My Mother the Clown
Baltimore, Maryland | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
Perpetually embarrassed and unemployed millennial Nina Hamilton needs money to save her family home. But her mother, Silly Sheila, a clown, her current roommate and a major source of shame in Nina’s psyche, is in the way.
My Mother the Clown
Baltimore, Maryland | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | Maryland, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $14,385 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
154 supporters | followers
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Perpetually embarrassed and unemployed millennial Nina Hamilton needs money to save her family home. But her mother, Silly Sheila, a clown, her current roommate and a major source of shame in Nina’s psyche, is in the way.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Perpetually embarrassed and unemployed millennial Nina Hamilton needs money to save her family home. But her mother, Silly Sheila, a clown, her current roommate and a major source of shame in Nina’s psyche, is in the way.
Hi! My name is Nia Hampton and when I was in middle school, my mother almost became a professional clown. Yes, you heard that right. My mother was almost a clown. My mother Sheila “Strawberry” Gaskins has been an artist since before I was born, and the art of clowning was something she was interested in pursuing at the time. She didn’t end up auditioning for the circus because she didn’t want to leave us to be raised by our grandparents. But the idea of what our collective experience could have been like had my mother become a professional clown became family lore. As an undergrad I made a short about it, which can be watched below.
A decade later I’m revisiting these characters and exploring their relevant issues like aging, care-taking and unemployment. Living long enough to age is something that is special in the black community, and as COVID and other pandemics ravage through the world, it feels even more elusive.
This is a social realist comedy that attempts to tell the truth about the current times we’re living through. Between the cost of living and the never ending pandemic, it seems that life is harder than it used to be. Where is the art that actually reflects the times? There are thousands of coming of age films for teenagers, but what about those of us navigating our 30’s who aren’t living in major cities and working our dream job or getting married and having kids? What about the people who weren’t able to leave the nest and stay out? Over the past three years I have become a caretaker for my single, aging black mother, and I’ve watched her become a caretaker to my 90 year old grandmother, who has dementia. I have to manage the affairs of those that have come before me while attempting to prepare to have children of my own. It all seems impossible at times. There has been no real preparation for what my current reality is. I made a film that talks about the perils and joys of having the responsibility of caring for those who once cared for you because sadly, there’s just not enough media about caring for your parents, especially for those of us who are working class and non-white. It can be an incredibly lonely and stupefying journey, but making this film has helped me realize that I am not alone in this harrowing journey of caregiving in the midst of a never ending pandemic. While this is a comedy, the goal of the film was to highlight the absurdity of our current reality so that we may one day change it.
This is a film made in Baltimore by people who still live here and found the time to come together to help tell a very average story about a girl and her clown of a mother. The making of this film has been a journey in and of itself, which you can watch below.
My mother Sheila “Strawberry” Gaskins gets to live out the clown dreams she gave up years ago to care for my sister and myself. And my younger sister Nekia Hampton, plays our protagonist, Nina Hamilton, and is making her leading role film debut. My cousin Terri Pollock plays Tangela, a caring family member, and my other cousin Nile Wiliams is the director of photography. It’s been an honor to create this story about my family with my family.
Writer/Director/Producer - Nia Hampton
BIG SISTER Nia Hampton is a cultural worker from West Baltimore, MD. After starring in Al Jazeera America’s viral doc about the similarities in police brutality in Brazil and Baltimore she began a career in freelance journalism. She's led workshops and classes for MICA, UMBC, U Penn's Kelly Writers House, the Abrons Arts Center and most recently Johns Hopkins University.Her written work has been featured in Vice, The Village Voice, Dazed Digital, Genius.com, GlitterMOB, and AutoStraddle, to name a few. Her video art has screened in the Baltimore Museum of Art. Her self published book “Cicatrizes” has been reviewed by AFROPUNK and is available for sale here. She founded the Black Femme Supremacy Film Fest in 2018 and has screened over 1000 films to audiences all over the world since.
