A Celebration of Black Creatives in my Ecosystem
If you’re in the U.S., you’ve likely witnessed the wave of extreme policies coming from our current administration—one of which is the attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These policies are extremely disheartening and life altering for those living in the margins. We can’t go backwards!!! Even though they’re trying to take us to the middle ages…
One small way I’m pushing back is by continuing to uplift voices that are being silenced. This February, in honor of Black History Month, I connected with Black creatives, healers, and friends to spotlight their work.
Sarah Martin - Poetic Portals
Sarah Martin, known artistically as Poetic Portals, is a Black, queer, and gender-fluid poet, yoga teacher, drummer, and storyteller from Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sarah and I initially connected as mutuals on Instagram, running in similar circles, until we ran into each other at the LR Yoga Festival—where we sparked a comforting friendship. Some of our earliest hangouts took place by the lake at Wildwood Park for the Arts, where we’d unroll our yoga mats, pull tarot cards, and sip tea. Our practice became an exchange: one of us would begin to guide a yoga flow, then hand it off to the other to close. In that shared space, we deepened our connection through embodiment, spirituality, and storytelling. As fellow yoga teachers, poets, and community builders, every moment spent together was restorative, and it wasn’t long before we began developing creative collaborations.
One of Sarah’s most powerful upcoming initiatives is the Radical Release Retreat, a deeply intentional offering designed as a rest portal for Black mothers recently freed from incarceration. Their children are invited to join them in a nurturing space where they can bond, play, rest, and heal together. The retreat will take place the last weekend of March at Camp Mitchell on Petit Jean Mountain, and applications for participants are currently open. If you know someone who could benefit, please share this opportunity with them. The retreat is completely free, providing a three-day healing experience through arts, spiritual practices, and yoga. Nominate a mother here: bit.ly/radicalreleaseretreat2025.
I am honored Sarah invited me to be a part of the facilitation team for this offering, sharing good medicine practices and expressive art making with the kids.
Beyond this transformative work, Sarah is an incredibly moving poet and healer. As a certified 200-hour yoga teacher and SKY Wellness Coach, she seamlessly weaves poetry and yoga into a trauma-informed healing practice. Her presence is a gift, and her artistry is both grounding and expansive.
Engage with Sarah’s Work:
📸 Instagram @PoeticPortals
💛 Patreon: Support her work here
📎 LinkedIn Explore her teaching artist resume here
🔗 Linktree Find all relevant platforms and links here
📩 Email: poeticportals88@gmail.com
Dr. Rhoda Deon
Talk about an absolute genius. Dr. Rhoda Deon is a force—an artist whose work exists at the dynamic intersections of music, mathematics, education, reiki healing, and personal coaching.
I had the honor of crossing paths with Rhoda in the spring of 2024 when we were part of the same Artists INC program by Mid-America Arts Alliance. Together, we explored the building blocks for our artistic careers together, but the real magic happened outside the classroom—like the nights we’d go out for drinks after class. One night stands out in particular: we found ourselves lingering on the sidewalk long after the restaurant had closed, deep in conversation about identity, spirituality, and the way we show up for our art. Rhoda’s presence is electrifying—just being around her expands the way you think and feel.
Her message is powerful. Committed to consciousness and finding the best way forward, she works healing like a mathematical equation. The last time we spoke she was reworking the Reki Principles into what she coined a musical micro-learning, designed for people to play and help them remember the principles. Of course, they weren’t your regular principles- they were thoughtfully adapted, with a focus on parts of the body to center and activate.
Always up to something transformative, next up she is hosting an online Astrology workshop on March 22nd. Alongside astrologer Sam Krishna, they will lead a deep dive of your personal astrology chart and “upper limit” problems. If you haven’t stated using astrology to increase your ability to manifest your desires and fully self-express… what are you doing?! Come with us, I promise you Rhoda will be the best teacher.
