ArtLab Interns to Host “Conversations with Gen Z” at 48 Hours Summit

CONVERSATIONS WITH GEN Z: SOLUTIONARIESDATE and LOCATION: 11am - 12pm Saturday, August 10th at Redline, 2350 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO 80205

This year at RedLine’s 24 Hour Block Party, the ArtLab interns will host Conversations with Gen Z. Acting as “solutionaries” the interns will host conversations with community members who are taking measures to heal, grow and evolve into new visions through culture. Participants will be asked to check their judgements at the door and open to conversations that seek to connect to our shared humanity and find common ground for creative solutions.

Below is a list of our esteemed guests.Alejandro Fuentes Mena was one of the first two DACAmented teachers in the nation through Teach For America and is now in his sixth year of teaching in Colorado. He volunteers with The Colorado Rapid Response Network and is a Moonshot alum who plans to open up a school focused on arts integration, called RADICAL Arts Academy of Denver. He has also been in a TedX Talk, is part of the UndocuAmerica Project, and was included a documentary called "Five DREAMERS, " all with the topic of humanizing undocumented lives. He regularly performs in an a-cappella group, the StoryTellers303, and sings in the band, the Pink Hawks.Nicole Taylor transitioned into higher education after a 17-year career with DHS, where she currently serves as the Diversity Officer for Outreach, Enrollment and Recruitment for the Community College of Denver (CCD). In her position she strives to bring awareness of cultural competencies, social justice, and its impact within the academy of faculty, staff and students. Currently she serves as co-chair elect for CCD’s Diversity and Inclusion Council; appointee to the Colorado Community College System Equity and Inclusion Council; Board of Directors elect for both PlatteForum and Think360Arts; and Mayoral appointee to the Denver Latino Commission.

Ronnie "Qi" Harvey is co-founder of Apprentice of Peace Wellness Center and author of "Apprentice of Peace: An Uncommon Dialogue." He engages community youth through the Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization, a 16 week program focused on youth development by exposing participants to different enrichment's and trades and creating a Goal/Plan/Strategy, while challenging them to be their best.

Will Chan is the Deputy Director for the Mayor's office of the North Denver Cornerstone Collaborative. Chan’s community service commitment runs deep, including work with Denver Public Schools’ Bond and Mill Oversight Committee; chairing the Denver County Cultural Council with the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, distributing tax-funded grants to smaller arts organizations in Denver and the seven-county metro area; and an appointment to former President Obama’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where he led outreach activities in six Western states to educate, engage and empower young leaders in education, mental health, pathways to public service, and immigration.

Michael Acuña, aka Acuña Black, aka Ill Se7en, is an activist, a poet, an underground-hip-hop artist, an educator and a curator. Civic engagement has become Acuña’s art, and the relationship between race, culture and power is an obsession.

Dylan Scholinski is a distinguished artist, author, and public speaker. His award winning book "The Last Time I Wore a Dress: A Memoir" was listed in the Top 10 Must Reads in Out Magazine's first transgender issue. Dylan is the founder/witness for the Sent(a)Mental Project : A Memorial to Suicide. He spends much of his time working in his studio, public speaking and creating zines.

Moe Gram is a local artist, designer and owner of the fine art brand Moe Gram Art & Lifestyle, LLC. Currently Gram is the Fine Arts Educator at STRIVE Prep Green Valley Ranch Middle School and sitting board member of Birdseed Collective. Gram also partners with Odessa to cultivate the Creatives at Roundish Tables community, who meets monthly to engage in a wide range of round table discussions. The Moe Gram Art & Lifestyle brand remains active in the Denver and Aurora Cultural Arts Districts as a Fine Art Education and Community Enrichment Resource.

Lisa Flores represents Denver Public Schools’ Region 5. For the past 25 years, Lisa has worked in the nonprofit, local government and philanthropic sectors. She spent nine years as a senior program officer for the Gates Family Foundation, leading the capital grants program and later an education initiative. Lisa began her career at Mi Casa Resource Center for Women and the Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council. From 1998-2003, she served as executive director of Denver Inner City Parish. She also served as senior staff for former Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. Lisa has continued her commitment to volunteer community service by participating on numerous community boards, including the DPS Bond/Mill Community Advisory Committee and later the Mill Oversight Committee, Denver’s Road Home – Resource Allocation Committee, the Latina Initiative, NARAL Colorado, the Children’s Museum of Denver and the Denver Housing Authority.  Currently, she is an appointed commissioner for the Denver Public Library.

   About ArtLabArtLab is an innovative year-round, out-of-school program for under-resourced high school youth that integrates the creative process and arts-based learning with academic, personal and professional skills.Our ArtLab program is generously supported by Vectra Bank, Bonfils Stanton Foundation, Riverfront Park, Land Title Guarantee CO, SCFD and the Dresner Foundation.For more details about the 48 Hours Summit, click HERE.