AGONZA (she/her) is a Hispanic Artist born in Providence, RI. She attended the University of Rhode Island and graduated in 2015 with a major in Fine Arts and a minor in Theater Design. In her early years of muralism, she juggled multiple jobs. She maintained employment working in human resources since 2014 while still pursuing painting. She has made history in Providence by being the first Muralist to complete two exterior murals side by side in 2021 at Providence Housing Authorities where she grew up. In 2022 she was then one of the six BIPOC artists to complete the largest mural in Rhode island. On February 24th, 2023, she was awarded by the state of Rhode Island an outstanding contribution to the Dominican Arts. Finally, on June 15, 2024, AGONZA was selected as an awardee of the Black Lives Matter Rhode Island Political Action Committee for the 2nd Annual Juneteenth Awards Ceremony for her outstanding contributions and efforts toward promoting social justice, racial equity, and equality for all. 

She continues to use her knowledge of social work and her personal life to connect with her community through her art. She shares all her artwork via social media Platforms mostly on INSTAGRAM, known as @AGONZAART. 

Ilyus Evander (they/them) is a disabled, non-binary mental health worker, educator, poet, and theater maker from Providence, RI. They have represented the Providence Poetry Slam at several National Poetry Tournaments including the National Poetry Slam, Brave New Voices, and the Women of the World Poetry Slam. They are the recipient of multiple awards for excellence in design from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for their work on theatrical productions. They are the author of two poetry collections; Good Mourning, Bad Dreams (2022 Ginger Bug Press), and Heavier Than Wait (2020 Game Over Books). Most recently, Ilyus became the 2024 ProvSlam Grand Slam Champion, won the “Pushing the Art Forward” award at the 2024 NorthBeast Regional, and has published work with The Poetry Foundation (Ours Poetica), Button Poetry, and the Academy of American Poets (Poem-A-Day). Ilyus has toured the country teaching and performing poetry, theater, and accessibility in the arts workshops. They are so proud of you.

Mishki Thompson (she/her) is the artist behind Red Fern’s BOWtique and a member of the Narragansett Tribe. With her creative and youthful flair, she merges the contemporary with the traditional, specializing in hair bows, beaded earrings, and ornaments. She also loom-beads and cross stitches accessories, sews leather regalia and ribbon skirts, and makes moccasins. A wife and mother of three, she developed her art practice into a small business in order to contribute to her family despite her disability. She enjoys making bows and headbands for children to inspire them to feel confident and beautiful. She is constantly learning new techniques to enhance her work and style, taking extra care to make things beautiful and durable. Mishki is proud to teach beadwork and her other practices to her family members and the broader community.

You can find Mishki’s work at the Tomaquag Museum gift shop and on Facebook at Red Ferns BOWtique.

Sayou Cooper (she/her) is a mixed media artist. Professionally a freelance journalist and filmmaker, her art delves into themes of heteropatriarchy and the legacy of chattel slavery in Black popular culture with a particular emphasis on Hip Hop culture.

Silvermoon Mars LaRose (she/her) is a citizen of the Narragansett Tribal Nation and the Assistant Director of the Tomaquag Museum. She has worked in tribal communities for over 20 years, serving in the areas of health and human services, education, and humanities. As a public servant, Silvermoon serves on the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts, the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, and is the secretary for the Charlestown Conservation Commission. Additionally, she is the vice chair for the Avenue Concept supporting local public art ecosystems, and a board member of the Rhode Island Foundation. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a minor in Justice Law and Society from the University of Rhode Island, and continued her studies at Western Washington University in Rehabilitation Counseling. As an artist and educator, she hopes to foster Indigenous empowerment through education, community building, and the sharing of cultural knowledge and traditional arts.