Stillwater Community Education

(b. 1992) is a blooming neuro/quirky agender poet and curator. their practice is rooted in an ongoing self-study and co-creative process with their ancestors, intrinsically aligned with their spiritual practice. they are currently focused on projects that include intuitive, epistolary, and ekphrastic prose/poetry; speculative storytelling that unearths and gives shape to black transcestors in the collective imaginary; and documenting the intimate tales of her lineage. folaṣade is a current fellow with the emerging curators institute. folaṣade has self-published a poetry chapbook titled bodies are deep wells and several other prose/poetry zines. she has additionally published writing with saint paul almanac, blue earth review, the kitchen, hair+nails and mn women’s press.

folaṣade is a member of the curatorial team studio art grime destroy and stewards a mutual aid project called community tithes. she is an aspiring flower farmer and beekeeper. she was born and raised on ohlone lands, currently living on anishinaabe + dakota lands with her cat parsley.

Janyesha Jackson has been working for Now. Make. Art. since 2025. She is a youth worker, artist, and facilitator from the historic Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota. Their background is in youth work, where they have built a career centered on youth voice, equity, and process.

She began exploring visual art in 2020 and officially stepped into her identity as an artist after experiencing art therapy. Since then, they have developed and led art-based programming for young people, drawing on their earlier experience in performance art, including musical theater and choir.

In addition to her work with Now.Make.Art., Janyesha runs a face painting business and works as a data consultant in the youth development field.

Dralandra Larkins has been working for Now. Make. Art. since 2024. She is an award-winning poet, spoken word performer and editor in Minneapolis. Her work is featured in the MN Women’s Press, League of Minnesota Poets 2023 Agates Anthology, The Edge Magazine, and Insight News. She is the co-editor of two anthologies, Cracked Walnut’s Rewilding Hope and The Nations Underground: Writing With Our Ancestors. She has performed her spoken word poetry for the NAACP, Button Poetry, Mill City Museum, MN State Capitol, Minnesota Black Authors Expo, the MN Black Business Ball, TruArtSpeaks, KFAI Radio, MN Public Radio and others.Her performances weave together words, rhythm, and intimacy to create a haven for healing, advocacy, and self-discovery.

She is a Minnesota Book Award poetry judge and has taught youth poetry and adult classes at The Loft, The Big Brothers Big Sisters Program, Hennepin County, Semilla Center for Healing, and at the University of MN Outreach Center. Dralandra was awarded a MN State Arts Board Creative Individual grant. Her poetic memoir and audiobook “Reveal” is scheduled to publish in 2025.

Broderick Poole has been working for Now. Make. Art. since 2025. He is a visual artist from St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood. He teaches art to kids in his community and sells pieces of his own. He’s been creating art for 25 plus years. His newest collection of art is inspired by a love of the Minnesota called HeArt of the Cities. All products are designed, screen printed, painted, hand cut and sewed in a vintage style by Broderick Poole.