Director of Photography - Nile Williams
COUSIN Nile Williams, is a videographer,Creative Director, Editor, Visual Artist, and Founder of NAW! A creative collective, based in Baltimore, Maryland. Nile specializes in videography, photography, promotional content, journalism/documentary, editing, and camera work. He also created "NAW!", a collective of experienced and creative artists, models, camera operators, producers, and assistant directors who share the same passion for creating unique art in Baltimore. The collective has worked with small local businesses and artists to some of the nation's well-known brands, including Patron, Under Armour, DTLR, HBO, Footlocker, and social media platforms such as Clubhouse and Spotify.
Nekia Hampton as Nina Hamilton
LITTLE SISTER Nekia Hampton, is a rising star in the entertainment world. With a natural flair for humor, she captivates audiences as a comedian, leaving them in stitches with her witty observations and clever punchlines. Her comedic journey started in 2018 and has allowed her to showcase her talents at the 2019 NW Women’s Comedy Fest in Portland, OR as well as the 2019 Black Girls Giggle Comedy Fest in New Orleans. As a budding actress, Nekia seamlessly transitions from laughter to drama, showcasing her versatility and undeniable talent.
Terri Pollock as Tangela Smith
COUSIN Terri Pollock, is a dedicated professional in the medical field whose passion extends beyond the realm of healthcare. With a heart for healing and a love for the arts, Terri Pollock is boldly stepping into the world of acting. From an early age, she’s been captivating audiences as she brings a unique blend of empathy and creativity to both roles. She started with performing with her talented family, to Nu World, as well as, The Baltimore School of the Arts TWIGS program.
Sheila Gaskins as Silly Sheila
MOTHER Sheila Gaskins is an Actress, Teaching Artist, Activist, Playwright, Stand-Up Comic, Arts Advocate, DEI Facilitator, and Healer. She is a proud native of Baltimore, Maryland. Her film and TV credits include HBO’s - The Wire, The Corner, BET Comic View, NBC’s-Last Comic Standing, and the movie - The Salon with Vivica A. Fox. Most recently, Gaskins was the recipient of a Grit Fund grant and a Professional Development Grant from Alternate Roots, which she used to produce Puppets, Masks and Crankies - Shifting the Story in collaboration with Maura Dwyer and Tara Carisol. The goal of the project was to expose children and adults to the art of Puppetry, Masks and Crankies, some of the oldest forms of storytelling. Sheila Gaskins was featured in The Baltimore Sun’s 10 People Who Make Baltimore Better. She received The Village That Vanished - Remember, Rekindle, Reclaim, Restore Award from the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum. Gaskins is a principle writer for the Community sourced play, U Thought I Was Him, directed by Troy Burton. The play centers Black men in America and their need for Global acceptance and humanity. U Thought I was Him centers Police Brutality and LGBTQIA+ issues in Baltimore. U Thought I was Him, a mixtape, made its debut at The Arena Playhouse (the oldest continuously running Community Theatre in the United States), in November 2022. Gaskins was the subject in two recent books: Conversations with Healers: Baltimore City by Miranda Ellis Hontz and Creatives of Color: A Portrait Collection of the Unsung Heroes in the Baltimore Art and Cultural Community by Precious Blake. She is the author of her first book of poetry and prose, A Whistling Girl and a Crowing Hen Never Comes to a Very Good End and Other Things My Mama Said.
In order to bring this film to life we need to hire an editor, colorist, sound designer, visual effects artist, composer and post production coordinator. We intend to create a polished short film that we do well on the festival circuit (which is not cheap!) and lastly we need to pay our producers (who went into debt to shoot this film) back! If what you’ve read so far is appealing and you have any of the skills needed feel free to loan us your skills by clicking loan under the wishlist item. If you have no skill to contribute, any dollar amount you want to offer in support will be appreciated. If you have no money, please follow this page and spread the word about this film as much as you can!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post Production Coordinator
Costs $1,000
Making a movie is hard, someone has to send the emails and ensure things actually get done.
Festival Submission Fees
Costs $500
Once this film is finished we want to send it out into the world. Film festivals are not cheap! We need money to cover screening fees
Production OverHead
Costs $4,000
I went into debt to shoot this short film and would like to be able to pay myself and my producer back.
