Robin Haines Merrill is an Artist-Missionary with 30 years of experience in the areas of faith-based and environmental stewardship, outreach and economic development. She serves as the Founder and Executive Director of the Christian Cultural Development Foundation (CCDF), a non-profit organization providing creative alternatives to people in prostitution, street children, HIV-AIDS patients, and human trafficking victims from around the world. CCDF has two non-profit businesses for its economic development projects: Mission Gifts, a Fair Trade retail store, and the Upper Room Art Gallery. Under her direction the gallery and gift shop have received several honors and awards including the Miami Knight Arts Challenge 2013, Gold Coast Magazine “Best of South Florida 2012”, the 2010 EDITORS CHOICE Award from South Florida Parenting Magazine, “Most Unique Gallery” from Kids Crown Awards, and “Best Art Gallery in Downtown Fort Lauderdale 2008” from GORiverwalk Magazine of the Riverwalk Trust.
Laurencia Strauss is a non-binary queer mixed Latinx first generation US artist and landscape designer based in Miami. Their participatory projects, interventions, and community-based designs have been shared nationally and internationally as experiences of mutual vulnerability and care that challenge us to adapt towards a greater sense of interdependence. Amidst social and environmental justice, their work attends to grief as a catalyst.
Jared Jacobs grew up in the diverse wetlands of the Midwest where the diversity of life around him painted a clear picture into his future. After beginning his education within the environmental sciences, it did not take him long to find a handheld home video camera to help him shed light and share the expansive diversity of Ohio wetlands to his classmates. His passion for water only grew in College where he became extremely involved with his colleagues and instructors researching, filming, increasing political and physical advocacy for the watersheds of Lake Erie. Receiving professional training from WBGU-PBS made landing his first independent video journalism project with the Great Lakes Water Keepers Alliance possible. He was well on his way to becoming a career advocate. Jared is now working in the heart of Miami building his skills as a storyteller and organizer within the Paradise Key Community helping solve climate issues alongside the city’s most progressive team of creatives, BeeFree Media. As a team Jared is part of Miami’s ascent into a more connected and sustainable South Florida Community.
Flash is a community organizer, art director, event manager, street promoter, poet and networking conduit. As an activist for progressive causes for over 25 years, Flash has demonstrated some unique talents to balance the dynamics of production, movement philosophy, team management and social outreach. Utilizing Art Activism as a platform for connecting social issues with artistic reflection. Flash produces events that instill solidarity with others through art, music, performance, education and creative interaction. The essence of Art Activism allows individuals to express themselves in a conscious format that transcends traditional boundaries to relate with others. This decentralization of expression shifts the power from the podium and reaches the vitality of the populace.
A born artist, Jean has been drawing since his earliest memories allow him to recall. Working mainly in the arena of oil paint, Jean has expanded into other mediums such as acrylic, spray, digital illustration, Animation, 3D modeling, even crafts and techniques utilizing a combination of those mediums. Jean’s work has turned to the realm of what he’s calling “Activation Art” with an emphasis on sound and color therapy. These skills have brought him into the film production industry where he does everything from direct, produce, film, interview and assist. Jean’s stories revolve around History, Culture and Environment here in South Florida. With several successful productions under his belt and more in the works, Jean continues gathering experience in this field.
Dudley Alexis is a graphic designer, artist, and filmmaker based in Miami, Florida. With a background as a former advertising executive, Dudley brings extensive experience in branding, web design, social media marketing, and market campaign development to his creative work. His diverse skill set allows him to craft compelling visual narratives and effective marketing strategies that engage and inspire audiences.
Robin Haines Merrill is an Artist-Missionary with 30 years of experience in the areas of faith-based and environmental stewardship, outreach and economic development. She serves as the Founder and Executive Director of the Christian Cultural Development Foundation (CCDF), a non-profit organization providing creative alternatives to people in prostitution, street children, HIV-AIDS patients, and human trafficking victims from around the world. CCDF has two non-profit businesses for its economic development projects: Mission Gifts, a Fair Trade retail store, and the Upper Room Art Gallery. Under her direction the gallery and gift shop have received several honors and awards including the Miami Knight Arts Challenge 2013, Gold Coast Magazine “Best of South Florida 2012”, the 2010 EDITORS CHOICE Award from South Florida Parenting Magazine, “Most Unique Gallery” from Kids Crown Awards, and “Best Art Gallery in Downtown Fort Lauderdale 2008” from GORiverwalk Magazine of the Riverwalk Trust.
Experienced Grants Administrator with a demonstrated history of working in the performing arts industry. Skilled in Event Management, Mac, Art Direction, Management, and Adobe Photoshop. Strong community and social services professional with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) focused in Photography from San Francisco Art Institute.
Aiyesha is a multidisciplinary Remote Sensing and Geospatial graduate student and professional with a unique blend of traditional and non-traditional expertise. Passionate about the intersections of technology and humanity in emerging climate contexts, Aiyesha focuses on humane UX/UI, machine learning, and AI applications for Big Data in Coastal, Island Archipelagic, and Transoceanic Geospatial Research. With a strong interest in cultural resilience and environmental adaptation, her work leverages advanced tools like Google Earth Engine, Python, R, ArcPro, and QGIS/Orpheus. She is also FAA Part 107 certified as a Remote Pilot-In-Command.
Houston R. Cypress grew up in the swamps of the Florida Everglades, blazing trails through the bush. The endangered beauty of the natural environment made such an impression on him during his childhood – being a refuge for his ancestors and the source of traditional plant medicines – that he grew to find ways to articulate strategies for preserving this World Heritage Site.Art, conflict management, facilitation, multimedia communications, gender diversity and spirituality are some of the disciplines and priorities that he contributes through his collaborations with the following organizations):
