Henry Colin is a writer/director based out of Kjipuktuk/Halifax. He is a passionate filmmaker and an all-around cinephile.
Henry has directed a number of award-winning short films, including “Passage” and “In the Cold”. Henry has also directed the award-winning feature film “I Am Not A Hero”.
In 2023 Henry completed principal photography on his sophomore feature “Lost in Time”; a science-fiction chamber piece expected to hit festivals in 2024.
Tia Upshaw is a serial entrepreneur, mother of 3, nominee for Business Leader of the Year 2022 & 2023 Halifax Chamber of Commerce, nominee for RBC Woman of Influence 2021,2022 & 2023 and founder & CEO of Blk Women in Excellence.
She is a mentor with Rise & Scotia Bank women’s mentorship initiative in partnership with the Forum.
She also is a well-known motivational speaker, entrepreneurship content creator ( Afrocentric lens) & facilitator with success stories attached to her facilitations.
Lingjie was born in China, Shanghai and lived in Japan for 8 and a half years. She started working in the hospitality industry at an American dive bar in Tokyo.
She moved to Canada and met the owners of DearFriend Matt Boyle and Jeff van Horn through the NSCC hospitality program and started working as a server.
Having worked with and learned from so many amazing bartenders in Halifax, Lingjie got introduced to the cocktail world which opened her horizons. Due to her Chinese and Japanese background, she wants to bring more Chinese & Japanese cultural ingredients and creativity into the drinks she makes.
The Chinese liquor “baijiu”, is an amazing spirit, with a long history, and culture as well as different aromas and special flavours.

Moashella Shortte is a mother, educator, author, entrepreneur, and child and youth advocate.   

She received her formal training at Mount Saint Vincent University, earned an Early Childhood Management Certificate at St. Mary’s University and was granted a “Baccalauréat en sciences humaines” from “immigration et communautés culturelles”, in Montreal. 

She spent most of her formative working years at the East Preston Day Care and Family Resource Centre and ultimately became its Executive Director. 

In 2018, she co-founded Learning4YoungMinds, a company offering online and in-person workshops teaching empathy and socialization to young children; anti-racism training for educators and student support workers; and writing support for BIPOC youth. 

She currently serves on the ECE advisory committee and is filling the role of lead faculty for the Africentric Cohort of the ECE program at the Nova Scotia Community College. 

Moashella defines her mission as providing as many learners as possible with exceptional learning experiences that will help them build a strong, positive foundation for learning for life!

Find out more @moashellamshortte

As a teenager, Chris had managed to narrow down his future to either becoming a Buddhist monk or running the race to be successful. For various reasons, he chose the latter, but he’s always kept one foot in the world of subtle energy and strange events.
As a roughneck, he studied alternative health modalities, and when his encounter with the fossil fuel industry motivated him to study renewable energy, he kept an eye out for hints about the kind of energy he studied in that context. These dual interests have all stayed active, recently leading to two books – one on the spiritual side of programming, and one a children’s book on health.
Chris has an ongoing interest in combining technology with spirituality and hopes to continue his exploration of the weird overlap between those fields in the years to come. He believes there is a lot we don’t know about the world – and that learning more about it all is a great way to spend his finite time on the planet.
His current research on time and quantum mechanics has really stretched his brain, and he hopes to use that flexibility to work on similar projects – he’s interested in bioinformatics and music, but also open to whatever else comes across his path.

Wyndolyn Brown started Empowerment For Hope, a non-profit organization based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Empowerment For Hope helps and supports girls, women and gender-diverse persons from other marginalized communities involved in sex trafficking or at risk of being involved, which in turn results in addiction and or homelessness.

Find out more @empowermentforhope

Using a songwriting ability seldom found in musicians of his age group, 19-year-old Joe Hubley takes inspiration from Motown-soul, funk, and synth-pop artists to intricately craft a sound that is uniquely his own while paying a crafty homage to his musical predecessors. Hubley made waves coming up in Halifax’s fruitful all-ages scene, becoming known for his incredibly enigmatic live shows and commanding stage presence.
 
Coming off his first solo tour across Atlantic Canada in the Fall of 2022, Joe Hubley is preparing for the release of his latest single ‘Post Up’ – available on all streaming services on Friday, April 7th. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Em Bowden-Gil (Arc5ive), as well as production from Colleen Shaw and Braden Kamermans at Üthful Music in North-end Halifax.
Alyssa is a self-taught artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Currently immersed in painting with acrylics on birch gallery panels. Her works are inspired by everyday moments captured first with her camera and then with her paint brushes.
Alyssa is captivated by bringing light and depth to her paintings while leaving behind visible brush strokes to maintain a painted look and feel.
She sells original paintings and accepts commission work.
Blessing Owowa is the Creative Director and Owner of DB Pearlz Designs, an Afrocentric fashion brand with a unique selling point of blending the best of modern Western and African fashion cultures.
DB Pearlz Designs specializes in apparel making (bespoke and ready-to-wear), accessories (bags, purses and headpieces), footwear and custom-fit tailoring services using quality African and Western fabrics.
You can follow Blessing on her business social media handles (Facebook & Instagram: @dbpearlzdesigns) as well as her website: https://www.dbpearlzdesigns.com.

Paollo13 is a Lebanese-Canadian rapper hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, known for his lyrical prowess and undeniable talent. Born and raised in the vibrant and multicultural community of Halifax, Paollo13 found inspiration in the rich diversity of his surroundings and used it as fuel to craft his own unique style of music.

In 2022, Paollo13 released his highly anticipated debut studio album, “Stunted Growth,” which was met with critical acclaim and cemented his place as a rising star in the Canadian hip-hop scene. The album, released by Black Buffalo Records, showcased Paollo13’s impeccable flow and sharp lyricism, highlighting his ability to tackle complex themes with ease.

Paollo13’s talent and hard work have earned him several accolades throughout his career. He won the Hopscotch Festival’s “Each One Teach One” competition, which recognizes emerging talent in the hip-hop community. He has also collaborated with renowned artists such as Ghettosocks, Aquakultre, Marv Won, Sonnyjim, and GMD Jets, further solidifying his status as a respected and sought-after artist.

Despite his success, Paollo13 remains grounded and committed to using his platform to give back to his community. He is passionate about using his music to inspire and empower others, especially those from marginalized communities, and continues to work tirelessly to make a positive impact through his art.

As Paollo13’s star continues to rise, there is no doubt that he will continue to push the boundaries of hip-hop and inspire countless others with his music.

Check him out @paollo13