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director/Producer - Nia Hampton
Nia Hampton is a conceptual artist and cultural worker from West Baltimore, MD who crafts narratives out of the chaos of familial memories, mistakes and imaginings.After starring in Al Jazeera America’s viral doc about the similarities in police brutality in Brazil and Baltimore she began a career in freelance journalism and media. Her first solo art show “Drapetomania; The Strong Urge to Escape” at the Waller Gallery in Baltimore, MD was an expansive documentation of her time spent within Afro-Latino communities in South America. Select short films from this show have since screened in the Rio Museum of Modern Art and at the Genderhouse Festival of Aarhus, Denmark. Nia founded the Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival as a weekend event within this same art show. The festival would go on to change the landscape of black film in Baltimore City and gain support in the form of $10,000 from Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY ASCEND film advocacy initiative.
As a filmmaker Nia’s credits include co-producing “Not About a Riot” a documentary about the untold story of the 2015 Baltimore Uprising. Alongside the director, Malakia Aminata, Nia also curated a community art show and screening event to raise post production funds for the documentary. She was the art coordinator for the Queens Collective produced documentary “Ballet After Dark” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Her short film “What to Tell” screened at Necessity of Tomorrow(s); The Screening Room at the Baltimore Museum of Art from 2020 - 2022. She’s currently pursuing an MFA in Intermedia and Digital Arts at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Producer - Brit Sankofa
Britt Sankofa is a filmmaker and visual artist from Washington DC who's works focus on identity reclamation and nostalgia. Her works have been featured at Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC), Tephra ICA (Reston, VA), Adele H. Stamp Gallery at UMD (College Park MD), Virginia Film Festival (Charlottesville, VA), Afrikana Independent Film Festival (Richmond, VA), and, of course, Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival (Baltimore, MD).
Producer - Sandra Gibson
Sandra L. Gibson’s arts and culture training, teaching and practice over four decades have given her a unique understanding of partnership, creativity and collaboration. Gibson’s professional experience began with her role as program representative for UCLA Extension’s Department of the Arts, where she developed and managed 180-200 nationally recognized programs annually. Gibson later became Director, West Coast Operations at American Film Institute, where she also served as Director, NEA’s Independent Filmmaker Program and Director, Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies. Gibson’s work as the executive director of the Long Beach Regional Arts Council in California developed her gifts for working with diverse cultural communities, indigenous peoples, individual artists and supporters of arts and culture. Gibson directed the city’s first Cultural Masterplan and launched the first Smithsonian Institution Program Affiliation in the US with the City of Long Beach, which continued through 2011. In 1995 Gibson served on the steering committee that formed Americans for the Arts, as a founding board member was recruited for the position of executive vice president and COO of the organization in 1998.
In 2000, she was appointed as the fourth president and CEO of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, the leading service and advocacy organization for the presenting industry worldwide. Realizing the need for a comprehensive assessment of the performing arts in the context of a rapidly changing world, she partnered with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to sponsor the first nationwide survey of the performing arts presenting field. Gibson engaged the association in new technologies and expanded its reach globally on six continents and across industry sectors, including the establishment of partnerships with the leadership of Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes (CONACULTA) in Mexico; the French Embassy Cultural Services Division; the Netherlands Consulate and the Cultural Ministry of Colombia, among others. In 2007 Gibson established the multi-million-dollar Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program to support exemplary cross-campus, interdisciplinary projects that integrated artists and the arts into the academy.
Gibson became an independent consultant in July 2011 and in 2012 founded Sandra L. Gibson and Associates, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to advancing the arts, culture and education globally. Gibson serves as a Consulting Advisor to the DeVos Institute for Arts Leadership founded by Michael Kaiser at the University of Maryland, and as a volunteer coach and advisor to independent artists and artists collectives across the US. From September 2018 through 2023 Gibson served as Executive Director of the Maryland Film Festival/Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, An ethnomusicologist and musician with a Master’s Degree in Music from Northwestern University, she believes artists and the arts are critical to personal, community and national well being, essential to an advanced democracy and vital to community engagement, and global cultural exchanges. She has worked tirelessly to raise dynamic conversations about the intrinsic value and impact of art and art making, their contributions to a high-quality education, to economic livelihood, a sense of belonging and to a historic legacy woven intricately into the very fabric of life.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Perpetually embarrassed and unemployed millennial Nina Hamilton needs money to save her family home. But her mother, Silly Sheila, a clown, her current roommate and a major source of shame in Nina’s psyche, is in the way.
