2023-2024 Mid Atlantic National Leaders of Color Fellows

Maglyn Bertrand, District of Columbia

Maglyn Bertrand is an arts administrator shaped by 29 years of participation in music and training as an ethnomusicologist. Before working in cultural institutions, Maglyn sang in tango music and nueva canción ensembles and researched Indigenous South American singers creating new forms of popular music to protest political corruption and ethnic discrimination, and the use of live and recorded sound in museum exhibitions featuring artists of color. She is a graduate of Emory University (BA in Music and Latin American and Caribbean Studies, summa cum laude), UC Berkeley (MA in Ethnomusicology), and NYU (MA in Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Advanced Certificate in Museum Studies).

Maglyn is the Grants Manager at The Phillips Collection in DC. In this role, she writes grant proposals requesting support for the museum’s exhibitions, educational programs, DEAI initiatives, and more. Previously, she helped create educational and public programs at Flushing Town Hall and The Louis Armstrong House Museum, each dedicated to serving the multicultural communities of Queens. These experiences, as well as her Latina identity and Indigenous heritage, have made her passionate about increasing awareness of the diversity of Latine/x individuals and cultures that enrich the arts world, and supporting people of color-led arts organizations.

Celestina Billington, New York  

Celestina Billington is a New York-based multidisciplinary artist, activist, producer, and arts administrator with an international portfolio. Currently, she serves as an Arts Programs & Events Coordinator in Long Island’s North Fork. She holds an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University, Teacher’s College. With recognition from the National Endowment of the Arts, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and exhibition credits around the world, she has over ten years of notable experience in the field. Her projects seek to connect diverse communities to exciting exploratory artworks. Her work is imbued with inclusivity, thoughtfulness, & an ongoing commitment to equity. From Texas, Celestina has mixed race ancestry and identifies as “Tejana.” 

Zach Blackwood, Pennsylvania 

Zach Blackwood is an arts administrator and writer based in Philadelphia, known for his work in social practice performance production and arts philanthropy. From 2017 to 2021, he worked at FringeArts, producing the curated slate of performances in each year’s Philadelphia Fringe Festival. In addition, he launched three new performing arts verticals for the institution: Blue Heaven Comedy Festival, Hand to Hand Circus and High Pressure Fire Service, an incubator for new theatrical works by Philadelphia-based artists. 

Since 2021, he has served as a Program Officer at the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. The Pew Center is a multidisciplinary arts and culture grantmaker contributing $10 million dollars to the five-county region each year. As Program Officer for Community Connection and Audience Participation, the bulk of his role is dedicated to advising arts organizations as they seek to build or expand relationships across historically marginalized communities.  

In addition to his work as an arts administrator, Zach Blackwood is the author of two chapbooks: ultra-fine out now from Blush Lit and the apocryphal reality TV workbook, SEXY UNIQUE HOLLOW POINT from Glo Worm Press. In his leisure time, Blackwood enjoys 1:24-scale miniatures and his hound dog, Hammer. 

Lisa Brown, Maryland 

Lisa’s journey into photography was inspired by her grandfather’s captivating street photography and her early fascination with the darkroom, where she discovered the magic of light shaping stories. Over time, her practice expanded to include sculpture and ethnographic approaches, enabling her to connect with communities and honor their narratives. From documenting the lives of women in Baltimore’s prisons to capturing the spirit of children in Ghana’s northern regions, Lisa’s work amplifies voices often overlooked and celebrates cultural resilience. 

Currently pursuing an MFA in Community Arts at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Lisa combines her academic pursuits with fieldwork and mentorship. Her contributions have been recognized by institutions such as the Pittsburgh Art Society and Dayton Art Institute. She has also been supported by transformative fellowships, including mentorship under Titus Brooks Heagins, which have guided her in navigating the art world while deepening her practice. 

Lisa’s work centers on the idea of healing—both individual and collective. Through her lens and her hands, she bridges cultural and generational gaps, exploring shared human experiences. Heal Her Photography represents her commitment to capturing and honoring stories that inspire connection, understanding, and transformation. 

Anne Choi, New Jersey 

Anne Choi is a fiber artist raising a small flock of Shetland sheep in Bedminster, NJ. She is the owner of Middlebrook Fiberworks, offering small-batch, custom milled yarns made from the wool of her sheep. She teaches weaving, spinning, and dyeing for regional fiber arts guilds, museums, and fiber festivals. Her workshops center the global heritage of textile handicrafts that precede colonization, and honor the cultural legacy of traditional artisans. Her teaching focuses on using natural, biodegradable materials and ecologically sustainable practices. Anne is the founder and executive director of NJ Fibershed, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to nurturing a diverse and equitable community of fiber producers and crafters interested in sustainable textile arts. Through public programs and events, NJ Fibershed provides connections and support particularly for current and aspiring first-generation farmers within New Jersey. 

