Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Rogério M. Pinto's federally-funded research broadcasts the voices of minoritized racial/ethnic and sexual minorities in the United States and Brazil. He performed the United Solo Festival Best Documentary Script “Marília” a one-person play, on New York City's Theatre Row (2015) and in Bloemfontein, South Africa (2016). In 2021, at Michigan Social Work, he presented the “Realm of the Dead,” an art installation to investigate his own marginalization as a gender non-confirming, mixed-race and Latinx immigrant.

Sonia has been working in communities to advance social justice for decades. After a long tenure in the nonprofit sector, she joined the University of Michigan School of Social Work to leverage her skills, experience, and relationships to re-imagine what university and community partnerships can achieve.

Dr. Midori Samson サムソンみどり(she/her) is an MSW student, bassoonist, sound artist, and
music professor. Recent projects include collaborating with local artists in Rwanda to write a play
that commemorated the 25 th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, touring with an interactive
circus that performed for refugee children on the Turkey/Syria border, and interviewing families
in the Caucasus mountains to document traditional lullabies of the region. She holds degrees in
bassoon performance from Juilliard, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of
Wisconsin-Madison.

Vitalis Im is an opera singer, music teacher, psychotherapist, and doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan School of Social Work and Department of Anthropology. His dissertation research concerns the politics of musical practice in Michigan prisons.

David Pratt is the author of several works of fiction, including the Lambda Award-winning Bob the Book and a series of 16 zines collectively titled The Book of Humiliation. He also occasionally performs.

Day Parker is a student within the Marsal Family School of Education. They are pursuing a master’s degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in educational equity, justice, and social transformation. Day’s goal as a researcher is to challenge how schooling perpetuates oppressive systems within society. An advocate for transformative justice, they are interested in how artistic expression empowers communities to heal, grow, and radically (re)imagine the future. After they graduate, Day hopes to dive deeper into critical arts pedagogy and develop trauma-informed arts curricula for community organizations.

Janelle Rogers owns a music pr firm helping socially justice-minded musicians gain the attention they deserve. She’s also currently an MSW student at the University of Michigan, studying Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, & Substance Abuse.

Marc Arthur holds a PhD in Performance Studies from New York University (2019) and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Arts-based Social Justice Research and Practice at the University of Michigan where he is studied community-based theatre approaches for decreasing stigma and oppression.

Emerson Granillo is an interdisciplinary artist and STAMPS MFA candidate in their second year.
They are researching their past experiences as outsiders and asking how they can reshape their shame around their identities by transforming their feelings of shame into artistic research that will result in knowledge critical to the formation of a strong and positive sense of self.

Elisabeth Pixley-Fink (MSW, '22), is a vocalist, songwriter, performer and music producer, who leads trauma-informed creative empowerment with all ages. She is also an artist member of Earthwork Music Collective, a former Program Leader at My Voice Music in Portland, Oregon. Her discography includes studio albums Heartwood (2016), Bloodroot (2013), and Say Yes to Yourself! (2011), and two minimalist folk song-collecting projects with Hearth & Hymn, Lullaby Bangers (2019) and Hearth & Hymn (2014).

Sarah is a Mom, teacher and student in the MSW program working to integrate theory, intersectionality, art, film and performance with holistic healing, social justice and sustainability.

Mack Schroeder is a dual Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy student at the University of Michigan. He is passionate about using improv comedy as a tool for social change and has led workshops for the Art Collective as well as the Prison Creative Arts Project.

Heidi Schmitz is a licensed clinical social worker who holds a BA in Theatre (Dance Emphasis) & Dance from the University of Michigan Flint (2004) & a MSW from the University of Michigan (2019). Schmitz is interested in dance as a tool for social justice, advocacy, and healing for individuals, groups, and communities.

Tomiko is a graduate of the College for Creative Studies. Her love for photography began when she received her first camera in 4th grade and began exploring. She worked professionally as a photographer for 20 years. She enjoys teaching digital photography classes to youth and adults since 2014. Her commitment to making a difference in her community led her to work in the public and private sectors. She was formally an elected official in Ferndale. Her passion lies in being a contribution to others. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree at Wayne State University.