Bleu-Gianni Haywood is a senior at Saint Louis University majoring in communications with a journalism and media studies concentration, and minoring in women & gender studies. During his time at SLU, he has been a part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship program which hosts discussions on various global injustices, while also thinking about how our identities not only shape our place in the world, but also how they inspire us to enact change around us. He grew up in a very musical family, and began making his own music when he was in middle school. Since then, he has been working to create his own brand, while also sharing his love of music with the people around him. As a young queer Black person, he understands what it’s like to not have a seat at the table, and to want to break free from the molds placed on him by society.

Veronica “Mayowa” Adewole (they/them) is a senior Communications student at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. They are a digital communications expert and expression artist through the lens of cosmetology. Their connection to the arts started as a young person in various public youth arts initiatives and programs in the public school system. Many of these initiatives aimed to support positive development in the youth and disrupt the school to prison pipeline. These programs helped them develop as an artist and envision a future in arts management and administration. The mission of the Fellowship resonates with their identity as a marginalized individual looking for ways through the arts to give back to the communities that molded them and paved a way for them to have options to a brighter future. The Gyo Obata Fellowship will provide them with the tools and resources to actualize their vision and to grow in the right direction as a young professional.

Norah Barry (they/she) is a senior at Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts where they’ll be receiving a BFA in Acting. As an artist, Norah is dedicated to creating change through the power of world building. Recently, she was in St. Louis Shakespeare Festivals Queer Afrofuturistic Tourco production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the St. Louis Repertory Theatre’s Staged Reading of the new play, Soul Records by York Walker. Through their art, Norah strives to radically expand who and what art can look like. The fellowship's mission to create equitable access to the arts aligns with her desire to share art that nurtures and strengthens diverse communities, specifically those within Black and Queer spaces. As a fellow, Norah is excited to share her love for the arts within the St. Louis Theatre community.

Kathryn Boykin (she/they) is a senior at Webster University studying Music Composition with an emphasis in Concert Music. While primarily a composer, Kathryn is a rounded artist as a vocalist, pianist, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist specializing in woodwinds and brass. She has received many academic and departmental honors, including consecutive Dean’s List recognition and the Peggy Fossett Endowed Scholarship, and has presented her research at conferences annually. Kathryn has been a leader in the Webster community, serving on the Student Government Association executive board for three years as Ambassador to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, while also being involved in the LGBTQ+ Alliance, the Residential Housing Association, and the Association of African American Collegiates. They studied abroad in Vienna in the spring of 2025, studying clarinet with the principal clarinetist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Reinhard Wieser. As a Black, queer, autistic woman, the Gyo Obata Fellowship’s mission to uplift underrepresented artists resonates with her deeply as she strives to cultivate a more accessible and inclusive arts and academic community.

Nitzia Y. Davalos Reyes is a student at Washington University in St. Louis finishing off her degree in Design with minors in Architecture and Creative Practice for Social Change. During her time at WashU, she has been involved in community-centered work through roles such as a community engagement intern with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, a TRIO mentor with the Taylor Family Center for Student Success, and a leader within the Gender Expansive Multicultural Society. Her connection to the arts is rooted in both lived experience and academic practice as she views art as a tool for connection and self-expression, particularly in the medium of fiber arts. The mission of the Gyo Obata Fellowship resonates with her identity as a working-class Latine student committed to creating more equitable and accessible arts spaces, aligning with the Fellowship’s focus on expanding access to arts administration in supporting underrepresented voices.

Nick George is a Junior at SLU studying Marketing and International Business with a minor in American Studies. At SLU, he is a member of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional fraternity and he has received multiple honors for his academic accomplishments during his time in college. Throughout his life, he has always been passionate about the arts and he believes arts administration is the perfect opportunity to combine these interests with his college studies. The mission of this fellowship is important to him, as it gives people from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to work at a major local arts nonprofit. Being a person with a disability, he is grateful that he has the opportunity to be represented within the field of arts administration.

Khia’s connection to the arts is rooted in both performance and access. Her experiences in orchestra have shaped her understanding of collaboration and the impact of shared artistic spaces. At the same time, her academic and leadership work has also led her to explore how those spaces are structured and sustained. As a Black, first-generation college student, the mission of the Gyo Obata Fellowship strongly resonates with her, where mentorship, opportunity, and access have played a critical role in her own journey, and she is committed to helping create more inclusive and navigable pathways within the arts. She hopes to build a career in nonprofit arts administration, contributing to organizations that prioritize community engagement, equity, and meaningful artistic experiences.

Ren Klein (they/them) is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis studying Film & Media Studies with a minor in Linguistics. A photographer, filmmaker, and contact improvisation facilitator, Ren has spent years working at the intersection of art, equity, and community — mentoring low-income youth at Venice Arts, mapping regional resources at the Clark-Fox Family Foundation, and founding the Diversity and Inclusion position on WashU's Outing Club executive board. Ren’s photographic work has been exhibited in galleries in Los Angeles and St. Louis. As a queer and non-binary artist guided by a belief in Tikkun Olam — repairing the world through meaningful action — Ren is deeply committed to building a more representative and equitable arts community.

Carlos Madrid (he/him) is a freshman at Washington University in St. Louis with majors in Art History & Archaeology, Latin America Studies and a minor in Business of the Arts. At WashU, he has been honored with two distinctive recognitions of being named an Annika Rodriguez Scholar, and a James E. McLeod Scholar. He has been recognized for these distinctions due to his qualities of humility, intellectual curiosity, commitment to serving others, and passion for community service. Additionally, on campus he is associated with Latinxpresión, the latino magazine. Growing up, he didn’t have access to the arts due to his income. Now that he has resources which have allowed him to pursue his dreams of becoming a museum curator, he wants to help his community more than ever. The Gyo Obata Fellowship's goal of connecting underrepresented communities to the arts truly resonates with him. As a kid, he wished he knew that there are organizations like the Gyo Obata Fellowship which support students just like him.

Adel Abudayeh is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran and multidisciplinary artist based in Saint Charles, Missouri. He is a senior at the University of Missouri–St. Louis pursuing a BFA in Studio Art. Following military service and recovery from combat injuries, he turned to art to process his experiences in war and rebuild a sense of purpose. His practice in printmaking and painting explores memory, endurance, and transformation. His work has been exhibited at the Pentagon, and he is a member of Phi Kappa Phi. The mission of the Fellowship resonates with his identity by supporting work grounded in lived experience, discipline, and a commitment to meaningful public engagement.

Jack is an active member of the Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity and serves as General Manager of The University News, the SLU's student publication. He is also deeply involved in the university’s music program. In fall 2025, he was awarded first prize in the Missouri Music Teachers Association Undergraduate Piano Competition. His musical achievements also include numerous successes in state and regional competitions, as well as a featured solo performance with the Quad City Symphony in 2023. In his free time, Jack also volunteers as an ESL teacher for Spanish-speaking students. Jack was drawn to the Gyo Obata Fellowship for its commitment to diverse representation and programming within artistic organizations. He hopes to share his diverse experiences in music and business to contribute to the continued success of non-profit arts organizations in the greater St. Louis area.