CSC Team

Theresa Gatewood, Executive director

Theresa Gatewood (she/her) grew up in the Five Points neighborhood and is thrilled to return to her roots in this area as the Executive Director of Creative Strategies for Change. Theresa’s life’s work centers on ensuring people who experience oppression are able to thrive; she has relentlessly pursued removing barriers and ensuring racial justice in the education system and our communities. Theresa brings more than 15 years of nonprofit and education experience to this role as well as a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development, Performance and Change from Colorado State Univerity. She started her career working for a national college access program serving first-generation students and has held a number of roles in higher education that emphasize access and equity.  Theresa is a proud graduate of Denver Public Schools (Manual High School) and a member of the inaugural class of Daniels Fund Scholars.  Theresa has served on many state-wide committees and nonprofit boards, most recently as a Project Manager for a multi-year equity initiative for The Denver Foundation. When not collaborating in the community, she enjoys sports, nature and her rent-free pup, Charlie.

Bianca Mikahn, co-Director of arts & education | Facilitator | Artist | Consultant

Bianca Mikahn is an emcee, poet, digital composer, cultural activist and educator.  She is Executive Director of youth mental health-based organization Check Your Head and a Partner Artist with leading creative educators, Creative Strategies for Change and Youth on record. A TEDx alum, Mikahn’s writing style is described as idyllic yet pragmatic, addressing themes of self-awareness, mental health and community engagement. Explorations in music production recently garnered Mikahn the title of “Best Avant Garde Band” from Denver Westword. She has shared stages at Regis University, Denver University, Wyoming University, La Napoule’s renowned Chateau in Nice France and Stockholm Sweden’s historical Fylkengin (Fill-ken-gin) Theatre. Currently Mikahn is honing social emotional learning and art-based facilitation to encourage trauma informed care and Mental Health First Aid (adult and youth modules) in marginalized communities.

Tamarra Nelson, Director of Youth Programs

Tamarra Nelson (she/her) is a Denver based educator, administrator, and artist, recently joining CSC as their Director of Youth Programming. A Colorado native, Tamarra has lived in Denver since 2014, making theatre, facilitating, and working with hundreds of young people along the way. She has been a teaching artist and arts administrator with organizations such as the Denver Center for Performing Arts, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and Mirror Image Arts, before transitioning to a role as a full time 2nd and 3rd grade teacher (which she loved). She has also worked around the city as a theatre director and performer, most recently with Two Cent Lion Theatre Company on their production of Clink, Clink. Tamarra has a deep passion for educating young people, and has worked with them in several spheres ranging from classrooms in DPS schools, summer camps, theatre workshops, and private schools. She aims to foster the kindness, thoughtfulness, and sense of justice that already exists within young folks, empowering them to not only advocate for themselves, but the people and the communities around them.

Tempey Hamilton, PD & Consulting

Tempey Hamilton is a healer, builder, and explorer (with)in her community, home, and self. Her nomadic spirit has granted her the opportunity to embody these titles in Alabama, Colorado, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. over the past 8 years; she’s been anchored in Denver for the past 2 years. Tempey received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama and maintains licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) across multiple states. She is also intentional about doing the work to fill the gaps of her formal education. With roots in the Deep South of Mobile, Alabama, Tempey’s lived experiences are the catalysts for her passion and commitment to building, implementing, engaging bodies of work that support people most impacted by oppression and systemic racism. Tempey works with CSC as a lead facilitator. In addition to her work at CSC, Tempey is the curator of Phases of Self Ascension, a wellness organization committed to joy and wellness in the Black community. Here, she serves the community through offerings of individual therapy, clinical mentoring, healing circles, and consulting services.

Joshua Feliz Martinez, PD & Consulting

Joshua (He/They) is a racial equity facilitator experienced in facilitating and leading racial equity and racial healing spaces where every person can come into a space that centers their humanity, while learning tolls and language that build solidarity, empowerment, and community engagement. As a first-generation immigrant, Joshua was raised in both the Dominican Republic and in The Bronx, New York. Prior to fully joining the DEI/Racial Equity field. Joshua worked in the nonprofit sector as a Cultural Navigator/Community organizer to Spanish speaking families in the West-End of Colorado. Assisting the community in healthcare enrollments, community outreach, and other interpersonal needs, in addition to co-facilitating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion trainings to organizations in the West-End. Facilitating spaces for healing and building bridges has been a gift for Joshua since he is able to weave tools and stories to address intersectional oppression and center marginalized communities. His love for people, cultural diversity, enables him to connect with people and strive for a better tomorrow. He currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his partner Chantal, and their fur babies.

Carlitta Howard, Operations Coordinator

Carlitta is a Virginian singer/songwriter serving as the new Operations Coordinator. Carlitta is an avid volunteer and former caregiver, and understands firsthand how important community care is for one’s wellbeing. She is looking forward to finding creative ways to get involved in her new neighborhood, and hopes the community building she sees in action through CSC will assist in the process.

