Brenes
Afro-Puerto Rican Musician & Folklorist
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Iris Brown
Puerto Rican Foodways & Agriculture
Philadelphia, PA
Gertie Lopez
Tohono O'odham Waila Musician
Tucson, AZ
Eva Ybarra
Conjunto Accordionist & Bandleader
San Antonio, TX
Dr. Dwayne Tomah
Passamaquoddy Language Keeper
Edmunds, ME
Deborah Gourneau
Anishinaabe (Chippewa) Culture Bearer
Belcourt, ND
Dani Pikolakitisaata Tippmann
Miami Plant Tradition-Bearer
Myaamionki (Fort Wayne, IN)
Bill Harris
Catawba Master Potter
McConnells, SC
Carolyn Mazloomi
Quiltmaker
West Chester, OH
Adrienne Benjamin | Amikogaabawiikwe
Jingle Dress Maker, Cultural Artist
Chiminising, Misizaagaiganing (Isle, MN)
Anwan “Big G” Glover
Go-Go Music Pioneer
Washington D.C.
Shaka Zulu
New Orleans Black Masking craftsman & stiltdancer
African American
New Orleans, LA
“This award empowers me to continue my practices with enhanced resources and support, allowing for greater community engagement and cultural transmission. It signifies a validation of my role as a cultural leader and a bridge between generations, ensuring that our rich heritage is sustained and celebrated. ”
Shaka Zulu
Big Chief Shaka Zulu, Carnival Procession 2023 wearing his suit: The BLOOMING OF THE MOSASAUR. Photo by Naimah Zulu.
Photo by Jordan Lorrius.
Big Chief Shaka Zulu wears his 'Monkey Mosaic' suit at Uptown Super Sunday as part of the 2024 Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Photo by Michelle Dashev.
Photo by Jordan Lorrius.
Big Chief Shaka Zulu places his Hand Sewn Crown at Super Sunday Uptown 2024, New Orleans. Photo by Michelle Dashev.
Photo by Diane Danthony.
of 6
A commitment to cultural preservation & modern inclusivity
Shaka Zulu, a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Folk Heritage Fellow, is a master of New Orleans Indigenous Masking Society suit design, an art form rooted in the city’s Indigenous and African culture. Trained under Chief Darryl Montana, son of Chief Tootie Montana, Zulu excels in the “downtown” suit-making tradition, known for its three-dimensional designs. As Big Chief of the Golden Feather Hunters, his intricate suits, requiring a year of sewing and design, are showcased during Mardi Gras, St. Joseph’s Night, and Super Sunday.
In addition to suit design, Zulu preserves the West African tradition of stilt dancing, which symbolizes balance and success. Initiated into this sacred art over 40 years ago, he innovatively adapted it to include women by creating a stilt dancing entity for his daughter, Free Spirit. This adaptation underscores his commitment to cultural preservation and modern inclusivity.
Zulu’s work extends beyond performance; he deconstructs his masking suits to create limited edition framed artworks sold in galleries and at festivals. His dedication to teaching ensures that the rich traditions of the New Orleans Indigenous Masking Society and stilt dancing continue to thrive across generations.
What does being a Taproot Fellow mean to you in your practice and community?
Being a Taproot artist means receiving profound recognition for my dedication to preserving and promoting the New Orleans Indigenous Masking Society traditions and stiltdancing. This award empowers me to continue my practices with enhanced resources and support, allowing for greater community engagement and cultural transmission. It signifies a validation of my role as a cultural leader and a bridge between generations, ensuring that our rich heritage is sustained and celebrated. The fellowship provides the opportunity to amplify my impact, foster intergenerational collaboration, and promote cultural resilience within my community. This honor strengthens my commitment to cultural preservation.