Hi! My name is Nia Hampton and when I was in middle school, my mother almost became a professional clown. Yes, you heard that right. My mother was almost a clown. My mother Sheila “Strawberry” Gaskins has been an artist since before I was born, and the art of clowning was something she was interested in pursuing at the time. She didn’t end up auditioning for the circus because she didn’t want to leave us to be raised by our grandparents. But the idea of what our collective experience could have been like had my mother become a professional clown became family lore. As an undergrad I made a short about it, which can be watched below.
A decade later I’m revisiting these characters and exploring their relevant issues like aging, care-taking and unemployment. Living long enough to age is something that is special in the black community, and as COVID and other pandemics ravage through the world, it feels even more elusive.
This is a social realist comedy that attempts to tell the truth about the current times we’re living through. Between the cost of living and the never ending pandemic, it seems that life is harder than it used to be. Where is the art that actually reflects the times? There are thousands of coming of age films for teenagers, but what about those of us navigating our 30’s who aren’t living in major cities and working our dream job or getting married and having kids? What about the people who weren’t able to leave the nest and stay out? Over the past three years I have become a caretaker for my single, aging black mother, and I’ve watched her become a caretaker to my 90 year old grandmother, who has dementia. I have to manage the affairs of those that have come before me while attempting to prepare to have children of my own. It all seems impossible at times. There has been no real preparation for what my current reality is. I made a film that talks about the perils and joys of having the responsibility of caring for those who once cared for you because sadly, there’s just not enough media about caring for your parents, especially for those of us who are working class and non-white. It can be an incredibly lonely and stupefying journey, but making this film has helped me realize that I am not alone in this harrowing journey of caregiving in the midst of a never ending pandemic. While this is a comedy, the goal of the film was to highlight the absurdity of our current reality so that we may one day change it.
This is a film made in Baltimore by people who still live here and found the time to come together to help tell a very average story about a girl and her clown of a mother. The making of this film has been a journey in and of itself, which you can watch below.
My mother Sheila “Strawberry” Gaskins gets to live out the clown dreams she gave up years ago to care for my sister and myself. And my younger sister Nekia Hampton, plays our protagonist, Nina Hamilton, and is making her leading role film debut. My cousin Terri Pollock plays Tangela, a caring family member, and my other cousin Nile Wiliams is the director of photography. It’s been an honor to create this story about my family with my family.
Writer/Director/Producer - Nia Hampton
BIG SISTER Nia Hampton is a cultural worker from West Baltimore, MD. After starring in Al Jazeera America’s viral doc about the similarities in police brutality in Brazil and Baltimore she began a career in freelance journalism. She's led workshops and classes for MICA, UMBC, U Penn's Kelly Writers House, the Abrons Arts Center and most recently Johns Hopkins University.Her written work has been featured in Vice, The Village Voice, Dazed Digital, Genius.com, GlitterMOB, and AutoStraddle, to name a few. Her video art has screened in the Baltimore Museum of Art. Her self published book “Cicatrizes” has been reviewed by AFROPUNK and is available for sale here. She founded the Black Femme Supremacy Film Fest in 2018 and has screened over 1000 films to audiences all over the world since.
Director of Photography - Nile Williams
COUSIN Nile Williams, is a videographer,Creative Director, Editor, Visual Artist, and Founder of NAW! A creative collective, based in Baltimore, Maryland. Nile specializes in videography, photography, promotional content, journalism/documentary, editing, and camera work. He also created "NAW!", a collective of experienced and creative artists, models, camera operators, producers, and assistant directors who share the same passion for creating unique art in Baltimore. The collective has worked with small local businesses and artists to some of the nation's well-known brands, including Patron, Under Armour, DTLR, HBO, Footlocker, and social media platforms such as Clubhouse and Spotify.