Maria Roberta Duarte Miranda, Puerto Rico  

Roberta’s diverse career spans strategic venture development, arts in medicine, and transformative leadership. She has championed the integration of arts and culture into community engagement, serving on leadership boards such as the Young Latino Network, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Canalway Partners, and LatinUs Theater Co. A proud Mount Holyoke College alumna, Roberta has been recognized as a Crain’s Cleveland 40 Under 40 honoree and has completed prestigious programs, including VC University and Cleveland Bridge Builders. 

Guided by her multicultural roots, Roberta views art as a catalyst for meaningful social change. Her vision is to establish El Barrio Fest as a global platform for creative collaboration and community-driven transformation. 

O’Dani Evans, U.S. Virgin Islands 

O’Dani Evans is the media outreach director for the non-profit organization Lion Haven USVI. Graduating from the University of the Virgin Islands in 2018 with a bachelor’s in English. His work focuses on empowering at-risk youth in self-expression and self-discovery through the arts and sports and supporting students. As a born and raised Crucian, creating an impact through the blending of modern advances and historical culture is the linchpin of his work. He has had the honor of working with esteemed members of local art & youth programs such as YWAM & Island Therapy to find new ways to reach beyond the titles forced upon locals and showcase their individuality. Through initiatives like Keepin it Crucian, a series highlighting Virgin Island poets, musicians, and changemakers, and programs supporting seniors, O’Dani defies societal norms and celebrates local diversity. His body of work exemplifies the power of community, leadership, and the arts to bring about meaningful change. 
 

Shawné Michaelain Holloway, Virginia  

SHAWNÉ MICHAELAIN HOLLOWAY is a new media artist. She is currently the executive director of Netizen.org and an Assistant Professor of Kinetic Imaging at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her 11 years of leadership experience in the arts ranges from organizing noisy DIY electronics performances, to presenting solo exhibitions at institutions like Performance Space New York and managing and developing back-end systems for the artists’ library-archive Black Lunch Table. Through her interdisciplinary work she invests in researching and honoring Black and LGBTQIA+ legacies and creates sustainable structures for equitable innovation of software for experimental digital arts practice. Programming she currently leads includes The P.A.T.C.H. (Providing Accessible Tech Community Histories) Clinic and The Media Arts Educators Exchange Group. 

HOLLOWAY lives between Richmond, Virginia and Chicago, Illinois and supports organizations like The Processing Foundation, where she was a 2024 Fellowship Mentor, and the Clinic for Open Source Arts, where she co-founded the Open Source Arts Contributor’s Conference and Community Leaders Program. She is an alumnus of Shimer College, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (BFA, Fine Arts) and Parsons Paris (MFA, Design and Technology.) Outside of work, she is a dedicated fencer and a lover of fancy sweets. 

Jamila Jones, West Virginia  

An Appalachian Regional Commission ALI alumnus, Jamila Jones is a passionate advocate for cultural preservation, community empowerment, and inclusive economic development. Rooted in their commitment to bridging heritage and progress, Jamila has spearheaded transformative projects, including the Affrilachian Trail initiative, which integrates African American cultural preservation, sustainable tourism, and workforce development into a scalable, multistate model. 

At the heart of the Affrilachian Trail is the historic Weaver-Gillison House in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which serves as the trailhead for this ambitious initiative. By preserving this African American heritage site and fostering a tourism ecosystem, the project exemplifies the power of local action to drive regional impact. Through strategic partnerships and frameworks like Wealth Works value chain development, the initiative not only highlights underrepresented cultural assets but also creates economic opportunities for marginalized communities across Appalachia. 

By embedding workforce development components into the project, Jamila is cultivating the next generation of preservationists and engineers, while fostering cross-state collaboration to strengthen community resilience. With a focus on equity, education, and empowerment, Jamila continues to champion initiatives that reflect the rich cultural diversity and potential of Appalachia, advancing a shared vision for a more inclusive and sustainable future. 

 
AliShah Watson, Delaware 

AliShah Watson, an educator and cultural advocate, is dedicated to uplifting communities through culturally centered, transformative programming. As the founder and Executive Director of Culture Restoration Project, Inc., she leads an African-centered arts and culture nonprofit serving nearly 500 youth annually. The organization focuses on fostering positive self-identification and cultural pride.  

A graduate of the University of Delaware, Watson holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Africana Studies and English-Ethnic & Cultural Studies. Her academic foundation informs her work, blending scholarly insight with practical, community initiatives. Under her leadership, the acclaimed Beyond Those Bars program uses hip-hop as a vehicle to develop character, cultural awareness, and self-empowerment. By integrating African-centered values, it equips youth with the tools to navigate societal challenges, build confidence, and achieve academic and personal success. Another program, Knowledge of Self, inspires self-awareness and community engagement by connecting students to their heritage while addressing systemic inequality. 

Watson contributed to Delaware’s HB 198, mandating Black History curricula in K–12 schools, and previously served on the University of Delaware’s Africana Studies Advisory Board. Recognized with the 2024 HER Legacy Award and the Delaware Business Times 40 Under 40 honor, Watson continues to drive lasting change through education, arts, and cultural advocacy.