WIF first encountered Aaradhya Sunder when she was 11 years old.  At that time, she was preparing to participate in the 2025 edition of Art Capital Paris, where she would become one of the youngest participants in the 340-year history of the show.  We were pleased to post about her trajectory as an artist and showcase this marvelous opportunity.

This summer, Aaradhya achieved yet another outstanding milestone in her budding artistic career.

At a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on July 28, 2026, she received a Certificate of Exceptional Artistic Accomplishment recognizing her "as a winner of the 7th Arts Olympiad, the world's largest school art program, for making an outstanding artistic contribution to the 7th World Children's Festival on July 25-27, 2026, at the National Mall across from the U.S. Capitol."

The certificate is signed by International Child Art Foundation Founder and Chairman Dr. Ashfaq M. Ishaq.

Award Certificate

The work she presented, The Artist-Athlete, argues that a child should not have to choose between creativity and athletic discipline, or be defined by a single talent. The festival also served as the national children's celebration of America's 250th birthday.

In The Artist-Athlete (2025, acrylic on canvas, 61 x 46 cm), a pale palette fills the upper two-thirds of the canvas, its surface divided by a vertical gold line and horizontal bands. A hoop and backboard are drawn in thin red outline directly onto that surface, with a small figure shooting toward it, creating the effect of one field serving as both mixing surface and court.

Within the palette, a second figure raises a ball in one hand and holds a brush in the other, while an oversized brush cuts diagonally across the composition, its bristles breaking past the palette into the blue at the upper right.

"I did not want to show art and sport as separate," said Aaradhya, who participates in several sports as well as visual art.

During the festival, Ishaq viewed the painting and spoke with Aaradhya about it. He then issued two signed documents on ICAF letterhead: a recommendation and an Artistic and Developmental Appraisal of The Artist-Athlete, a critique of a single work rather than a general testimonial.

In the appraisal, Ishaq read the basketball as a symbol of movement, concentration, teamwork, perseverance and repeated practice. He wrote that the figure's pose, the placement of the ball and the visual rhythm of the composition communicate energy rather than a static portrait. Its underlying argument, he observed, is that children should not be confined to a single ability, label or expectation.

"What distinguishes Aaradhya is not merely her ability to make art, but her emerging capacity to use art as a means of thought," Ishaq wrote.

Calling The Artist-Athlete an integrated ideal founded on imagination, discipline, resilience and self-expression, Ishaq recommended that Aaradhya continue studying anatomy, gesture, proportion and the representation of movement, and extend the idea across other athletic forms, perspectives, emotional states and media.

Aaradhya has created more than 200 original works across painting, drawing, mixed media and claymation. Six of her claymation works were exhibited at the Gallery Children's Biennale at National Gallery Singapore; she was a laureate at an international children's art exhibition in Beijing in 2025; and her work has been presented at three TEDx-linked art exhibitions in Singapore.

Her development has included school learning at both German School and American School in Delhi, foundational mentorship with Dipti Karki in Delhi, sustained studio instruction at Little Artists Art Studio in Singapore under Shalini Kapoor, Junior Arts learning associated with NAFA, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and MoMA online children's programs.

Aaradhya's practice has moved from observation and environmental responsibility toward self-portraiture, identity and the body in motion. In his recommendation, Ishaq said she merits consideration for curated youth exhibitions, museum and arts-education programs, interdisciplinary initiatives, artistic mentorship and international platforms. He recommended her to curators, educators, cultural institutions and mentors committed not merely to displaying the work of young artists, but to helping them develop depth, independence and a sustained artistic voice.

Find Aaradhya's portfolio at www.DreamArtCove.com

On June 22, 2026, I had the joy of participating in a virtual read-aloud with Houston’s HYPE Freedom School.

This experience connects deeply to our commitment to literacy and youth empowerment, and WIF has happily supported it since 2021.

This year, I read Say Something! by Peter H. Reynolds.

​The book encourages young people to recognize that their voices matter and that expression can take many forms—through words, creativity, kindness, advocacy, or simply having the courage to speak up.

Its message feels particularly timely.

Every child deserves to know that their ideas have value and that their voice has the potential to inspire change.

And every young person deserves opportunities to discover their strengths.

Cover image:
Monique Y. Wells holding Say Something
© Wells International Foundation

We are pleased to introduce The Beauford Delaney Project, a new digital humanities initiative dedicated to advancing scholarship, fostering creative engagement, and expanding public access to the life and legacy of Beauford Delaney (1901–1979).

The project's new digital home may be explored here:

The Beauford Delaney Project

For more than sixteen years, the French nonprofit association Les Amis de Beauford Delaney has been our close partner in preserving and expanding Beauford's legacy.  Even before WIF existed, the Les Amis de Beauford Delaney blog served as a space for sharing research, archival discoveries, historical reflections, and scholarly dialogue concerning Delaney's life and work.

