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The SF International Arts Festival is here and we are taking a look behind the scenes with some of its featured Black artists!

Duane Forrest is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter and multimedia artist. Over the past decade, he has released two full-length albums and toured extensively across Canada, Europe, and Central America, with his music receiving international radio play in countries including Canada, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, Italy, Nicaragua, and the U.S.

Duane’s interdisciplinary work blends music, storytelling, and visuals.

Shows:
*Thursday, April 30, 7pm, Monkeybrains, SF
*Friday, May 1, 7:30pm, Theatre of Yugen
*Saturday, May 2, 3pm, Monkeybrains, SF
*Sun, May 3, 6:30pm, Theatre of Yugen

https://www.sfiaf.org/
https://www.duaneforrest.com/

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Michael Simeon, widely known as BlackGayComicGeek, is a NYC-based media personality and pop culture critic who champions Black LGBTQ+ representation in fantasy, sci-fi, comics, and horror. Frustrated by the lack of diverse voices in fandom, he launched BGCG to create a “Safe Gayven” — a space where Black queer nerds can see themselves in the stories they love. 

Across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and podcast guest spots, Michael breaks down the latest in genre media with humor, heart, and sharp analysis. Whether he’s reviewing superhero films, dissecting fantasy tropes, or highlighting overlooked queer characters, his content blends cultural critique with fandom celebration. 

Michael is also a member of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, where he advocates for more authentic, inclusive storytelling across entertainment. His work has been featured in CanvasRebel, Shoutout Atlanta, and Gaye Magazine. 

Through BlackGayComicGeek, Michael offers more than just commentary — he’s building a movement for visibility, joy, and justice in genre storytelling.

Instagram: @blackgaycomicgeek
TikTok: @blackgaycomicgeek
YouTube: @blackgaycomicgeek

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Trigger warning! - This episode discusses suicide ideation/self harm.

In an autobiographical and music-filled tour-de-force, award-winning performer Jacob Ming-Trent dares to rescue himself from the “slings and arrows” of his past. Born with a gift for poetry but rejected as unfit to play the poet, his search for home yields results both hilarious and tragic. Invoking artistic geniuses like Biggie, Tupac, and Basquiat, he takes us on a propulsive ride that reaffirms the power of language and music. Directed by Tony Taccone, How Shakespeare Saved My Life begins with the Bard but becomes a ritual of communal salvation.

Instagram: @jmingsdynasty

iMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2850805

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From young bright-eyed model to PR Maven, Monique Webber embarked on her fashion PR journey with BCBGMAXAZRIA Group in 2000. After 12 years of successfully building BCBGMAXAZRIA Group into a Go-To brand for A-listers like Halle Berry, Katy Perry, Charlize Theron, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and more, her VIP expertise was highly coveted and she rose to prominence at leading PR agencies.

However, it was during the George Floyd movement that Monique recognized the need for proactive diversity efforts in the industry. This pivotal moment inspired her to launch MLWPR in August 2020, focusing on minority-owned, women-owned, and locally-owned businesses. MLWPR has been a beacon of hope for emerging brands, providing them with the platform and recognition they richly deserve. 

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As a published author, adjunct professor, organizational development specialist, and former school district educator with over 30 years of experience, Dr. Rachelle Rogers-Ard specializes in coaching agency leaders to dismantle racist policies, practices, and procedures that threaten organizational health. As principal lead of Harvest Consulting, she designs and facilitates customized leadership and racial bias training utilizing Social-Emotional best practices. As a certified Dare to Lead and The Leadership Challenge trainer, her work showcases the necessity for organizational Core Values to drive employee retention and outcomes.

She also showcases her talent as the director of the illustrious East Bay Anointed Voices, traveling Bay Area choir.

www.rachellerogersard.com
Instagram: @dr.rachellerogersard
www.linkedin.com/in/rr-ahc

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Christopher “Chris” Chatmon is CEO and Founder of Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO) an award winning nonprofit that supports school districts around the country to improve the educational and life outcomes of Black Boys. For 10 years Chatmon served as the first Executive Director, African American Male Achievement (“AAMA”) for the Oakland Unified School District (“OUSD”). The office of AAMA was the first of its kind in the country to operate within a Public School district. Chatmon also served as the first Deputy Chief of Equity and Sr. Advisor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in OUSD, Oakland, CA.

