EXPRESSIONS

FOUNDER/MUSICIAN

Born on the island of Barbados, Clemón grew up in a world where music is rooted in all aspects of the culture.

With a variety of diverse experience and culture, his music is a melodic infusion of the West Indies, Seattle’s Alternative Rock and New Orleans Jazz.

His voice carries along a sultry style with a raspy touch that makes his sound unique like a folk singer, with a wide array of covers and original songs.

Clemón has also performed for the San Francisco Giants, where he sung the National Anthem at Giants Stadium to 40,000 people as well as televised events with the Sacramento Kings.

POET/PERFORMER

Veronica has been a performer, writer and artist since the age of 5. At 8, her debut short story The Beach was published in the Anthology of Short Stories by Young Americans. Since then, Veronica has been published by multiple magazines and poetry journals throughout the U.S and in England. In early 2022, her debut book of poetry, sweethearts and sorrows, was published. Veronica is also a performer and is a classically trained dancer in ballet, tap and contemporary. She also does local theater and was trained at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

MUSICIAN

I’ve been playing guitar for 28 years, but I also write poetry/song lyrics, draw and paint, and write stories and philosophy. I’ve played at Ace of Spades, Harlows, and other places in Sacramento as well as in Tahoe. I play music because it's challenging. It's very satisfying to be able work on a piece and play it with a modicum of competence. Plus, it's music! Nuff said! In poetry and song lyrics, I’m always trying to think of new ways to express human or natural truths, which helps me to understand people and the world around me better.

POET

I’m a lyricist-poet, who has been writing rhymes since 9th grade. My claim to fame is once opening a show for D12, the group that Eminem came up with. I started and continue this craft of lyrics and poetry because I love words and wordplay and channeling the emotions I draw from listening to an instrumental to see where it takes me. My day job is chief of staff to the chief counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration, so I’m fly in many ways. #DadJoke. My inspiration comes from many places but foremost is my heart, Erica.

DANCE/TAIKO PERFORMER

Rie is based in Sacramento, California. She was born and raised in Tottori, Japan. She studied different styles of Taiko (Japanese drum) for 10 years under the mentorship of Tiffany Tamaribuchi, the founder of Sacramento Taiko Dan, and an internationally recognized taiko master.

Rie’s experiences at the Taiko Dan helped her reconnect to the heart of Japanese spirit and brought her inner strength, patience, ability to focus and respect for herself and others.

DANCE/POETRY PERFORMER

I perform modern and traditional Japanese lion dance. I also write poetry and stories, and do drawings to express my poetry visually. Recently I have been enjoying creating new dance pieces and making masks for each dance. I was born in Japan and moved to Vancouver, Canada, where I started dancing. I am trained in jazz, modern dance and ballet. Currently, I dance and perform with Celebration Arts and Yamaci Dance Company. My ultimate goal is to make short animated films. Through my films and performing, I would like to spread joy, peace and love to the world.

DANCE/PERFORMANCE

A lifelong dancer, Sass has been part of the burlesque community for over a decade. She was honored to be part of Sacramento’s first burlesque troupe, the Sizzling Sirens, where she explored the wide range of sensuality and vaudeville strangeness that the art offers. Often appearing as a piece of food, an animal, alien or plant, she is excited to celebrate the divine feminine in her human form.

MUSICIANS

Alicia Gonzales, singer-songwriter, and Fiona Pulskamp, singer and multi-instrumentalist, join together to form this new duo.

WRITER

Rubie is a Sacramento State alum. This Filipina-native farmer and yoga teacher is passionate about shaping the future of communities to be more resilient and sovereign through farming and traditional medicine. Fascinated with the natural world, she grew up making potions from herbs gathered in her grandmother's garden. As an adult she has continued this practice through wildcrafting, herbalism, and dreamwork. She is the curator and editor of WOMXN: a literary publication for the way makers, sage burners, and downright dope mfs. When she is not farming, Rubie can be found wandering the woods or picking up dead things.

ARTIST

Born in Iowa, Polly was surrounded by animals and nature. With a family of farmers and artists, she began taking art classes at a young age and relocated to California where she went to school. Soon after graduating from UC Berkeley, she she opened her first business Polly Anne Designs, Smiles@Work and then eventually her own store in Texas. She has been a featured artist on KVIE, receiving an award for her floral and still life painting and on Idea factory, HGTV’s show the Ultimate Crash.

MUSICIAN

I was born and raised in Paris, and I have played the harp since the age of 5. My parents encouraged me and my sister to play music since our earliest age (she plays the piano), even though they've never played music. They brought us to our local music school in Paris as kids so we could get exposed to the multiple instruments they were teaching there. The first instrument I saw when I entered was a harp and I immediately knew this is what I wanted to play.

BY VERONICA JARBOE, FOR EXPRESSIONS

these vines turn rich with green

they grow,

they become the bloom

until a wondrous community takes shape,

each one sharing their splendor

with the other

right beside it.

the act of growing, blooming

sharing nad expressing

is the most vibrantly green and natural

hue of the human existence,

because we cannot have beautiful bulbs

if our community roots aren’t healthy

and nurtured.

lean into your community vines,

they will support you