Willard Jenkins is a journalist, broadcaster and arts consultant based in the D.C. area. A recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts' A.B. Spellman Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy, Jenkins currently serves as the aristic director of the DC Jazz Festival.

Todd Marcus is one of the few artists worldwide to focus on the bass clarinet as a main instrument in modern jazz with his small and large ensembles. His straight-ahead playing and compositions swing with fiery intensity balanced with delicate introspection. His music offers a strong melodic sensibility, draws from elements of his community work, and often incorporate the Middle Eastern influences of his Egyptian-American heritage. Follow him at: http://www.toddmarcusjazz.com

Seth Kibel is a woodwind specialist (clarinet, flute, saxophone) currently residing in Baltimore, Maryland. His most recent album, "Clown With A Stick," was released in 2023 on the Azalea City Recordings record label.

Paul Carr is a saxophonist, educator, and producer who has recorded 9 CDs as a leader. Carr is founder and artistic director of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. In 2014, he received the 2014 Benny Golson Jazz Master Award from Howard University.

Rhome Anderson is a DJ, writer, music producer and cultural curator born, bred and based in Washington, D.C.

Mathew Schumer is a freelance reporter and photographer based in Washington, DC. He covers local and national politics, in addition to writing about music and culture in DC. Mathew is originally from Connecticut and studied journalism at the University of Maryland.

Bryan Jenkins is a postdoc researcher at Howard University. His research centers the experiences of marginalized groups and explores the connections between art and health.

Kaila Philo is a writer based in Washington, D.C. Her writing has been published in The New Republic, The Baffler, Talking Points Memo, The Fader, and more. She currently works as a research and writing fellow with the African American Policy Forum.