Menes Yahudah is an, Artist and Cultural Arts Educator.  An Ethnomusicologist in his own right, having studied West African drumming in USA and abroad. His career has span over 35 years. Hey received the Maryland Apprenticeship Grant for his 15 year apprenticeship with Baile McKnight. Menes also spent many years studying under, Master Drummers and other village drummers during his visits to Africa.

 

Menes received the OSI-Baltimore Community Fellowship for his Cultural Arts Program "Muze It". He travels and performs with is Band/Orchestra as well as continues to perform with numerous professional companies and ensembles. 

 

Yahudah is the Founder and CEO of Urban Foli Djembe Orchestra Performing Arts. He is a co-director of the Baltimore Rhythm Festival.

Eboni Yahudah is the Director of Technology Media and Communications at Baltimore Corps.

 

She is the CEO and Principal Designer at Be Light Media.  an agency that offers web and communications support to small businesses and social entrepreneurs. She organizes networking events and community service activities through her nonprofit Lantern Mindsets.

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She is on the organizing committee for the Baltimore Rhythm Festival.

Jasmine L. Blanks Jones is the Founder of B4 Youth Theatre, a nonprofit that provides arts education programming for young people in Liberia, West Africa and cultural exchange programs in the United States. Burning Barriers Building Bridges (B4) Youth Theatre empowers young people to become educated citizens through the arts.

 

Blanks Jones is currently a dual PHD candidate in Education and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Dr. Sampson serves as executive director of the Johns Hopkins Austere Anesthesia Health Outcomes Research Group.

The group’s mission is to provide relevant, appropriate, affordable and sustainable solutions to improve anesthesia and perioperative care in austere environments.

Investigators currently are working with clinicians in the African nations of Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Rory Turner is a Professor of Practice in Goucher College's Center for People, Politics, and Markets and teaches in the Sociology/Anthropology program.

 

Formerly Program Director for Folk and Traditional Arts and Program Initiative Specialist at the Maryland State Arts Council, he co-founded and directed the Maryland Traditions program from 2000-2007. He founded and is a co-director of the Baltimore Rhythm Festival.