Nekia Hampton as Nina Hamilton
LITTLE SISTER Nekia Hampton, is a rising star in the entertainment world. With a natural flair for humor, she captivates audiences as a comedian, leaving them in stitches with her witty observations and clever punchlines. Her comedic journey started in 2018 and has allowed her to showcase her talents at the 2019 NW Women’s Comedy Fest in Portland, OR as well as the 2019 Black Girls Giggle Comedy Fest in New Orleans. As a budding actress, Nekia seamlessly transitions from laughter to drama, showcasing her versatility and undeniable talent.
Terri Pollock as Tangela Smith
COUSIN Terri Pollock, is a dedicated professional in the medical field whose passion extends beyond the realm of healthcare. With a heart for healing and a love for the arts, Terri Pollock is boldly stepping into the world of acting. From an early age, she’s been captivating audiences as she brings a unique blend of empathy and creativity to both roles. She started with performing with her talented family, to Nu World, as well as, The Baltimore School of the Arts TWIGS program.
Sheila Gaskins as Silly Sheila
MOTHER Sheila Gaskins is an Actress, Teaching Artist, Activist, Playwright, Stand-Up Comic, Arts Advocate, DEI Facilitator, and Healer. She is a proud native of Baltimore, Maryland. Her film and TV credits include HBO’s - The Wire, The Corner, BET Comic View, NBC’s-Last Comic Standing, and the movie - The Salon with Vivica A. Fox. Most recently, Gaskins was the recipient of a Grit Fund grant and a Professional Development Grant from Alternate Roots, which she used to produce Puppets, Masks and Crankies - Shifting the Story in collaboration with Maura Dwyer and Tara Carisol. The goal of the project was to expose children and adults to the art of Puppetry, Masks and Crankies, some of the oldest forms of storytelling. Sheila Gaskins was featured in The Baltimore Sun’s 10 People Who Make Baltimore Better. She received The Village That Vanished - Remember, Rekindle, Reclaim, Restore Award from the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum. Gaskins is a principle writer for the Community sourced play, U Thought I Was Him, directed by Troy Burton. The play centers Black men in America and their need for Global acceptance and humanity. U Thought I was Him centers Police Brutality and LGBTQIA+ issues in Baltimore. U Thought I was Him, a mixtape, made its debut at The Arena Playhouse (the oldest continuously running Community Theatre in the United States), in November 2022. Gaskins was the subject in two recent books: Conversations with Healers: Baltimore City by Miranda Ellis Hontz and Creatives of Color: A Portrait Collection of the Unsung Heroes in the Baltimore Art and Cultural Community by Precious Blake. She is the author of her first book of poetry and prose, A Whistling Girl and a Crowing Hen Never Comes to a Very Good End and Other Things My Mama Said.
In order to bring this film to life we need to hire an editor, colorist, sound designer, visual effects artist, composer and post production coordinator. We intend to create a polished short film that we do well on the festival circuit (which is not cheap!) and lastly we need to pay our producers (who went into debt to shoot this film) back! If what you’ve read so far is appealing and you have any of the skills needed feel free to loan us your skills by clicking loan under the wishlist item. If you have no skill to contribute, any dollar amount you want to offer in support will be appreciated. If you have no money, please follow this page and spread the word about this film as much as you can!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post Production Coordinator
Costs $1,000
Making a movie is hard, someone has to send the emails and ensure things actually get done.
Festival Submission Fees
Costs $500
Once this film is finished we want to send it out into the world. Film festivals are not cheap! We need money to cover screening fees
Production OverHead
Costs $4,000
I went into debt to shoot this short film and would like to be able to pay myself and my producer back.
