Previous CAC Cohorts

CAC Cohort 2021-22

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Previous CAC Cohorts
CAC Cohort 2021-22

CAC Cohort 2021-22

Ahmad Abdullah

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Ahmad is a self-taught Multimedia Designer and arts educator whose professional journey began in 2006. In that time, Ahmad has honed his skills and his area of focus through various initiatives in the Baltimore area. His body of work encompasses a spectrum of creative projects and roles in the local, national, and international community. Ahmad places a strong value on visual design as a tool for media literacy, entrepreneurship, collective equity, and restorative justice. He is a passionate educator, dedicated to instilling youth with skills that transcend the classroom. Ahmad is a first-year CAC Member serving at Baltimore Youth Arts.

Sydney Allen

Sydney Allen, a.k.a. aBaltimoregriot, is a photographer and visual storyteller who is passionate about helping youth build their creative skillset. She uses her experience as a working artist to teach youth the technical and professional aspects of artistry in hopes that students can take these skills to cultivate their own artistic practices. Sydney is serving as a CAC Member at Wide Angle Youth Media. When she’s not teaching, you can catch Sydney photographing Baltimore and its community members. Check out her photographs on her personal website at: https://abaltimoregriot.com/. Sydney is a second-year CAC Member serving at Wide Angle Youth Media.

Renee Anderson

Renee Anderson is a Baltimore-born artist who has been involved in community arts since their early teens. Renee started as a student at 901 Arts (a long-time CAC Host Site) in Better Waverly in high school, and graduated from Western High School. Once they were of age, Renee immediately started working at 901 Arts as a Co-Instructor for the 901 Arts Drum Line. They facilitated and produced the "Get Your Life!" video project at 901 Arts, which was featured at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2018-19. As a participant of the "Baltimore's Gifted" Program, they have developed skills in e-commerce as well as networking the Baltimore art community. They have also developed their own business selling wire wrapped jewelry using the knowledge they learned in Baltimore’s Gifted. Renee served one full year in CAC at Open Works, developing new maker classes and workshops for middle school youth. Renee is now serving a second year in the CAC program, and has returned to serve at the Site where they attended programs as a youth, 901 Arts. Renee is supporting the Executive Director of 901 Arts in managing many aspects of the organization, as well as leading visual art and drumming classes for youth. Renee is a third-year CAC Member serving at 901 Arts.

Emani Carter

Emani Carter is an all around artist who was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and who has been doing art since she was little. When Emani was younger and was asked what she wanted to be when she was older, her answer always surrounded being an artist. Now art is all she pursues in her career path and personal time. Emani owns a small business called Creative Nastalgia and holds a B.S. in Visual Communication Design with a minor in Small Business from Stevenson University, class of 2021. Emani currently is a first year graduate student at MICA studying for an MFA in Community Arts with high hopes of being a professor, community artist and continuing to grow her business. Emani is a first-year CAC Member serving at Baltimore Clayworks.

Pearson Chambers

Pearson Chambers is a Teaching Artist working in Baltimore City for four years while completing his studies at the Maryland Institute of Art. He is receiving his Bachelors in Fine Arts (BFA) Painting in Spring 2022 and is scheduled to receive his Masters of Arts in Teaching ( MAT) in Spring 2023. 
Chambers' teaching experience started with Art with a Heart 2018, initially as a substitute, and later grew into a Co-teacher for the organization. Chambers' offers project-based learning to various organizations working with Community Art Collaborative, Arts for Learning Maryland, and their respective partnered sites.
 Project-based learning has allowed Chambers to oscillate seamlessly between his art practice PC. World (https://www.pearsonchambers.world) and community-driven initiatives. Pearson is a first-year CAC Member serving at Mt. Royal Elementary / Middle School.

