My name is Jasmine Carmichael

My creative passions are fashion - particularly Styling/Accessorizing, Architectural Design, Acting & Storytelling

What I love about summer institute students is how they challenge and inspire me to be more creative, kind and caring. They are so talented and continue to surprise me with their insight and art.

My name is Jace Pastras.

My creative passions are theatre, writing, textile arts, and creating things that bring people together and help us all to heal.

What I love about arts education is its ability to connect people, students, teachers, and viewers. I am constantly astonished by students ability and want to give and share parts of themselves through their work, it really inspires me.

My name is Carolina Moratti

My creative passions are teaching others how to cook and creating beautiful spaces for communities to come together.

What I love about summer institute students is seeing them open their eyes to a different way to seeing and experiencing the world. I love how they appreciated culture and art and the beauty of our community.

My name is Lazarus Simmons. I was born in Missouri, but have bounced around all over the United States and the UK. I am a super-nerd and dream of being Blue Marvel in the MCU–or any character when the West Wing eventually reboots.

I have been in theater since six when I was in Fairy Tale Remix in elementary school. I graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Dramatic Art and Political Science and after graduation I worked in the North Carolina regional theater scene. Without a doubt, my driving force is the love of creating work with my theater and film tribe.

I owe any successes of character and personage to my father.

This is my first time teaching at Summer Institute and I am extremely excited. I love to learn and I get to practice a part of what I love--theater and art. I also get to absorb thoughts and practices from annual Summer Institute teachers like John, Jasmine, Raf and Hannah.

My name is Karen Alvarado (she/her/hers).

My creative passions are acting, directing and devising spooky theatre.

What I love about arts education is helping students develop their confidence and imagination - - essential qualities both on stage and in life.

Chrissy Briskin is a creative artist who has directed, produced, written, and performed in many shows over the last ten years. She has a B.A. in English Literature from Rutgers University and is currently a teacher in South Plainfield. Some of her directing credits include, RENT, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, and Hairspray. She has also performed in TrueSelves: A Play on Gender and The Vagina Monologues. As an educator, she is incredibly proud to have built a supportive drama program and community of artists in South Plainfield. Under her direction, the high school performed its first ever public scene study and public presentation of student created twenty minute musicals. Chrissy continues to work on the next evolution of TrueSelves and producing the 48 Hour Musicals. She currently lives in Neshanic Station with her wonderful husband and fur babies. You can reach her at cbriskin@colab-arts.org

My name is Rediet Mereke.

My creative passions are illustration, painting, and knitting.

What I love about arts education is giving others, especially children, a forum to express themselves.

My name is Ana Camacho-Lozada (she/her).

My creative passions are singing and dancing.

What I love about arts education is the fact that the kind of energy that radiates off of the environment is flexible for all different kinds of people. Arts education really is flexible to the outlets people need, which in turn makes an art education really personal.

When I’m not busy with class I’m usually drawing digitally.

What I love about the summer institute is how it allows students to express themselves. Through out my time at CoLab I got to see multiple final sharings and how much work the kids put into the final product.