Chatmon is passionate about uplifting the African-American community and has dedicated his career and life work to creating pathways of success for Black Youth within Oakland and beyond. Chatmon has received numerous local and national awards and accolades for his work and service to Black Youth and the City of Oakland, CA. In 2023 The CAFE Group selected Founder and CEO, Chris Chatmon, to receive a 1954 Project Luminary Award in the category of Innovation in Teaching & Learning. In 2020 Chatmon was awarded the Oscar Wright Lifetime Achievement Award from OUSD and Oakland, CA Mayor Libby Schaaf honored Chatmon with The City of Oakland Mayor’s Proclamation July 1st “Chris Chatmon Day”. Education Week Magazine named Chatmon as a “Leader to Learn From” and Campaign for Black Male Achievement selected him as a “Social Innovation Accelerator” because of his commitment to improving life outcomes for all youth and especially African American males.

IG - KingmakersofOakland & KingmakersMusic
FB - Kingmakers of Oakland
https://linktr.ee/Kingmakersofoakland
www.kingmakersofoakland.org

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Meet Gina Woods!

She's a serial entrepreneur, investor, and business advisor, bringing a wealth of experience cultivating successful beauty brands with a focus on community reinvestment.

As the Co-Founder/Owner of Donna’s Recipe with Tabitha Brown, a renowned vegan beauty brand known for its premium ingredients and commitment to enhancing the hair and beauty care experience. Woods has introduced innovative concepts like the Allure award-winning Sweet Potato Pie Collection. Woods' business, Donna’s Recipe, is available in over a thousand Target stores and all Ulta Beauty locations nationwide and remains 100% self-funded. The brand’s sensational retail success resulted in its being honored as Ulta Beauty's Black Owned Brand of the Year.

In her capacity as a business mentor, she leads a business mastermind program empowering women to establish and expand their enterprises, contributing to the growth of numerous multi-million dollar ventures. Additionally, Woods established the LA Kids Entrepreneur Camp, a hands-on educational platform enabling young individuals to engage with experienced entrepreneurs and delve into the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.

Stay connected with Gina:
Website: Ginalosangeles.com
Instagram: @ginalosangeles

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August 9-September 13

Candace Johnson’s Scat-ter Brain: The Music of ADHD  <A musical celebrating neurodivergence, blending storytelling and song to challenge stigma and reframe ADHD as a creative superpower. 

Candace Johnson is a singer, actress, poet, voice instructor, and director of the University of California Berkeley’s Gospel Choir. She is also a voice coach for the Formally Incarcerated People’s Performance Project (FIPPP), a theater organization supporting artists impacted by incarceration. Johnson excels in opera, musical theater, gospel, and jazz. In 2018, she premiered her first one-woman show, VOX in a BOX, a musical biography about discovering her voice. Since then, she has written and performed seven original shows and continues to create new works.

Website: https://cjsings.com
Instagram: @iamcjsings

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Selena Wilson is a community-centered collectivist dedicated to giving back to the village that raised her--East Oakland. She currently serves as the CEO of the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC) where she attended programming as a youth. In this role, Selena has leveraged her multifaceted skill set to enhance program effectiveness through evidenced-based practices, with a focus on trauma-informed, healing-centered care for Black and Brown youth.

Website: https://eoydc.org/
Org handle: @eoydc
Personal handle: @selenasmusings

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This is the FINAL WEEK to see "Fat Ham" directed by Margo Hall. A very Black, very Southern, very modern reimagining of Hamlet. Get TICKETS to "Fat Ham" at San Francisco Playhouse. https://www.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/2024-2025-season/fat-ham/

Margo Hall is the artistic director of Lorraine Hansberry Theatre and an award-winning actor/director/playwright. She returns to San Francisco Playhouse, where she directed [hieroglyph], Barbecue, Red Velvet, The Story, and most recently Nollywood Dreams. Other directing credits include Garuda’s Wing for The Magic Theatre, In the Evening by the Moonlight, Thurgood, and Soulful Christmas for Lorraine Hansberry Theatre; Friend of My Youth and Sonny’s Blues for Word for Word; and Brownsville Song, B-Side for Tray for Shotgun Players, where she also co-directed Bulrusher with Ellen Sebastian Chang.

Website: https://www.margohall.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margogot/

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