Genna Clemen

Genna Clemen (she/they) is a photographer and multimedia artist with a background in graphic design and journalism. They are a Baltimore transplant from Kansas City and are pursuing an MFA in Community Art from MICA. Genna works with youth at Access Art to foster artistic behavior in students and encourage students to find power in the arts. Instagram: @gennaClemen. Genna is a first-year CAC Member serving at Access Art.

Anaya Fraser

Anaya Fraser is a Baltimore based digital illustrator and graphic designer who graduated from Baltimore Design School in 2020. They are currently teaching, assisting in administrative work, and operates as Jubilee Arts' gallery curator. As a teaching artist, their goals are to motivate younger artists and encourage growth. One of the ways Anaya has and continues to support their students is by hosting a curating the "Comic Artist Festival." In their free time, Anaya also offers commissioned art. Doing this helps them to explore themselves as a creative, offers a way to express themselves, and stimulates their imagination. Every day they work hard as a freelance illustrator and an activist to help anyone who is dealing with the unfairness that the world gives to people. Anaya is a first-year CAC Member serving at Jubilee Arts.

Chelsi Johnson

Chelsi Johnson is a Baltimore inspired, eclectic artist passionate about youth's artistic discoveries, while serving youth at Access Art. She studied Audio Engineering and Video Production at the Arts Institute of Atlanta. Through her artistic journey, Chelsi has worked with a multitude of artists of all ages across various artistic disciplines, and has discovered a desire for mentoring youth on multiple levels through the arts. Through building strong rapport, Chelsi serves and mentors youth as they explore their talents in developing original art pieces and video productions. Successfully supporting youth in the creation of art, Chelsi has had the honor in seeing many of them continue their artistic careers through high school concentrating in creative disciplines such as theater, photography, and audio production. Keeping this mindset toward youth served in Baltimore, MD, Chelsi continues to focus on mentoring youth in her surrounding communities through visual arts; such as video, performance, and mixed media arts. Chelsi has been teaching at Access Art for several years, and is now continuing to expand her role at Access Art as a CAC Member. Chelsi is a second-year CAC Member serving at Access Art.

Antoinella Peterkin

Antoinella Peterkin is a native of Baltimore City where she embraces her struggles and life lessons through her creativity and style . She received her Bachelor of Arts (Communication Arts Major) from Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2012. Shortly after graduating, she launched her mentoring program for young ladies. In 2015, FAME Design Program officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit and began connecting with schools in the Baltimore area to bring services to them for young creatives . She also found her passion for making tutus through connecting with the youth and their creativity. It was in May 2018 when Antoinella birthed Queen Tu Royal Collection. Her collection consists of one of kind tutus and other statement pieces where the customer always feels like royalty throughout the entire process. Antoinella believes that you should create your own path in life and she works hard to help the youth find their customized path on the runway of life. She has hosted many virtual fashion courses during the pandemic. Speaking of pandemic successes, she was also acknowledged as one of the amazing local designers featured in the Anthrôp 8 segment on sustainable fashion being showed throughout New York Fashion Week. You can follow her on IG (@famedesignprogram and @queen_tu_royalty) and on Facebook (Antoinella Peterkin) for updates and to see all the amazing things she is doing. She is currently serving in CAC at Access Art where she helps other youth bring their artistic creativity to life. Antoinella is a second-year CAC Member serving at Access Art.

Naomi Rose Weintraub

Naomi Rose Weintraub (they/them) is a Jewish, gender-queer, multi-media artist and educator from Silver Spring, Maryland. Naomi’s work explores themes of play, activism, and Jewish ritual. Naomi received a B.A. in Studio Art and Community, Youth, Education Studies in 2019 from Clark University. Naomi is a part of the RAYJ (Rebellious Anarchist Young Jews) Collective which aims to use cultural organizing and art to bridge gaps between the leftist, radical, and Jewish worlds. Check out Naomi's work here: RAYJ, Naomi Weintraub on Behance Naomi is a first-year CAC Member serving at the Jewish Museum of Maryland.

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