TEAM

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Email: randy@cdforum.org

Pronouns : she/her/Goddess

Randy Ford, also known as Aísha Noir, is a Seattle-born creative. In 2019, she created and co-produced her first full-length evening show, QUEEN STREET, at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute with CD Forum. Before the pandemic, she taught dance across the Puget Sound. Randy is the Executive Director for CD Forum, a nonprofit in Seattle's historically Black Central District. She is also involved in the Seattle-Tacoma Kiki Ballroom scene with the Royal House of Noir. Subscribe to her newsletter at therandyford.com, and support her work on Cash App at $randybaby. Randy loves dark chocolate and is a Pisces ♓️.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Email: danit@cdforum.org

Pronouns: dani

Dance artist, performer, choreographer and dance educator. dani has danced with Jazz and Spirit Dance Theater of Detroit, Monroe Ballet Company, Full Circle Dance Company, Natural Locz Dance Company and dani tirrell and The Congregation that dani founded and serves as Artistic Director. dani was the Artistic Director of Dance Place in Washington, DC (2021-2023). dani also created Color Lines Dance Ensemble for youth dance artist ages 12 to 18 (currently not active). Currently, dani is the lead curator for Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas, in Seattle, WA.

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Email: sericaw@cdforum.org

Pronouns: she/her

Serica Weaver is an Author, Visual Artist, and Creative Consultant. Her passion for mental wellness, mindfulness, and love for all things creative led her to publish her first book, "Love, Serica: A Free Spirit’s Journey to Living, Breathing, and Existing Authentically."

Serica began her creative journey at Spelman College and later received her B.F.A in Interior Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. Through Unlock Creative, a social enterprise whose mission is to nurture, grow, and sustain Black creative leadership, she serves as the Client Liaison, Lead Creative Associate, and the Facilitator for Creative Flowers Professional Sistah Circle. At CD Forum, she serves as the Social Media Manager and Director of Communications and Marketing.

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Email: perrir@cdforum.org

Pronouns - she/her

Perri Rhoden is a Seattle-based Abstract Mixed Media Artist and Muralist. She discovered her passion for art while studying at Howard University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Arts in 2013. Over the past decade, Perri has left her mark on Seattle's arts scene with numerous public art installations across various neighborhoods, including the Central District, Ballard, Downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill, and Tacoma, WA. She is also a dedicated teaching artist, mentor for high school youth, and advocate for Black and Brown voices in the arts. Perri has contributed to several Seattle non-profit organizations, including Artist Trust, YWE, Teen Tix, Urban Artworks, Pratt, HCAACD, and CD Forum. Currently, she serves as our Production Manager, continuing to grow her portfolio and studio practice.

GRANTS MANAGEMENT

Email: maryh-w@cdforum.org

Pronouns: she/her

Mary Hall-Williams is a poet who confronts the complexities of her life with resilience and creativity. As an alum of the University of Washington’s Anthropology Department, she has dedicated herself to community-based partnerships and education, working as a youth leader, preschool teacher, and advocate for various causes including sustainability, unhoused outreach, and domestic workers' rights. Mary is also the co-creator of "Blackout Healing," a response to the visibility of black death during the 2020 racial uprisings. Her commitment to social justice is evident in all aspects of her life, including her love for spoken word poetry, nature, and being an Auntie to her niece.

OPERATIONS

Email: info@cdforum.org

Pronouns - she/her

I have been fortunate enough to volunteer and work with CD Forum in several capacities over the last 11 years. I love building the operational framework to allow the social and artistic goals and aspirations of CD Forum to flourish. I can annotate a contract, write a budget narrative, and reconcile expenses; all while, interacting with our amazing community and diverse array of collaborators. My background is finance and production, but working with this company has opened my heart to art.

Email: elusivefemme@info.com

Pronouns - they/he/she

Keelan Johnson is a multifaceted Artist, Educator, Organizer, and Mental Health Advocate based in Seattle, WA.

As a visual and performance artist, the core of Keelan’sartistry focuses on authenticity and self-preservation, merging illustration, graphic design, and dance. These disciplines explore themes of blackness, queerness, femininity/masculinity, and the intersections they meet.

A leader and legend in the kiki ballroom scene, Keelan is a mentor parental figure in the community; they challenge their kids to create memorable moments, sharpen their creativity, and push themselves to reach their full potential in and out of the ballroom.

Francesca Mazzola is a senior officer at the Gates Foundation where she advises the CEO on key programmatic areas. Prior to this role, she was part of Melinda French Gates’s strategy team and served as a senior program officer on the Postsecondary Success team. Prior to joining the foundation, Francesca served as an Associate Director at FSG, a non-profit social impact consulting firm. Francesca holds an MSc with distinction in African Studies from Oxford University, and a B.A. with honors and distinction in Political Science from Stanford University.

Dar’Nesha Bowman, a Seattle native with over two decades of nonprofit experience, is the Chief Executive Officer of Black Coffee Northwest, where she leads more than just a coffee revolution. Her career began at the Greenwood Boys and Girls Club and advanced through roles at the YMCA, where she focused on community engagement. Beyond her coffee industry leadership, Dar’Nesha is also the Founder and Director of the award-winning Northside Step Team, known for collaborations including with LIZZO. A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, she advocates passionately for her community, recognized with accolades like Seattle Magazine Changemaker of the Year and Alignable Business Woman of the Year. Dar’Nesha Bowman embodies the intersection of coffee and community, driving positive change throughout the greater Seattle area.