Benjie Howard is the founder and executive director of New Wilderness Project, a wilderness based education program on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. He is the co-architect of Youth Equity Stewardship (YES!), an arts based inter-generational process preparing youth to be full partners in the work of school transformation. Benjie is the managing Deep Equity consultant with Corwin Press. He is the author of Separation Point, At the Edge of Wildness, Poems and photographs from the American Southwest. He’s a touring singer-songwriter with 3 albums, including his collaborative release BORDERLESS with Wade Antonio Colwell. Benjie is a river guide and wilderness educator and has been designing and leading educational expeditions for teachers, leaders and youth since 1999.
Wade Antonio Colwell is a learner. His calling to education involves serving school communities as a "creative catalyst" for deepening and healing relationships across generation and difference. As a rising advocate for systemic equity, inclusion and excellence, Wade understands the power in engaging the artistic modalities of song, spoken-word, movement, ceremony and restorative practice. He is the co-founder of Youth Equity Stewardship (YES!), an arts-based, experiential and inter-generational process of collectively uplifting our learning environments. His touring multi-media performance Borderless, with YES! Co-Founder Benjie Howard, is a cross-genre musical journey of folk & hip hop that examines the intersections of race, class, identity, immigration, sexual orientation and gender while rooted in environmental & indigenous peoples' justice. His professional journey includes roles as national consultant for Deep Equity / Corwin Press, co-founder/producer of pioneering academic hip hop duo Funkamentalz, lead restorative practices educator with New York City's Counseling in Schools, and curriculum specialist & founding poet laureate of Tucson Unified School District's Mexican-American / Raza Studies Department.
Willie is an honest and passionate educator who is deeply committed to helping all students achieve their educational goals and aspirations. He has spent much of his career as an instructor, mentor, and leader to diverse learning communities in Oakland, California.
Femi Andrades has made a name for herself as an artist development trainer and accomplished composer, her unique ability to weave art, education, and music offers a healing voice to the landscape of Social Justice.