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director/Producer - Nia Hampton
Nia Hampton is a conceptual artist and cultural worker from West Baltimore, MD who crafts narratives out of the chaos of familial memories, mistakes and imaginings.After starring in Al Jazeera America’s viral doc about the similarities in police brutality in Brazil and Baltimore she began a career in freelance journalism and media. Her first solo art show “Drapetomania; The Strong Urge to Escape” at the Waller Gallery in Baltimore, MD was an expansive documentation of her time spent within Afro-Latino communities in South America. Select short films from this show have since screened in the Rio Museum of Modern Art and at the Genderhouse Festival of Aarhus, Denmark. Nia founded the Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival as a weekend event within this same art show. The festival would go on to change the landscape of black film in Baltimore City and gain support in the form of $10,000 from Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY ASCEND film advocacy initiative.
As a filmmaker Nia’s credits include co-producing “Not About a Riot” a documentary about the untold story of the 2015 Baltimore Uprising. Alongside the director, Malakia Aminata, Nia also curated a community art show and screening event to raise post production funds for the documentary. She was the art coordinator for the Queens Collective produced documentary “Ballet After Dark” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Her short film “What to Tell” screened at Necessity of Tomorrow(s); The Screening Room at the Baltimore Museum of Art from 2020 - 2022. She’s currently pursuing an MFA in Intermedia and Digital Arts at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Producer - Brit Sankofa
Britt Sankofa is a filmmaker and visual artist from Washington DC who's works focus on identity reclamation and nostalgia. Her works have been featured at Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC), Tephra ICA (Reston, VA), Adele H. Stamp Gallery at UMD (College Park MD), Virginia Film Festival (Charlottesville, VA), Afrikana Independent Film Festival (Richmond, VA), and, of course, Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival (Baltimore, MD).
Producer - Sandra Gibson
Sandra L. Gibson’s arts and culture training, teaching and practice over four decades have given her a unique understanding of partnership, creativity and collaboration. Gibson’s professional experience began with her role as program representative for UCLA Extension’s Department of the Arts, where she developed and managed 180-200 nationally recognized programs annually. Gibson later became Director, West Coast Operations at American Film Institute, where she also served as Director, NEA’s Independent Filmmaker Program and Director, Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies. Gibson’s work as the executive director of the Long Beach Regional Arts Council in California developed her gifts for working with diverse cultural communities, indigenous peoples, individual artists and supporters of arts and culture. Gibson directed the city’s first Cultural Masterplan and launched the first Smithsonian Institution Program Affiliation in the US with the City of Long Beach, which continued through 2011. In 1995 Gibson served on the steering committee that formed Americans for the Arts, as a founding board member was recruited for the position of executive vice president and COO of the organization in 1998.
In 2000, she was appointed as the fourth president and CEO of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, the leading service and advocacy organization for the presenting industry worldwide. Realizing the need for a comprehensive assessment of the performing arts in the context of a rapidly changing world, she partnered with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to sponsor the first nationwide survey of the performing arts presenting field. Gibson engaged the association in new technologies and expanded its reach globally on six continents and across industry sectors, including the establishment of partnerships with the leadership of Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes (CONACULTA) in Mexico; the French Embassy Cultural Services Division; the Netherlands Consulate and the Cultural Ministry of Colombia, among others. In 2007 Gibson established the multi-million-dollar Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program to support exemplary cross-campus, interdisciplinary projects that integrated artists and the arts into the academy.
Gibson became an independent consultant in July 2011 and in 2012 founded Sandra L. Gibson and Associates, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to advancing the arts, culture and education globally. Gibson serves as a Consulting Advisor to the DeVos Institute for Arts Leadership founded by Michael Kaiser at the University of Maryland, and as a volunteer coach and advisor to independent artists and artists collectives across the US. From September 2018 through 2023 Gibson served as Executive Director of the Maryland Film Festival/Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, An ethnomusicologist and musician with a Master’s Degree in Music from Northwestern University, she believes artists and the arts are critical to personal, community and national well being, essential to an advanced democracy and vital to community engagement, and global cultural exchanges. She has worked tirelessly to raise dynamic conversations about the intrinsic value and impact of art and art making, their contributions to a high-quality education, to economic livelihood, a sense of belonging and to a historic legacy woven intricately into the very fabric of life.