I will personally be attending her Spring Equinox Astro Chat on Saturday, March 22nd, and you can, too! We’ve partnered to offer a discount code "GrowWithLo" for 50% off!
🔗 Register here: rhodadeon.com/event/5956409/711444789/spring-equinox-astro-chat
Engage with Rhoda’s Work
🎶 Listen to her Micro-learnings
Rhoda creates spiritual medleys that resonate on a soul-deep level. Experience her artistic journey in this presentation from Artists Inc.: Watch here.
🌿 Join Her Workshop – Spring Equinox Astro Chat
Use my discount code "GrowWithLo" for 50% off!
🔗 Register here: rhodadeon.com/event/5956409/711444789/spring-equinox-astro-chat
📖 Explore Coaching with Rhoda
Explore her wisdom in her own words and book a consultation:
🔗 Website: rhodadeon.com
📌 Follow & Connect
🔗 LinkedIn: Rhoda Deon
📸 Instagram: @Rhodadeon
Te’Arra Stewart
Te’Arra and I go way back—all the way to freshman year at North Little Rock High School. Though life took us in different directions, our journeys have unfolded in strikingly parallel ways. After that freshman year, I moved to California, eventually returning to Arkansas just a few years ago. Upon reconnecting with my community, I was amazed to see that Te’Arra had also pursued art and achieved incredible milestones in her career. She too pursued her art studies in a larger city but was ultimately drawn back home, compelled to do the work where it all began.
Te’Arra earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) in 2021. That same year, she was accepted into the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where she went on to complete her graduate degree in 2023. Now, she shares her expertise as a Fine Arts Professor at UAPB, shaping the next generation of artists.
Her work is nothing short of eye-catching—a powerful exploration of identity through the lens of street art. In conversation, I love how she describes her work as a form of self-portraiture. Rather than limiting self-portraits to direct depictions of her physical self, she expands the concept—capturing the people, graffiti, and urban landscapes around her as reflections of her identity. Her work embodies the grit and personality of North Little Rock, grounding her sense of home while also incorporating influences from the cities she has traveled to. Through layers of graffiti tags, familiar faces, and raw textures, her paintings transform everyday street scenes into deeply personal narratives.
Discover & Support Te’Arra’s Work
🖼 Explore her artwork & purchase prints: www.artbytsteew.com
📸 Follow her on Instagram: @artbytsteewllc
Lafayette DeRamus
Lafayette DeRamus is yet another multidimensional creator whose work exists at the crossroads of science, spirituality, and artistic exploration. If you haven’t noticed the theme yet—I am deeply inspired by peers who live and create at life’s many intersections! For Lafayette, that means merging a scientific and spiritual approach to art, resulting in work that is both alchemic and otherworldly.
I first met Lafayette through the Mid-America Arts Alliance Artist INC program, where we spent months learning alongside each other. Deeply observant and often dressed in flowing, dark, and layered garments that carry an air of timelessness—Lafayette has an undeniable presence. Through countless meetings, I came to know him as an artist, deep thinker, and innovator.
Lafayette’s large-scale oil paintings are both intriguing and technically masterful. With a background in chemistry and technology, he experiments with the chemical properties of his materials, incorporating elements like copper and 18k-22k gold. Most recently he has explored using carbon nanotubes. The paint is transparent and can add shade without changing hue. This typically is not available outside of industrial use, but leave it to Lafayette to find a way to turn this into artistic purpose. Thematically, his work reimagines tarot archetypes, biblical figures, and mythological beings, creating a universe uniquely his own.
Follow Lafayette’s Work:
📸 Instagram: @hereticcurations
📌 Facebook: Lafayette DeRamus
As I wrap up this spotlight on four incredible Black creatives in my community, I want to leave you with a simple call to action: find your own meaningful ways to support Black Artists. Black, Brown and Queer artists—deserve your support frequently and intentionally. Continue to engage with their work, share their stories, and invest in their creativity all year long.
Thanks for being here <3 LO