Meet more of our Fellows
See All
Delores Taitano Quinata
Bilembaotuyan Maker & Player
Hagatna, Guam
Lydia “Louise” Goings (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Cherokee Basket Maker
Birdtown Community on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee, NC)
David Comingdeer (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)
Cherokee Ball Stick Maker
Flint District of the Cherokee Nation (Stilwell, OK)
TJ Sgwaayaans Young (Kaigani Haida)
Haida Wood Carver
Hydaburg, AK
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo
Vietnamese Traditional Musician & Composer
El Cerrito, CA
Reba Jo Teran (Eastern Shoshone)
Traditional Shoshone Saddle Maker & Bead Worker
Fort Washakie, WY
Raymond Wong
Traditional Chinese Lion Dancer & Martial Artist
Chinatown, Washington, DC
Ramón Rivera
Mariachi Musician & Educator
Mount Vernon, WA
Omar Santiago Fuentes
Puerto Rican Troubadour, Improviser of Verse & Décimas
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Manuel A Delgado
Old-World Luthier
Nashville, TN
Lani Strong Hotch (Chilkat-Tlingit)
Chilkat/Ravenstail Weaver & Textile Artist
Klukwan, AK
Kewulay Kamara
Mandeng Finah Poet & Storyteller
Jackson Heights, NY
Karen Ann Hoffman (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin)
Haudenosaunee Raised Beadworker
Stevens Point, WI
Inna Kovtun
Ukrainian Ethno-Singer & Folklorist
Portland, OR
Hamid Al-Saadi
Iraqi Maqam Vocalist
Brooklyn, NY
Elena Terry (Ho-Chunk)
Indigenous Chef
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Dena Jennings
Affrolachian Musician & Culture Bearer
Nasons, VA
Chum Ngek
Cambodian Musician & Ritual Artist
Gaithersburg, MD
Billy Branch
Blues Musician
Chicago, IL
Chef BJ Dennis
Gullah Geechee Chef & Cultural Bearer
Charleston, SC
Brett Ratliff
Traditional Appalachian Musician
Stamping Ground, KY
Bruce Bradley
Tap Dancer
Flint, MI
Annetta Koruh (Hopi)
Hopi Weaver
Village Bacavi, Third Mesa-Hopi land, Arizona (Bacavi, AZ)
Alejandro López
Chicano Muralist
Santa Cruz, NM
Wayne Henderson
Appalachian Luthier & Musician
Mouth of Wilson, VA
Willard John
Moko Jumbie Stilt Dancer
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Veronica Castillo
Mexican Polychromatic Ceramicist
San Antonio, TX
Theresa Secord
Penobscot Basketmaker
Farmington, ME
Stan Rodriguez
Kumeyaay Culture Bearer
Santa Ysabel, CA
Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto
Japanese Koto Musician
Oakland, CA
Shaka Zulu
New Orleans Black Masking craftsman & stiltdancer
New Orleans, LA
Sami Abu Shumays
Arab Musician
Queens, New York, NY
Roy & PJ Hirabayashi
Japanese American Taiko Musicians
San Jose, CA
Pedro Adorno Irizarry
Puerto Rican theater artist and director
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ofelia Esparza & Rosanna Esparza Ahrens
Chicana Altaristas
East Los Angeles, CA
Meklit Hadero
Ethio-Jazz Vocalist & Composer
San Francisco, CA
King Khazm
Hip Hop Artist
Seattle, WA
Juan Longoria, Jr.
Conjunto Accordionist & Educator
Los Fresnos, TX
Jontavious Willis
Blues Musician
Luthersville, GA
Jesus M. Cepeda Brenes
Afro-Puerto Rican Musician & Folklorist
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Iris Brown
Puerto Rican Foodways & Agriculture
Philadelphia, PA
Gertie Lopez
Tohono O'odham Waila Musician
Tucson, AZ
Eva Ybarra
Conjunto Accordionist & Bandleader
San Antonio, TX
Dr. Dwayne Tomah
Passamaquoddy Language Keeper
Edmunds, ME
Deborah Gourneau
Anishinaabe (Chippewa) Culture Bearer
Belcourt, ND
Dani Pikolakitisaata Tippmann
Miami Plant Tradition-Bearer
Myaamionki (Fort Wayne, IN)
Bill Harris
Catawba Master Potter
McConnells, SC
Carolyn Mazloomi
Quiltmaker
West Chester, OH
Adrienne Benjamin | Amikogaabawiikwe
Jingle Dress Maker, Cultural Artist
Chiminising, Misizaagaiganing (Isle, MN)
Anwan “Big G” Glover
Go-Go Music Pioneer
Washington D.C.