Bay Davis — A South-Central LA-based poet, model, and cultural curator working at the intersection of Black trans liberation, abolition, and intimate survival. As a Black trans woman and Afro-Indigenous artist, Bay’s “ancestrally informed wordsmanship” moves through structural racism, gender identity, and communal disparities with rare clarity — landing as readily on slam stages as in universities. A voice that doesn’t ask for permission.

M.A. Tiesenga — Los Angeles-based saxophonist, composer, and interdisciplinary artist whose work moves between composed and improvised forms. A long-time collaborator and lead saxophonist with the Grammy-nominated ensemble Wild Up, M.A. brings a skronky, sound-forward sensibility to soprano and tenor — extending into visual art and animation. Recent releases include Heavy Earth (2025) and the duet album Empty Vessels with Shiroishi.

Maia The Artíst — A multi-dimensional expressionist and Grammy-nominated artist based in Los Angeles, Maia is a longtime member of the legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra and the AACM of Chicago. A bandleader, composer, and vocalist proficient across flute, harp, vibraphone, and mallet percussion, her work moves through tradition and improvisation with equal authority. Her presence on stage is a conversation across generations.

Mekala Session — LA-based drummer, composer, and bandleader — known to his community as Mickey — rooted in the city’s jazz lineage through the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. Mekala threads improvised jazz with hip-hop, experimental, and electronic textures, collaborating with artists like Petter and Àbáse. A player who holds time and bends it.