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OUR
MISSION:
To inspire and engage inner city youth through innovative hip hop arts
programs, leadership development and community building.
OUR
VISION:
With hip hop culture as our base, we will develop programs,
partnerships, collaborations, and campaigns to enhance the lives of
youth we work with and for. We envision Elementz being open as a
full-time after school program, where artistic, educational, and
entrepreneurial opportunities are available. By consistently listening
and providing relevant resources, we will build strong trust and
relationships and identify what our constituency needs in order to
continue to learn and grow. We will always work to support and develop
a pipeline of leadership that is connected to the community - at all
levels of the organization. Financial support will come from a broad
spectrum of individuals, businesses, foundations and others. Our vision
is to build a sustainable organization with a close connection to inner
city youth.
OUR
VALUES:
1. We treat all people with respect
2. We believe in the leadership ability of youth
3. We encourage innovation to create programs of relevance
4. We are committed to community-based leadership and grassroots
connections.
5. We work to keep our decision making transparent and open.
6. We value accountability to ourselves and our community
7. We believe in the positive power of hip hop culture
ELEMENTZ
STAFF:
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 Brother
Abdullah - Program Director
Email: abdullah@elementz.org
Abdullah first started out volunteering as a recording engineer at
Elementz during its opening year in 2005. He has since spent 4 years of
dedicated work at Elementz as the manager of the Audio Production
Program, as a facilitator of leadership development programs and as a
mentor to youth. Abdullah is currently the Program Director of
Elementz.
Abdullah
gained a great deal of insight in using music production and using
music as a tool for social change from his father Chris Powell who is a
musician, producer and the founder of the non-profit organization for
youth called S.T.A.R.S. Abdullah is a graduate of the University of
Cincinnati with a degree in Electronic Media, and is also certified in
Audio Recording and Studio Maintenance from the Recording Workshop. He
also is an alumnus of the AmeriCorps social services program. Through
his experience with media and social services he intends to direct
Elementz towards its goals of becoming a sustainable youth arts
organization that plays a major role in the development of its
community and that provides further opportunities for its members.
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 Tom Kent - Executive Director
Email: tkent@elementz.org
Tom
Kent is a long-time resident of Greater Cincinnati and consultant in
Information Technology. As Chair of the Outreach Board at Christ Church
Cathedral (Episcopal) in downtown Cincinnati, he has participated in a
multi-year effort to provide financial support to Elementz and other
non-profits who are working with youth in the core city. As a Board
member, Tom is pleased to work on finding community support for the
young artists who have found a home at Elementz. |
 Frank Morris - Hip Hop Artist/ Recording
Studio Assistant
Email: youngFnitty@yahoo.com
Frankie Morris a.k.a Young Frank Nitty or Nitty for short is 22 years
old and is from Downtown, Cincinnati. He is a hip hop artist
and Assistant Audio Engineer Instructor. His job is to lead
the way as an hip hop artist and teach the youth how to
record their music/lyrics, how to edit their recording and how to do a
basic mix their recording. Nitty has been an active member of
Elementz for 3 years since 2006. As a member he was an active
performing artist, a leader and student of audio production witch made
him eligible to work in the position he has today. Nitty is a proud
parent of one son. Nitty is also one of the original members of “Tha
LeaD” witch specializes in Leadership and artist
development. |
 Anthony Williams - Hip Hop Artist/ Recording Studio Assistant
Anthony Williams
also known as “Gamm” was born in Lincoln Heights but raised in various
neighborhoods in Cincinnati. He became familiar with Elementz as he was
attending Taft High school in 2005. He initially was interested in
Elementz because of his passion to pursue the music industry as a rap
artist. Since his membership at Elementz he has become more involved in
volunteering and has found interest in Elementz mission, vision and
values. In 2008 Gamm’s membership and service at Elementz led to an
employment opportunity through AmeriCorps. He currently is one of
Elementz most active performing artists and he assists in the recording
program, coordinating Elementz Showcases and is a member of "Tha Lead".
Gamm believes that his overall experience at Elementz has directed his
art skills and also influenced him to contribute to his community. |
 Aprina Johnson - Dance Instructor
Email: tookij_2@yahoo.com
Known around the city for her energetic articulate dancing, Aprina has
been honored to work with the youth as the Dance instructor at
Elementz. She has frequently been instructing dance workshops in
greater Cincinnati for the last 3 ½ years. Performances and workshops
within schools, festivals, libraries, and youth events have been apart
of her journey towards success. The more positive side of dance is a
great need at Elementz and that’s what Aprina is determined to
contribute. Instead of creating youth competitions, Aprina hopes to
continue to find ways for her youth to collaborate and connect with
others in the community. |
 Ben “Dayst”- Graffiti Arts Instructor
Email: dsrtistry@gmail.com
Benjamin has been painting graffiti-styled art off and on for about 9
years. For the past 7 years, he has been painting in what he believes
to be a more positive light. Benjamin has been teaching the graffiti
class since January of 2007. He is currently writing as "Dayst," which
is short for "Daystar." He hopes to help guide youth in the right
direction with their passion for the visual artistic element of hip hop. |
 DJ Apryl Reign - DJ instructor
Email: djapryl_reign@yahoo.com
April Carr aka, DJ Apryl Reign has been deejaying since 1996 and has
been teaching DJ Classes at Elementz since 2005. Her vast experience
and knowledge in this element of Hip-Hop has helped students explore
the many avenues that deejaying provides especially in the area of
entrepreneurship. She graduated from Dayton Dunbar High School and then
from Central State in 1997 with a degree in Psychology. |
ELEMENTZ BOARD:
 Peter Block
Peter Block is an
author, consultant, and citizen of Cincinnati, Ohio. His work is about
empowerment, stewardship, chosen accountability, and the reconciliation
of community. He is the author of several best selling books, the most
widely known being Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your
Expertise Used; Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest and
The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work. His latest
book is Community: The Structure of Belonging. Peter is the recipient
of the Organization Development Network's 2008 Lifetime Achievement
Award. In 2004 he received their first place Members' Choice Award,
which recognized Flawless Consulting as the most influential book for
OD practitioners over the past 40 years.
