Raymond Wong

Traditional Chinese Lion Dancer & Martial Artist

Chinese

Chinatown, Washington, DC

“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

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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

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 Portrait taken by Beverly R. Singer

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

Portrait of Amikogaabawiikwe (Adrienne Benjamin)

Adrienne Benjamin | Amikogaabawiikwe

Jingle Dress Maker, Cultural Artist

Chiminising, Misizaagaiganing (Isle, MN)

Anwan “Big G” Glover

Go-Go Music Pioneer

Washington D.C.

Bruce Bradley

Tap Dancer

African American

Flint, MI

“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

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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

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 Portrait taken by Beverly R. Singer

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

Portrait of Amikogaabawiikwe (Adrienne Benjamin)

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

Moko Jumbie Stilt Dancer

Caribbean

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

“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.

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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

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 Portrait taken by Beverly R. Singer

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

Portrait of Amikogaabawiikwe (Adrienne Benjamin)

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.

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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

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 Portrait taken by Beverly R. Singer

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

Portrait of Amikogaabawiikwe (Adrienne Benjamin)

Adrienne Benjamin | Amikogaabawiikwe

Jingle Dress Maker, Cultural Artist

Chiminising, Misizaagaiganing (Isle, MN)

Anwan “Big G” Glover

Go-Go Music Pioneer

Washington D.C.