2024-25 National Cohort: Mid-America Arts Alliance

Victoria Botero | Liberty, Missouri

Teaching Artist, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Starlight Theatre

Victoria Botero, a Colombian American soprano, founded The Cecilia Series to bring inclusive performances to traditional concert halls. Her innovative and critically acclaimed concerts explore global themes through the lenses of gender, race, and identity. According to the Kansas City Star, “Soprano Victoria Botero is one of Kansas City’s most passionate and caring performers. A concert by Botero is more than just a recital of beautiful songs; it’s a reflection on the human condition.”

Her latest production, “Gabo: A Love Letter,” is a theatrical and musical adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s work. Botero holds a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from the Catholic University of America and dual master’s degrees in voice and musicology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her performance repertoire spans medieval to modern music, including traditional songs in more than 15 languages.

Botero’s opera credits include performances with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Union Avenue Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Wichita Grand Opera, and Tulsa Opera. She has appeared as a soloist with the Kansas City Symphony, Banda Sinfónica de Pereira, St. Joseph Symphony, Kansas City Wind Symphony, Kansas City Baroque Consortium, Baker University Festival, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, TEDxKC, and L’Istituto di Musica Antica in Milan.

A dedicated educator, Botero serves as a teaching artist with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Starlight Theatre.

Ashley Hoskins | Houston, Texas

Founder, The Free Black Women’s Library HTX

Ashley Hoskins, a Houston resident, is an advocate for using literary arts to inspire self-discovery. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Hampton University and a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

In 2019, Hoskins founded The Free Black Women’s Library HTX, an extension of The Free Black Women’s Library created by OlaRonke Akinmowo. The Houston-based library is a social art initiative focused on amplifying Black women’s voices and creativity. It travels throughout the city with a collection of books written by Black women, engaging the community through book swaps, art installations, author readings, discussions, and cultural conversations.

Hoskins also highlights Black women writers’ literary and artistic contributions as a teaching artist with Writers in the Schools. She believes creative writing can help students transcend cultural inequalities and connect with their true selves. Committed to creating inclusive learning spaces, Hoskins challenges the centering of whiteness in literature, encouraging students to explore creative self-expression free from restrictive norms. Her teaching philosophy prioritizes learning and growth through the writings, teachings, and creativity of Black women.

EunKyung Jeong | Weatherford, Oklahoma

Art Educator

EunKyung Jeong, a Korean American art educator, artist, arts administrator, and community activist, is dedicated to ensuring equal access to the arts and education. She serves on the board of directors for the Westcentral Oklahoma Literacy Coalition and is a member of the Online Consortium of Oklahoma’s Open Educational Resources committee.

Jeong has taught college-level studio art courses for 25 years and has managed community arts programs in rural Oklahoma for two decades. These programs include the Visiting Artist Program, the Saturday Art Program, and the Collaborative Tapestry Project.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and a Master of Fine Arts from SUNY New Paltz, as well as a Master of Business Administration and a doctoral degree in fine arts from Texas Tech University. A Fulbright Scholar, Jeong focuses her research on the democratization of access to the arts, culture, and education.

Alajia McKizia | Omaha, Nebraska

Founder, The Joy Ambition

Alajia McKizia is a community organizer with more than eight years of experience promoting equity, creativity, and cultural preservation. She is the founder of The Joy Ambition, a grassroots arts nonprofit dedicated to making creativity accessible as a source of healing and joy. She also serves as program coordinator for the Kiewit Luminarium, where she develops dynamic, community-centered programming.

A recent participant in the CIRCLE YLLC Leadership Cohort, McKizia takes a thoughtful, collaborative approach to her work. She founded Juneteenth JoyFest, a Black arts and culture festival that has grown from a backyard gathering to an event attracting more than 1,300 attendees and generating $25,000 for Omaha’s Black economy, primarily benefiting Black artists and entrepreneurs. She has also spearheaded placemaking projects, such as coordinating a mural for the North Omaha Trail to address environmental racism and activate public spaces.

Through initiatives like Sunday Soul, a series highlighting women poets, musicians, and changemakers, and programs supporting seniors, McKizia bridges generational gaps and celebrates ancestral legacies. A recipient of the Populus Fund Grant, she continues to lead initiatives that honor history while fostering a creative and equitable future. Her work exemplifies the power of storytelling, leadership, and the arts to bring about meaningful change.

Andi Meyer | Roeland Park, Kansas

Producing Artistic Director, Tradewind Arts

Andi Meyer (she/her) (AEA) is an award-winning Kanaka ʻŌiwi/Asian American theater maker and activist, arts educator, and parent based in Wyandotte, Osage, Kikapoo, Kansa, Sioux, and Otoe Missouria territories (Kansas City). An alumna of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Department of Theatre, she is now the producing artistic director of Tradewind Arts, a boutique arts organization devoted to illuminating, motivating, and amplifying the voices of Native Hawaiian, Oceanic, and Asian American artists, as well as the artistic associate and casting director at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She is the president of Ke Aliʻi Bernice Pauahi Paki Hawaiian Civic Club of Kansas City, where she works to grow community across the Native Hawaiian diaspora through engagement in cultural practices.

Meyer was a 2017–18 Charlotte Street Foundation studio resident. Her directing credits include Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them, #RepresentationMatters/Changing the Narrative, Justice at War, Poor Clare, and Nomad Motel, co-directed with Ian Crawford. Her work has been recognized with support from ArtsKC, Theatre Communications Group, Asian Arts Initiative, National Audio Theatre Workshop, Kauffman Foundation, Charlotte Street Foundation, Johnson County Library, InterUrban ArtHouse, and the Dramatists Guild Fund. She has also contributed to two National Endowment for the Arts award-winning projects in partnership with The Coterie Theatre, Hana’s Suitcase and Justice at War.

Meyer has performed in productions at The Unicorn Theatre, The New Theatre, The Coterie, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and Disney’s Spirit of Aloha.

Melissa Mitchell | Little Rock, Arkansas

Economy Advisor, Little Rock

Melissa Mitchell is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in organizational management, program development, and community engagement. As the creative economy advisor for the city of Little Rock, she has played a pivotal role in fostering innovation and opportunity within the local arts and creative sectors. Most recently, Mitchell spearheaded iCREATE, a dynamic citywide initiative designed to connect, develop, and facilitate opportunities for local creatives. This initiative promotes collaboration, professional growth, and economic sustainability within the creative community, aligning with the city’s vision for a vibrant, inclusive cultural economy.

Mitchell brings more than a decade of expertise in strategic planning, policy development, and project management, with a strong focus on leveraging partnerships to achieve impactful results. Her career highlights include designing accelerator programs for youth and adults pursuing creative careers, as well as leading federally funded workforce development projects for underserved populations. Through her leadership roles with organizations including Goodwill Industries and YouthBuild, Mitchell has consistently delivered results, including securing and managing multimillion-dollar federal grants, developing compliance frameworks, and cultivating collaborative partnerships across sectors.

Mitchell’s work reflects her commitment to empowering individuals and strengthening communities through innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions. Her ability to assess community needs, foster meaningful connections, and deliver transformative programming makes her an invaluable leader in the creative economy and beyond.