Creative Corner Speakers

Ellah Maina (officially Stella Nduta Maina) began her career in the performing arts with The J. Rodriguez Entertainment group in 2015. She worked as stage manager for Joseph Ochie’s play “Our Wives Have Gone Mad.” Her debut film, “The Waiting Room” successfully opened on National Kenyan Television, and she has a leading role in “The Traphouse.” She was awarded the “Next Superstar “ acting competition and got cast for the lead role on Nick Mutuma’s “Sincerely Daisy,” which was the first Kenyan film to premiere on Netflix. Ellah has done TV commercials for the Brands Profconnects and Kikkoman. She can be found on Instagram at @Ellahmaina.em.

Stephen Maithya is a passionate and self-taught creative director, art director, talent director, 5-time award-winning photographer, photography instructor, Afrofuturist writer and trained analytical chemist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is the founder and lead photographer at Stevenchy Photography: a production company that specializes in commercial, advertising, conceptual, fantasy and event photography.

Stephen’s works have been published locally and internationally, including in Kenya’s Daily Nation Newspaper, South Africa’s Conté Magazine and Middle East’s NIKON MEA. He loves bringing imaginative concepts to life through the medium of photography and film. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, adventure, camping, bird watching, watching fantasy movies, reading, participating in community development schemes, motivational speaking, and meditation.

Adundo Mercy is a sound designer, video editor, and documentary producer who is passionate about beautiful imagery and visual narratives. She is based in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. She’s one of the executive producers at Ecila Films, which specializes in character-driven African stories.

She studied at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication and specialized in television production. Adundo has also worked. Films like Mission to Rescue and Nairobi Half-Life, which have represented Kenya at the Oscars. When she is not burning a candle at her editing desk, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2008, Malachi Mott entered the music industry via Interscope Records. Working in the recording studios, he discovered the lessons he learned in school did not translate into success in the real world. This concept fascinated him and put him on a quest to figure out what causes the “gap” between the studying of and execution of artistic endeavors. Malachi uses what he discovers to empower the next generation of artists.

Lydia Mugure Mwang is founder and lead Creative director of Naota Studios a digital arts company focused on preserving African narratives through video games, animation and VR. Allowing accessibility to our great stories, and ensuring they’ll live on!

AKA Murpheous Clay, born in Silver Spring, Maryland is a creative individual whose talents include music production, audio engineer, videography, and graphic design. At Full Sail University, he studied Audio Engineering before becoming an in-house producer for one of the best recording studios in the DMV, House Studios. He worked on Raheem DeVaughn’s album “A Place Called Love Land.” He worked with Faith Evans, a former member of the Fugees Pras Michael, and Jeremy Renner. Currently, Patrick is an audio visual technician, operating sound and video gear for special events including concerts, parades, weddings, and trade shows.

Lee Levingston Perine is a Washington, DC-based creative, curator, and connector who does big things! He’s the founder of Makers Lab, an arts collective, which creates zero-proof spaces that celebrate life, art, and LGBTQ culture. The Lab’s latest project is Black in Space which celebrates the artistry, diversity, and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ communities through media, storytelling, and technology. When he is not in space, he spends time with family and friends (virtually) and is a Sylvester aficionado convincing everyone that Sylvester is the greatest artist of all time.

Justine Swindell is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on illustration and mural art. She uses bold colors, minimalism, and patterns to create fresh designs that explore cultural identity and social change. Justine studied Graphic Design at Lynn University and has an MA in Sociology from Catholic University (CUA). Her career over the past 15 years has been a parallel and alternating practice of design and public health. Both practices are driven by a passion for improving representation of people of color and marginalized groups in society.