2020 Champions

My name is Weston Stroud. I am 25 years old and I have lived in Macon for 16 years. My family moved from Atlanta when I was a child, and as an adult, I chose to live in Macon after I graduated from State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry, where…

Stasia (they/them) is committed to building a more just world and applies values of intentionality and working collectively towards this goal. As a former high school educator and a queer person of color, they carry a keen awareness of the intersections of identity, experience, and the many hidden gifts that can emerge when people are…

Raie Gessesse is a fierce advocate for racial and gender justice through blending her interests in culture, policy & community organizing. In recognition of her community advocacy, she was appointed by former Governor Mark Dayton to serve as a cabinet member on the first-ever Young Women’s Cabinet. In her role, she has worked tirelessly to…

Quynh-Mai Nguyen (she/her) is a 2nd generation Vietnamese-American social practice artist, poet, musician, and community organizer from San José, CA. For the past 10 years, Nguyen has been dedicated to working with underrepresented communities to help uplift their narratives through placemaking, events, and programming. In 2018, KQED Arts Bay Brilliant recognized Nguyen as one of…

Monique Becker is Co-Founder of Mona Lisa Development (MLD), a socially responsible real estate development firm with property management, consulting and general contracting capabilities. A certified Detroit-Based, Detroit-Resident and Women-Owned business, MLD is committed to extending opportunities to others in our community to preserve place and people in the creation of neighborhood masterpieces. Monique supports…

Marcus D. Laws, originally from Laurinburg, North Carolina. My professional background is in Psychology, Criminal Justice and Healthcare Management with focuses on Counseling, Housing/Vocational Rehabilitation, Mental Health/Substance Use and Developmental Disabilities in Community Based Settings.

Makayla Binter is a 2020 Davidson College graduate who majored in Biology and Studio Art. While at Davidson, she was an athlete, student leader, and project facilitator. At the end of her senior year, she was co-coordinator for a multi-cultural retention and mentorship program, STRIDE, a Davidson Arts and Creative Engagement Fellow, a Bonner Scholar,…

Justin Pinn believes that his mission and calling in life is to ensure opportunity, equity, and access for all. After obtaining his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, Pinn, a first-generation college graduate, relocated to Miami as a TFA Corps Member, teaching secondary science. Currently, Justin serves as the head of the Alumni programming at TFA…

Jordan has degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design and is currently working within those realms in Duluth, Minnesota. He is passionate about community-driven creative problem solving within the built environment and spends much of his free time brainstorming along those lines. He is an advocate for multimodal transportation options and has volunteered on…

Iliana is a community organizer in Philadelphia and a Los Angeles native. She is a Salvadoran-American who was the first in her family to get a Bachelor’s degree and is now working on a Masters of Education with a focus on policy at Temple University. Iliana believes that shared knowledge and accessible educational tools are…

Emily is a landscape designer with Alta Planning + Design and a proud board member of Partners for Parks. Her passion lies in creating and advocating for public space that enriches the community experience, generates lasting positive change, and makes people feel good. Emily’s work largely focuses on streetscape, greenway, and other active transportation projects…

Ebony Welch is a creative artist and educator from Bristol, PA. Once she completed her M.Ed from Temple University, she committed to supporting marginalized communities from an educational lens. Her thesis focused on using photo-voice to analyze how young folks capture their lived experiences. Throughout her time in Philadelphia she has been inspired to utilize…

Darion is an Akron native who has volunteered with several organizations in the area. He works for the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition (OECC) as a place maker and groundskeeper. With a passion for his local community, Darion loves to make a positive change in people’s lives and working at the Coalition provides him that…

Courtney Smith is a creative strategist and Bradenton native with a passion for problem solving. Utilizing a diverse background ranging from professional theatre to non-profit event production and economic development leadership programming, her favorite projects bring together multiple disciplines, industries, and talents in partnership to expand community progress. In her current role with the St.…

My mission in life is to empower people, especially women, via personal transparency and collaboration. I am a mother to an incredible little boy. Professionally, I work as a Case Management Coordinator at a social service agency in Philadelphia, and am the founder of Purple House Project PA Inc., a non-profit focused on intimate partner…

Chris Medina is a community advocate, artist and law student with a passion for environmental and social justice. Through his organization GoneMIA – a Miami-based creative collective dedicated to convening and supporting local artists whose work addresses local issues – Chris embraces the social value of the arts to raise awareness of, spark dialogue about,…

Ben Will is a singer-songwriter, performer, and cultural production strategist native to Detroit, MI. While convening multiple diverse events per year in spaces ranging from the Detroit Opera House all the way to the highly acclaimed venue of his parents’ backyard, one thing is evident in all his work; Ben creates crafted artistic experiences which…

Anna is a multi-disciplinarian: she is a lifelong artist and designer, has worked in museums and libraries, spent five years as a horticulturalist at a local greenhouse and is budding herbalist. Adding to her worldview, she grew up a “military brat”, living everywhere and nowhere. Born to an Appalachian white mother and an immigrant Filipino…

I am grateful to those who lessen suffering in the world. I wish to dedicate my time and heart in sharing their stories. As a motion picture artist, documentarian, and social entrepreneur, I’m drawn to what drives people to overcome impossible odds. From documenting social entrepreneurs starting mobile homeless bus showers to a war veteran…

Alexa is passionate about creating equitable and resilient cities. She is the Urban Design Director of the East Region in the City of Detroit Planning Department. She manages a team responsible for planning and implementing neighborhood development and landscape infrastructure projects in line with a vision co-created with the community. She is also a project…