Peter is a partner in Designed Learning (www.designedlearning.com),
a training company that offers workshops designed by Peter to build the
skills outlined in his books.
With other volunteers in Cincinnati, Peter began A Small Group (www.asmallgroup.net),
whose work is to create a new community narrative and to bring his work
on civic engagement into being. He is active with Cincinnati Public
Radio and Elementz, a Hip Hop urban youth center.
He supports Elementz
because it values the gifts and talents of young people which is what
is most needed. They do not need to be fixed or changed. It is
welcoming place that accepts people where they are. Elementz is a place
where youth can discover the possibility that they are and understand
that we as a community need them.
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 Tanzee Miller
Tanzee
Miller is the newest board member to join Elementz spring
of 2010 She is committed to several of
service organizations that support children in the community.
A past board member National Black MBA
Association – Cincinnati Chapter,
Program Director for Jack and Jill of America - Cincinnati Chapter,
volunteer and tutor at the US Bank Boys and
Girls of America Club. Tanzee is
currently employed with Ethicon
Endo-Surgery, A Johnson and Johnson
family of companies in Blue Ash. She
is please to serve a group of diversely talented young people and will
focus
her efforts on marketing Elementz throughout greater Cincinnati.
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 Gavin Leonard
Gavin
Leonard is the State Director for Ohio’s Center for Progressive
Leadership, based in Cincinnati. He is a co-founder, and former
Executive Director of Elementz and transitioned onto the board in 2008.
Gavin worked for 5 years doing construction and project management for
community development corporations focused on affordable housing, also
in Cincinnati. Originally from Chicago, and raised in rural Northwest
Ohio, Gavin attended New York University and served as the Vice
President of Students for a Free Tibet before leaving school to pursue
full-time social justice work. Gavin also canvassed for environmental
organizations in Denver, Cleveland, and Columbus before settling in
Cincinnati just prior to the riots that took place in 2001. He serves
on the boards of the League of Young Voters, Wiretap Magazine, and the
All-Ages Movement Project. Gavin is passionate about providing
opportunities for inner city youth in Cincinnati, and believes strongly
in Elementz’ mission. He believes that inspiring and engaging youth
through the arts is the first step toward increased civic engagement
and young people being heard and taken seriously in the community. |
 Brook Westheimer
Brook Westheimer loves Cincinnati's river, hills, parks, and its great
library system. Promoting a place where youth can create the music that
is unique and essential to the city is one of the best ways to show
love for Cincinnati. She firmly believes that Elementz is the voice of
downtown, started by and run by the people it serves. Over the years
she's been involved with several independent media related projects.
She runs a web design company, Watercourse Technology, teaches computer
classes at the public library, and lives in Spring Grove Village |
Devonte Roach - Elementz Youth Board Member
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 Diane Jordan
Diane graduated from the University of Cincinnati with Bachelor and
Master Degrees in Education. A Class XXXII member of Leadership
Cincinnati, she is also a Class I alumna of Urban League Leadership
Development Program. Diane is a systems thinker and critical listener,
two strengths that helped propel her twelve-year career success at
Beech Acres Parenting Center, first as Vice President of Organizational
Effectiveness and then as Chief Operating Officer, the position she
holds today. As a member of Black Career Women, Diane presented at the
national Can We Talk ™ Conferences. In 2009 Diane was honored by Fifth
Third Bank as a Profile in Courage. She was listed among the one
hundred notable African Americans in the July 13, 2008 Cincinnati
Enquirer and was profiled in the July 2005 Cincinnati Women’s Business.
From her experiences abroad, Diane believes everyone has natural gifts
and a personal responsibility to use those gifts to improve the
community they inhabit. Diane is a member of Leadership Cincinnati
Steering Committee, Toastmasters International, Vistage Key Group, the
Society for Human Resource Management, Cincinnati Urban League, A Small
Group, and current board member of Elementz Hip Hop Center, Sankofa
Enrichment, and NAMI-Hamilton County. She is a past board member of
Lighthouse Youth Services, Comprehensive Community Child Care (4 C),
and the American Heart Association (Cincinnati Affiliate). Her former
advisory affiliations include the National Advisory Committee for
Cultural Competence of the Child Welfare League of America and
Children’s Defense Fund. |
 Christopher Smitherman
Cincinnati native Christopher Smitherman is an entrepreneur who started
a financial planning practice. He was elected to Cincinnati City
Council in November 2003. He served as the Vice-Chair of the Arts
& Culture Committee and on the Law & Public Safety,
Neighborhood and Public Services and the Community Development,
Education & Intergovernmental Affairs Committees. He also
served as a Hamilton County Transportation Improvement District board
member. He is committed to establishing a comprehensive urban policy.
His success as an independent businessman is the visible testimony of
his persistence and productivity. The combination of his enthusiasm and
leadership serve as the foundation for his team-building talents to
accomplish a set goal. |
ELEMENTZ
PARTNERS:
 Rob Wall
In 2007, Rob, a staff attorney at the Ohio Justice & Policy
Center and Cincinnati native, began working with Elementz to create a
free community legal clinic for youth to address their legal issues on
their own terms. Since then, the clinic has provided relevant legal
services to over 200 young people, helping with issues from criminal
records to housing, education and more. |
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