We are thrilled to announce the Replenish Residents for 2023-2024: Alina Allen, Ifátùmínínú Bámigbálà Arẹ̀sà, Pamela Pierre Brown, Kimberly Denesse, Jonathan Jackson, Kelly Love Jones, Kristal M2daE Jones, Kr3wcial, Ayanna Molina, and Juan Pardo.  Replenish Residencies provide restorative visioning retreats to Greater New Orleans BIPOC artists and culture bearers.

Therapeutic and healing are the two words that Alina Allen always uses to describe her artwork. Allowing herself to be free and create whatever her spirit tells her, the materials she uses are acrylics and oil paints on canvas and wood panels. As a black woman, she believes it is imperative to paint black people, and her inspirations derive from stories of her ancestors interpreted in a beautiful light

Ifátùmínínú Bamgbàlà Arẹs̀à is a multidisciplinary artist, activist and educator born and raised in New Orleans. Ifátùmínínú suppressed her creative side for a decade before moving to Tanzania, where she was reborn. She continues to actively work across the diaspora by building and maintaining relationships in the Motherland.

Pamela Pierre Brown, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Certified Holistic Health Advocate accredited through the State of New York and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Private Chef, Caterer, and Owner of Gourmet Sacred Soul Kitchen Therapy & Catering. With a deep-rooted dedication to preserving the traditions of New Orleans, Pamela combines her culinary expertise and holistic nutrition studies to guide and educate clients toward improved nutrition, dietary habits, physical ability, and overall greater health and wellness.

Kimberly Denesse is the independent creator of Fat Girl Friendly and Female Rage Fiction novels as well as stage productions. Her most recent book, Not All Women Wear Hot Pants, Some Carry Guns, is a collection of short stories featuring Women as the catalysts for revenge, redemption, and restoration.

Jonathan Isaac Jackson is a New Orleanian filmmaker and Managing Partner at The Colored Section. His first feature documentary, “Big Chief, Black Hawk”, was broadcast on WORLD Channel and was a winner of best documentary at The Black Film Festival of New Orleans and The Newark Black Film Festival, as well as nominated for Best Documentary by American Black Film Festival (2021) and the Black Reel Awards (2022), and was named the top Hollywood South film of 2021 by nola.com. Jonathan continues to work on creating a cinematic language that can continue to bring the African Diaspora together by highlighting the celebrations of black communities as a connection to their ancestors as he continues his studies as a student of cinema.

Kelly Love Jones is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer/director and has produced and directed two productions titled “Pitch Dark“ and “Trust” and both evoked the spirit of imagination and intrigue. Jones graduated with a degree in Video Production with a focus on sound engineering. Jones’s artistic, creative, and cultural work is centered at the heart of healing, empowerment, and forgiveness.

Kristal M2daE Jones (pronounced M-to-Da-E) is a self-taught, community-developed choreographer, mover, and instructor. Her style of dance is a blend of many different styles of dance ranging from Hip Hop, Bounce, Contemporary, Latin, and more. With an interest in intuitive/ expressive, healing movement, Kristal believes that the body is our first home, and we have to make it the healthiest and most comfortable space for ourselves by being our full selves.

Kr3wcial is a Hip Hop artist, producer, and engineer from Algiers in New Orleans. He has been performing and creating music for over seven years. Recently he has performed at the Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans Pelican games, and many other stages and places all over North America with his collective “glbl wrmng.”

As a creative poet/spoken word/hip hop artist and performer Ayanna Molina, affectionately known as “Mama Fiyah”. Raised in the arms of New Orleans, Ayanna’s vibe is an eclectic mix of poetry, spoken word, and Hip Hop. Her work is dedicated to uplifting women and using Hip Hop as a tool to teach young people.

Big Chief Juan Pardo, the chief of the Golden Comanche Mardi Indian Tribe, is a culture bearer of New Orleans. He has 20 years of experience in the arts of music, beading and is also a published author. He has worked in Hollywood films and has been a consultant on culture in New Orleans. Big Chief has traveled the world, bringing his culture to foreign lands.

SEMIFINALISTS
Maaliyah Papillion, and Delise Hampton.

JURORS
Nia DeCoux, Fernando Lopez, Greer Mendy, Asante Salaam, Walter Sandifer III, and Ayo Scott.