Angaza and Effie Mwando of Torrington
Effie and Angaza use the arts as a way to connect the community. They are described as the most loving, positive, accepting and inspiring individuals who work tirelessly (in their "retirement") to promote the celebration of all cultures and encourage people of different backgrounds to come together. Through their work, they highlight and educate the community about black culture and have risen to the forefront of advocacy for cultural unity. They also work with schools to bring diversity programming into the classrooms, and they encourage local groups to share with each other through art.
Daniela L. Sikora of Ridgefield
Daniela is a musician, vocal teacher/coach, artistic director and conductor of the Ridgefield Chorale and the Founders Hall Singers. Throughout her career, Daniela has championed artistic collaboration and community access to the arts in Ridgefield and beyond. She believes that the arts are a necessary and vital part of the human experience, foster positive social interactions and are major economic drivers in our communities.
Kim Weston of Guilford
Kim is a mother of six children, photographer, artist and teacher who has dedicated her life to sharing fine art and photography to people of all ages and abilities regardless of their circumstances or resources. She encourages students to aspire to use their craft to express their emotions and feelings to process experiences and explore their environments. Not only does Kim teach her craft with an enthusiasm that is infectious and inspiring, she also enlightens students on how to be successful and create a fruitful living doing so. She is deeply dedicated to serving her community by developing artists from within the community and preparing them for the next step in their artistic journey. She is in the process of opening Wábi Gallery in downtown New Haven that will feature fine art and photography from Connecticut artists, national emerging artists and a photography mentorship program for teens.