WHO WE ARE

YWDEP is comprised of a small, but dedicated team of staff members, terrific volunteers and adult mentors, talented performing artists, and amazing young women.

Graduates

At the end of each summer, each group of graduates chooses a name to identify themselves by and a name for their performance showcase. Follow the links below to browse our video archives from each year and learn more about the people who made each summer possible.

Staff

Kristen Arant (Executive Director) » Kristen is a drummer, drum instructor and performing artist living in Washington, DC and specializing in the West African Mandingue drumming tradition. She is the Founding Director of the Young Women’s Drumming Empowerment Project – a drumming, poetry and performance art empowerment group designed to build the confidence and self esteem of teenaged girls living in the DC area.

Kristen leads drumming workshops at a variety of DC middle and high schools, and also for women, girls, and mixed groups of youth, adults and elders throughout the DC metro area. Kristen holds bachelor’s degrees in music and women studies, has taken classes with a variety of West African drumming instructors including Mamady Keita and Mahiri Edwards of the Tam Tam Mandingue West African Drumming School, and has studied the djembe with Tammi Hessen and Baile McKnight. Recently, after receiving an Artist’s Fellowship from the DC Arts Commission, Kristen completed a 2-week advanced drumming intensive with Mamady Keita in San Diego.

Teaching Artists

Princess of Controversy, Margaux Delotte-Bennett, Luci Murphy, Patrick Crowley, Abasi Johnson, Leah Harris, Anu Yadav, Laila Shereen, Binahkaye Joy, Kristen Arant, Mahiri Keita-Edwards, Durga Vasquez, Ximena Savitch, Reggie Cabico, Katy Gaughan, Jaqui MacMillan, Sage Morgan-Hubbard, Michelle Sewell, Linda Krakaur, Elise Bryant, Andrea Sterner, Deborah Randall, Candace Mickens, Holly Meyers, Samaa Claiborne


Board of Directors

  • Laurie Blair
  • Margaux Delotte-Bennett
  • Katy Gaughan
  • Laura Lee
  • Alexandra Silverthorne
  • Nancy Umanzor, ‘05
  • Durga Vasquez