Aïcha Bastien-N’Diaye, from the Huron-Wendat Nation, was introduced to movement through Guinean traditional dance while growing up in Wendake. Naturally blending her strong cultural influences, her passion for the physicality and expressiveness of dance quickly led her to pursue professional training at L’École de danse de Québec.

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Using her voice to inspire her communities, both on social media and on stage, Aïcha sees movement as a powerful tool for change and innovation.

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A multidisciplinary artist, she showcased her work "Dance Your Anxiety Away" in an installation by Slow Factory at MoMA PS1 in New York. She has also performed in Émilie Monnet’s play Marguerite, Le Feu. More recently, she opened for Caroline Monnet at the Indigenous Futurism fashion show at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, co-hosted seasons 2 and 3 of Décoloniser l’histoire, a web series produced by Picbois Productions, and co-directed the show YAHWATSIRA’, presented at the Carrefour International de Théâtre.As co-founder and artistic director of Studio Le Feu, she is currently focused on directing and creating visuals within the artistic and commercial industries.

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Dejha Carrington is a practitioner and leader in the arts.

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In 2017, Dejha co-founded Commissioner, an art membership that helps peoplecollect the work of contemporary artists in their cities. She serves as ExecutiveDirector and has thus far introduced the program in Miami, Detroit, New York,Montreal, Mexico City, and New Orleans.

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From 2015 to 2022, Dejha served as Vice President of Strategic Communications for YoungArts, the national foundation forthe advancement of artists. Previously, she led public relations initiatives with Kimball Art Museum, the Medellin Biennial inColombia, and the National Film Board of Canada.

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Dejha is a board member of the national performance arts funder MAP Fund in New York, and The Black School, an experimental schoolhouse in New Orleans. She is also a professional advisory member of Miami-Dade Art In Public Places, New York University’s Center for Black Visual Culture, and University of Miami’s Center for Global Black Studies. 

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Dejha teaches the Business of Art at New World School of the Arts at Miami-Dade College.

Diane Gistal is a cultural producer and independent curator of Haitian-French descent, recognized for her dedication to promoting Afro-descendant and African artistic creation. As the founder and director of Nigra Iuventa, she works to amplify the practices of visual artists from these communities. With expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as extensive experience in cultural project management, Diane is a committed leader in Quebec’s cultural sector.Her career has led her to collaborate with prestigious institutions such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Phi Foundation, the Goethe-Institut, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Le Livart, and the UNESCO Chair DCMET. Her curatorial practice—at the crossroads of visual arts, literature, and the humanities—delves into the literary, visual, and cinematic representations of the Black Atlantic.