Cohort 1

Tay Forsythe (they/them)

Tay, of Afro-Guyanese descent, is from Germantown, MD and is passionate about Black, Queer, and Trans liberation, Black and Indigenous solidarity, food sovereignty and justice, and decolonization. They are studying to become a full-spectrum doula, have organized creative spaces for BIPOC queer artists and musicians in the DMV, and built connections all over the world spreading their love. Their activism is rooted in compassion for their people in daily acts of love, healing, joy, food, and music. In this fellowship, Tay hopes to find community, healing, laughter, as well as a space where all emotions and identities are welcomed. They hope to connect with others and themself, have inspiring conversations, learn and gain skills that will help us on our journeys of building community and dismantling of oppressive structures. Fun fact about Tay: They have lived on and off for 8 years in Aotearoa!

Dejah Powell (she/her)

Dejah is an organizer based in Chicago with Sunrise Movement, fighting for a Green New Deal (GND). She was the Lead Organizer for the Midwest, where she supported a team to provide coaching and organizing support for Sunrise hubs around trainings, electoral organizing, and actions across the Midwest. She currently leads Structure work, supporting a team that’s designing future structures for the movement. Dejah is most excited to learn core grounding principles, to sustain herself in the work ahead, of stopping the climate crisis and winning a GND. Fun fact about Dejah: She LOVES sharks and has gotten to swim with them in high school! 

DjeRae Lucas (they/them)

Rae the Conjurer (Rae) is a dynamic and insightful artist who uses their music and creativity to take their audiences on emotional and spiritual journeys. They create music and experiences that encourage freedom centered in radical self-love. With their skillful merging of pop, club music, neo soul, and jazz Rae the Conjurer uses their distinct voice to explore themes of love, identity, grief and healing. As a Black Gender Transcendent person, Rae believes that it is their responsibility to use their work to create opportunities that support the holistic freedom of Black Queer People. They use their organization the Underground Rainbow Group and their work as an educator to help creatives reframe and embrace the creative process the rough a lens of political education and self-acceptance.

Shalissa Otero (she/her)

Shalissa is a priestess within Lukumí spirituality and she uses this relationship with spirit to navigate the world. As a trans femme, so much of her identity involves her relationship with spirit and access to healing that sometimes feels monopolized and inaccessible. Shalissa writes poetry and spends most of her time handling water, as it is an important aspect of Lukumí life. The fellowship is important to her because it feels in alignment with destiny work that the water calls her to provide for both herself and others.

Yvette Angelique Hyater-Adams, MA-TLA (she/her)

Yvette Angelique is a poet, storytelling facilitator, and culture change strategist. Her social arts practice, Narratives for Change, reaches audiences locally, nationally, and globally. She uses storytelling for healing, creating literary art, consciousness-raising, activism, and advocacy. Yvette works with female-centered trauma-informed and embodiment practices to support self-care. Currently, she leads projects in women-led organizations facilitating story circles and creative writing processes to capture stories in the lives of women and girls on how systems have affirmed or not supported their humanity. These stories translate into monologue scripts, letters, and autobiographical shorts used for performances and community engagement. Yvette presents her transformative narratives storytelling model at national and local conferences. As a former C-suite executive in banking, management consulting, and non-profit organizations, she is a highly sought-after coach by executives, writers, and activists. Her creative leadership and mentoring experience feature in a 2001 Harvard Business Case study.

Yvette is a long-time professional member of the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science. She currently serves as Dean of the Writers’ Residency and Managing Editor of the Publishing Imprint. Yvette is a member and Board Chair of AlternateROOTS, an arts and social justice organization based in the south, and is Director of Speaker Coaches for TEDx in Jacksonville. She completed her graduate studies in creative writing at the University of Denver and creative & expressive writing for personal and social change at Goddard College. 

Yvette and her jazz-musician husband Kinney Harold are originally from Washington, D.C., and reside in Jacksonville, Florida. Together, they co-lead River City Mindfulness Community in the Plum Village Tradition of Engaged Buddhism and the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.