Archives: Team

Lei’anna Gladden is a lover of neo-soul, art, astrology, and culture, and a multidisciplinary artist-scholar and arts administrator whose work moves between performance, education, and cultural research. She currently serves as the Program Manager at YPT, managing program design and development and community engagement. With experience as a teaching artist and theater maker, she is committed to cultivating environments where young artists can take risks, experiment, and bring new narratives to life. Blending practice and scholarship, Lei’anna positions both the stage and the classroom as sites of inquiry, transformation, and futurity. She holds a BA in Theater Performance from Winthrop University and an MA in Pan African Studies from Syracuse University.

Rodney has had the immense pleasure of working with young people as an arts educator for the last decade. He is a spoken word artist and MC with a love for expression that shines through in his work. He believes that words save people and puts this belief into each session he leads. He’s had the privilege of being awarded twice by the Commission of Arts and Humanities for his poetic and musical work in the city. He’s also shared his voice on stages such as The Apple Carnegie Library, Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, DC9 NightClub, and various Busboys and Poets locations. A passionate worker with a love for language come see Rodney in action in a DC classroom near you! You may discover your own love for language in the process!