Description goes hereFounder & Executive Director of TruArtSpeaks, Tish Jones is a poet, narrative strategist, cultural producer, consultant, and educator from Saint Paul, MN, with a deep and resounding love for Black people, arts & culture, youth development, and civic engagement. With over 15 years of experience in the classroom as a teaching artist,  Jones is  passionate about the arts as a tool for education, community building, personal and professional development, and social impact.

She has developed curriculum, published books and articles, served on panels, lectures and more. She has partnered, collaborated with, consulted with or facilitated leadership activities with and/or through The University of MN, The University of Wisconsin Madison, Words, Beats, & Life, Youth Speaks, The Kennedy Center, The Loft Literary Center, The Minnesota Department of Education, The McKnight Foundation and a host of other entities across the nation.

As a performance artist her work has been shared in venues throughout the United States. Her writing can be found in We Are Meant to Rise (University of Minnesota Press, 2021), A Moment of Silence (Tru Ruts and The Playwrights Center, 2020), the Minnesota Humanities Center’s anthology entitled, Blues Vision: African American Writing from Minnesota (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2015) and more.

Jones is grateful to have been supported through grants, fellowships, and awards from The Jerome Foundation, The Intercultural Leadership Institute, Springboard for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board and more. The generous support that she has received over the years has allowed her to excavate the kind of stories that chart new worlds— she is eternally grateful.iption goes here

Umo is a Certified Life Coach, facilitator and trainer on topics related to Self- Development/Transformation and Spirituality. She is passionate about helping people discover their brilliance and live to their full potential. She is of the Coaching school that believes that we are all naturally creative, resourceful, and whole and so thrives in unleashing the best from her clients. Umo designs and leads Transformational Retreats for women. She volunteers in the community in different capacities, and until recently, served as a facilitator for the Loss of Spouse Grief Group through Minnesota Valley Youth Grief Services ( now Brighter Days Family Grief Center) since its inception in 1999. She worked as a Chaplain for 25 years. She knits for fun and as a self-care practice. Umo earned her Master of Arts degree in Youth and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary St. Paul, MN and Master of Divinity Degree from United Theological Seminary, New Brighton, MN. She is an Ordained Minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown is an African American queer pastor, educator, author, and activist with more than two decades of experience advocating for underrepresented communities. With a heart for community and access for all, she stands - and activates - as a truth-teller at the intersection of faith, education, and justice. 

Conversationally fluent in three languages, she has served as a diversity trainer and community educator, continuing to be a fierce advocate for underrepresented and marginalized communities. Pastor Jia's passion to increase accessibility of affordable academic and enrichment opportunities for youth and families (including her own) led her to design - and facilitate - more than 160 educational programs in the Twin Cities, receiving a Congressional Award for her community-centered leadership in 2015. 

Equipped with a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary, an interfaith spiritual direction certification, and a Doctorate of Ministry from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in the field of “Social Transformation”, Rev. Dr. Starr Brown is ordained in The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is the Founding Pastor of “The Stable” - an online learning space with an emphasis on decolonization. 

Dr. Jia has authored two social justice facilitator guides for youth and adult leaders in ministry, published by Sparkhouse. She is the designer of the ACTION Project, a three-year antiracism program that was selected to be a part of Minnesota Council of Churches’ Truth and Reparations initiative in 2023, which has now expanded to operate on its own nationwide.

For more information, please visit: https://jiastarrbrown.com/

Anthony Galloway is a partner at the Dendros Group and continues to serve in leadership and on the boards of several local non-profits. Anthony worked in education for over 20 years leading professional development and youth programming in various capacities including executive director of the ARTS-Us center for the African Diaspora and the board of Tru-Art Speaks Arts and Culture Organization. Anthony carries coaching certifications through several professional organizations and is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He specializes in intercultural development, workplace culture development and ethnic studies with a focus on intercultural discourse. Anthony has a bachelor's degree in ethnic studies and a masters of divinity from Luther Seminary. Anthony is also a founding member of the award winning “Counterstories” podcast which carries awards from the National Association of Black Journalists. Anthony also serves as the Pastor of St. Wayman AME Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a board member at the Minnesota Council of Churches. Anthony’s approach to cultural competence and racial consciousness development is driven by his love of history, his work locally and internationally around reconciliation, and his love of human interaction.

Anthony has evening and weekend availability.

Cristina Benz (she/her) is an educator, artist, racial equity leader, transformational coach, and yoga teacher who is passionate about building community and fostering meaningful connections. She holds a B.A. in Art Education from St. Catherine University and participated in the Minneapolis Teachers Institute (2013) and the National Art Strategies Fellowship (2019), where her passion for racial equity work deepened.

Cristina earned her M.Ed. from Hamline University in 2017 and is currently pursuing an Ed.S. degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She brings over 18 years of experience in K–12 education, having served as a Visual Arts Teacher, Educational Equity Coordinator, and currently as a District Program Facilitator supporting new-to-career educators and adult learning.

Her journey has fueled a passion for healing through the arts and yoga, collective learning, and supporting others in their personal growth through her business, Mother Tree Learning & Wellness. As a practicing artist, Cristina works with ceramics, watercolor, and mixed-media. When she isn’t coaching, teaching, or creating art, you can find her practicing or leading yoga classes, workshops, and events that integrate artistic expression and creative practices.ion goes here