IT'S A SOCIAL MOVEMENT.

Stan Padilla is a multi-disciplinary artist, educator and cultural artist with disciplines including drawing, painting, muralism, and jewelry making. He has exhibited his work internationally with works included in prominent collections. As an educator he has been a longtime consultant in Indian education programs, as an art instructor at Sierra College, community and cultural centers.

He has been an artist in residence in community schools for over ten years with the California Arts Council. He is associated with the International Waldorf education movement. 
The Sierra Nevada is an inspiration for his artwork and life. He is an interpretive guide for the Sutter Buttes, on the advisory board of the Maidu Interpretive Center and leads groups to the American River Tours in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. In cultural exchange programs he has travelled to Russia, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Born in 1945, Padilla is of Yaqui Indian and Mexican/Chicano heritage. A Placer County Arts Council recognizes Padilla as an artist/mentor of “All Colors of the Earth Wisdom Project”.

Chris Owens is self-proclaimed Hip Hop enthusiast and song writer from Auburn CA. Heavily influenced by the Hip Hop culture; he has been writing songs and poetry for about 9 years and performing them for 5. Over the years Hip Hop has become a powerful outlet, helping him find his own identity along the way. He recognizes this culture as a tool for self-empowerment and is on a mission to pass the torch to other aspiring artists. Over the years his love for word play has taken him many places, such as performing live shows with respected Hip Hop legends, competing in multiple poetry contests, emcee competitions, the Sacramento rap scene and even teaching multiple writing workshops around our community. Looking at Hip Hop as more than a self-empowering tool, but ALL empowering too his mission is to spread positivity in Hip Hop while staying true to the roots of the culture and putting out great music.

From a young age Ashely’s parents encouraged her already abundant creativity as a method of assisting her human and spiritual development. At age 15, she began painting in response to the conflict between her internal and external environment, and as a means for internal exploration. Her work is influenced by a deep and profound love for Life & Nature, and is guided by knowing that beauty is a powerful tool for  cultural transformation. Primarily a painter, she also writes and practices energy healing. She is currently living and working in Nevada City, CA.

With 25 years of experience, Michael has worked with youth in a variety of settings.  While employed by the City of Sacramento Recreation Department, he planned, facilitated, and coordinated recreational activities and programs as a Recreation Aide and Program Coordinator. Most recently, he serves as the Program Director for Wind Youth Services, an agency that provides services for homeless and at-risk youth ages 11 to 22.  In that role, he was responsible for the supervision of the numerous programs that operated at the Wind Center, and provided support, guidance, and leadership to the staff that provided direct service to the youth. The passion that Michael has for developing programs for youth, as well as working directly working with them, is equally matched by his passion for and knowledge of Hip Hop culture.  He has been facilitating The Cypher Hip Hop Workshops, a youth empowerment thru Hip Hop culture program, at public schools and other community based programs in the Sacramento area since the spring of 2009.

Elle Beyer is Co-Founder of Free Flow Academy, founding member of Eagle & Hawk PK, and founding member of NeoFlow Parkour.  She is a serial entrepreneur, mother of 4, and has a physical fitness background of 14+ years Kung Fu and Martial Arts, and 25+ years of movement arts experience.  She also has an entertainment background (under the name Elle Bennett), having traveled the world as a working stunt woman, actress, model, and sports newscaster/journalist.  She believes in creating the holistic athlete/artist and growing specific industries that have the potential to fill current needs while promoting overall health, longevity, environmental awareness, community, and humanity.  Bruce Lee's teachings heavily influence Elle's philosophies on the learning and growth of an artist. She is an accomplished entrepreneur in terms of social and environmental impact and creating sustainable business plans and models. She is the guiding force behind Free Flow Academy in terms of overall vision, creating additional and sustainable revenue streams, market research analysis, and shaping the industry in a way that has a positive impact that is unique in style, but fundamental in form. Aside from her own companies, she has also worked extensively in the non-profit sector, creating and orchestrating fitness, artistic, and leadership programs for youth, as well as designing and coordinating events, camps, and overall business models and structures to promote cost effective, and affordable programming.

Visual Artist, Douglas Kleinsmith is student and an incredible young artist from Placer County. His art can be found all throughout our area, on walls and canvases, alike. Douglas has been sought out for a number of community projects, murals and special events. His work has been displayed at local art galleries and has helped raise awareness about Graffiti as an art form and not just something being associated with crime. Specializing in various mediums, ranging from oils & acrylics to aerosols, watercolors & more. Douglas' art so is colorful & engaging.