409 Schenectady Street, Schenectady, New York 12307, United States
Meet the Board
Fabayo Egunbunmi
Dominicka Turner
Jessica Hunter
Jessica Hunter
Dominicka Turner
Jessica Hunter
Dominicka Turner
Dominicka Turner
Dominicka Turner
Betty Harper
Dominicka Turner
Dominicka Turner
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Bianca Dilella
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Ronald Gardner
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Brieanna Chillious
Brieanna Chillious
Minister Dawud Muhammad
Brieanna Chillious
About Us
This Spot could could be yours call for information about joining our board.
Meet our Faculty
Artreach Coordinator
Coding and African Dance Instructor
Artreach Coordinator
Valerie Lewis, has been with the Arts Center for 45 years. She has extensive skills in the arts and crafts of the African diaspora. She has received city, state and national recognition for her dedicated community service, including Valerie Lewis day which was named in her honor.
Capoeira Instructor
Coding and African Dance Instructor
Artreach Coordinator
Born in Brazil, Mestre Turbarao has been practicing Capoeira for 35 years and teaching for 25. He has taught students of all ages through out Brazil and the United States. Mestre Turbarao is deeply dedicated to the cultural traditions embodied in his craft and is excited to share it with his students.
Coding and African Dance Instructor
Coding and African Dance Instructor
Coding and African Dance Instructor
Jessica Hunter is a Board member, and a child of the Arts Center. She is currently involved with Artreach as a volunteer and with Umoja African Dance and Drumming as an assistant instructor. She has a B.S. and M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from RPI and MIT, and has coding experience in Fortran, Matlab, C, C++, and Python. She has been involved with Umoja for 15 years.
Drum Instructor
African Dance Instructor
Coding and African Dance Instructor
Lumumba Ansah is a Folklorist, Drummer,Master Dancer, Dance Educator,
Historian and Scholar who is a native from the Jamaica. He has extensive global
teaching and performance experience in the presentation of authentic cultural
arts of Jamaica, Senegal, Congo, Mali, and Mauritania Etc.
African Dance Instructor
African Dance Instructor
African Dance Instructor
Sue Wilson-Dean helped to found the original Umoja African Dancers and has been the choreographer and instructor for many years. As one of the Burundi Dancers, she was trained by Omoye Cooper. She later studied under Dr. Pearl Primus, and Master Drummer Babatunde. Mrs. Wilson-Dean, holds a Master’s in Education.
Steel Pan Instructor
African Dance Instructor
African Dance Instructor
Ahmel Williams spent 10 years studying steel pan at the Hamilton hill arts center. He has performed professionally throughout the capital region and almost won Amateur night at the Apollo with his steel pan band. His profound devotion for the steel drums and love for music has driven his to become a professional musician, and instructor for the steel drum program at the Arts Center.
Director of Anansi's Children's theater
Director of Anansi's Children's theater
Director of Anansi's Children's theater
Fabayo Egunbunmi is the founder and director of the Anansi’s Children theater . A classically trained pianist, and Catherine Dunham style dancer, she is a co-author of a one act play and performed as a founding member of the Root Wymn theater company. Locally, she played Sojourner Truth, in a one act solo performance called Ain't I A Woman.
Steel Pan Drum Instructor
Director of Anansi's Children's theater
Director of Anansi's Children's theater
Aston “Robot” Ellis inherited his love of music from a family that has been a part of the Jamaican music industry for over 60 years. A bandleader, bass player vocal and music arranger and steel pan player, Aston has taught and performed internationally for over 25 years
Lecturer, Performer and Instructor
Director of Anansi's Children's theater
Lecturer, Performer and Instructor
Jermaine Wells is an award-winning writer, musician, lecturer and entertainer. He has appeared in films, commercials and has collaborated with such greats as Quincy Jones. An in-demand Masters of Ceremonies and lecturer, he has spoken at many universities and events.
Lecturer, Instructor, Story teller
Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller
Lecturer, Performer and Instructor
Miki Conn, former Director of the Hamilton Hill Arts Center is an artist, storyteller, lecturer, poet and former civil rights activist, has exhibited in Africa, Upstate New York, Long Island and Boston. A published author, she lectures on the Civil Rights and Black Arts movements, teaches writing, art and offers workshops in crafts from Africa, where she lived for several years.
Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller
Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller
Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller
Zorkie Nelson comes from a long line of Ghanaian master drummers. A founding member of the Pan-African Orchestra (PAO) with whom he toured internationally, Zorkie was a member of the group Odadaa!, which toured with Wynton Marsalis. He is a drummer, vocalist, and flute player in the eclectic jazz fusion group HEARD and leads his own group, Gballoi.
Painter and Special Needs Art Instructor
Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller
Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller
Bianca DiLella, is a working Artist in the Capital District. her subject matter mainly focuses on history and mythology. She particularly enjoys portraiture and landscape featuring elements of nature. her
work tells a story and invokes a mood and emotion that the audience can identify with.
Maya Lewis Jewelry and Pottery Instructor
Maya Lewis Jewelry and Pottery Instructor
Maya Lewis Jewelry and Pottery Instructor
Maya Lewis is a full time artist based in the Capital Region. She specializes in painting, pottery, jewelry making, and mural work. She particularly enjoys working in portraiture within the black community, as she believes representation plays a major role in her art. She received her BFA in Painting and Art Therapy.
Help Our Cause
Your support and contributions will help us to serve Schenectady and the Capital Region with positive creative and educational opportunities for children and adults.