Keandra Hunt, Community and Youth Program Coordinator

Mover, actor, vocalist ,trivia host, Keandra is a creative human at heart! New to Denver and recent graduate from Texas Tech University obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting, Keandra is eager to grow and learn what Colorado has to offer. Keandra interned with Creative Strategies for Change through the DITA internship program and has found themselves as the Community and Youth Program Coordinator. A lover of food, nature and travel, Keandra enjoys learning and being in community.

Maurice Ka | Consultant | Facilitator | Artist

Maurice (he/him) has been a facilitator and consultant with Creative Strategies for Change since 2017. He is a versatile and dynamic facilitator who has been a community organizer and curator of arts and activism for nearly two decades. A gifted storyteller with immeasurable lived experience to draw from, Maurice weaves key concepts with on the ground examples to bring them to life and make them accessible across differences. Maurice has also worked with youth, and in public health, including numerous groups and organizations such as Denver Public Health, Children’s Hospital, and Denver Buddhist Cultural Center. A graduate of Satya Yoga Teacher Training, Maurice brings yoga practice and consciousness, as well as his cultural wisdom into his work with CSC. In addition, Maurice is part of the Rosehouse Botanicals team and the man behind the magical creations of @theblusaint.

Tamara Williams Van Horn | Consultant | Facilitator | Artist

Tamara Williams Van Horn (They/them and She/her) joined CSC in 2020. In their role at the University of Colorado as well as with the consulting of her intercultural training company Black Womxn Reading Aloud (BWRA), Tamara’s “stand your story up” poetic engagement work leverages the power of sharing narratives we create in “together-space”. Using an intersectional feminist kitchen value set and work ethic, Tamara facilitates through writing and games, historical case study and critical information literacy, to engage participants to seek, co-create, and share nuanced stories as foundational to constituent-led change. When not supporting students, staff, and faculty towards activating their civic vision and social justice contribution, Tamara makes a home with partner-spouse, Jason, and Jinx, a 17-year-old “kitten overlord,” and can be found walking the greenbelt paths of Boulder, dancing with more vigor than skill, and cutting up the acres of magazines they collected for inspirational projects.

April Axé

April Axé Charmaine (she & they) is an award-winning, Queer Afro-Fusion artivist who leads empowering embodiment experiences through their global dance and wellness companies: SOL VIDA™ and For Lovers of Dance. Axé is a seasoned and holistic performing arts educator, choreographer, director, entrepreneur and movement leader who is dedicated to inspiring others to radical personal freedom; pioneering progressive dance communities and creating safe, inclusive spaces for authentic expression, collective healing and liberation. Their work has appeared in the U.S., France, Spain, Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala. Dedicated to being a part of projects rooted in embodied social, racial, environmental, and healing justice–this project is a call to purpose and life.

Micaela Iron Shell-Dominguez

Micaela Iron Shell-Dominguez is a Sicangu Lakota, Apache, and Xicana woman born and raised here in Denver, Colorado. First and most importantly she is a new mother. She wears many hats starting with being a human rights advocate, a co-founder and adult mentor for the International Indigenous Youth Council 5280, co-founder of Womxn from the Mountain, social justice empowerment coordinator for Spirit of the Sun, model, and last but not least an actress for the Anishinaabe Theatre Exchange and the Social Imagination with Creative Strategies for Change performative art project. She works hard every day to fight for climate change for those of us existing today, and for our future generations, but most importantly she works hard to bring women of all backgrounds together in a way that allows them to empower each other and create strong, matriarchal bonds for future generations. Her continued pursuit is to help spread awareness and stop the violence our women and two-spirit people who have endured for centuries.

JUSTY ROBINSON

Robinson (born Justice Smith) is a multifaceted artist and content creator whose biggest life passion is to inspire the next generations into action, self-discovery, and learning to connect with other people. He aims to achieve these goals through writing plays, film, and television, direction of plays and movies, and acting in those same mediums. He is a founding member of Don’t Shoot the Zine, and is the writer, producer, and editor for Dream. Create. Inspire.’s YouTube series, #CreatorsOnly.

 

Xavier Hadley | Consultant | Facilitator | Artist

Xavier Hadley (he/him) is a Colorado State University alum with degrees in English (Creative Writing) and Ethnic Studies. Through his work as a multi-disciplined artist-scholar, Xavier has self-produced three full-length albums, performed spoken word pieces around Colorado, and built a diverse photography portfolio. Through his artistic and spiritual practices, Xavier largely seeks to connect the past to the present by building from the work of those whose efforts have been essential to his artistry and personal development. Humbled by the privilege to work and learn among so many brilliant, like-minded individuals, Xavier attributes his accomplishments to each and every person who has put the time, care, and effort toward making him into the artist he is today. 

Toluwanimi Obiwole | Consultant | Facilitator | Artist

Toluwa (she/they) has been working with CSC as an artist since 2017. She is a Nigerian poet, performer, and workshop facilitator based in Denver, Colorado. She is a Brave New Voices international slam champion, a Denver city slam champion, and author of an upcoming chapbook. She has been a member of the Denver Minor Disturbance youth poetry team, and is currently a member of the Slam Nuba poetry team. In 2015 she was announced as Denver’s first Youth Poet Laureate.