The creation of The Beauford Delaney Project marks an important evolution of that effort, providing a broader framework through which research, education, and public humanities initiatives can be developed and shared.

At its core, the project is guided by a simple but important premise: that the study of Beauford Delaney's life and artistic achievement offers rich opportunities for interdisciplinary inquiry while also serving as a catalyst for educational and community engagement.

As one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century, Beauford's life invites exploration across multiple fields, including art history, African American and Black Diaspora studies, and LGBTQ+ studies. His experiences in Knoxville, Boston, New York, and Paris provide valuable points of entry into broader conversations about creativity, migration, identity, race, transnational exchange, and artistic community.

Through the Beauford Delaney Project, WIF seeks to support and encourage these conversations while making scholarship more accessible to audiences beyond traditional academic settings.  We also intend to expand the range of scholarly exploration of Beauford's life and work into less conventional disciplines such as cultural geography, art therapy, and music.

A Foundation for Future Scholarship and Public Engagement

This project has been conceived as a long-term initiative that will bring together students, scholars, artists, educators, and community members through a range of interconnected activities.

Among its areas of focus are:

• The development of a digital platform that supports scholarship, research dissemination, and public engagement;
• Educational initiatives that connect students to Delaney's life and artistic practice;
• Opportunities for experiential learning through travel and cultural exchange;
• Support for emerging scholarship through future fellowship and scholarship initiatives;
• Creative projects that explore new approaches to interpreting and sharing Delaney's legacy.

In this respect, The Beauford Delaney Project reflects a growing movement within the humanities to bridge the divide between academic scholarship and public audiences, ensuring that knowledge is both rigorously developed and widely shared.

The First Project Underway

We are also pleased to announce the first project to be undertaken through this new initiative.

This summer, George Henry, a recent graduate of Amherst College with degrees in Black Studies and Computer Science, has joined the Wells International Foundation as a Summer 2026 intern.

George Henry

Henry's academic interests encompass Black Studies, archival practice, ethics and technology, Black feminist theory, Queer of Color Critique, and questions surrounding memory, representation, and historical recovery. Their interdisciplinary background makes them uniquely positioned to engage with Delaney's legacy through innovative forms of interpretation.

Over the coming weeks, Henry will begin research for a sound-based project that explores Beauford Delaney's relationship to New York City. Drawing upon archival materials, historical research, and field recordings gathered from locations associated with Delaney's life and work, the project will seek to create a series of immersive soundscapes that invite audiences to consider the auditory dimensions of place, memory, and artistic experience.

The completed work will be shared through The Beauford Delaney Project as it develops.

Rather than asking only what Delaney saw as he moved through New York, this unique project invites us to consider what he may have heard—the sounds, rhythms, atmospheres, and environments that formed part of his lived experience and artistic world.

In doing so, Henry's work exemplifies the interdisciplinary spirit that lies at the heart of both digital humanities practice and The Beauford Delaney Project itself.

Looking Ahead

We are excited by the possibilities this project presents for future scholarship, creative practice, and public engagement.

Beauford at rue Vercingétorix studio

Our intent is not only to preserve knowledge but also to generate new forms of inquiry and interpretation. By creating opportunities for students, scholars, artists, and communities to engage with Delaney's life and work, we plan to contribute to a deeper understanding of his indelible significance within American, Black Diasporic, and global cultural history.

We invite readers to follow the development of the project, explore the new platform, and join us as this work continues to evolve.

Visit The Beauford Delaney Project digital hub HERE.

WIF is pleased to welcome its Summer 2026 intern!

George Henry is a recent graduate of Amherst College who double majored in Black Studies and Computer Science. As a Queer, Jamaican and Mexican scholar, they are deeply passionate about uplifting and understanding the nuances of Blackness across the diaspora while working to ensure that new technologies like AI are equitable rather than exploitative.

George completed rigorous study at the intersection of ethics, technology, and Blackness at Amherst, with a particular focus on African and Caribbean theory and literature, Black feminist theory, Queer of color critique, and archival reclamation.

Deeply passionate about music production, sound, and aural archives, they studied music production at the Royal Danish Academy of Music during a semester abroad in Copenhagen and created an audio-visual senior capstone project titled "Rest," which explored rest as a tool to resist capitalism and recover the Black women and other marginalized subjects erased by traditional archives and scholarship.

Supported by the Wells International Foundation as an intern this summer, George will create a series of soundscapes mapping Beauford Delaney's movement throughout New York City, capturing the effervescent and ephemeral yet fundamentally human spirit within his works.

They will:

• Spend several weeks researching Delaney's paintings and life in New York, developing both an empirical and embodied understanding of his world

• Travel to Greenwich Village, Harlem, and other locations Delaney frequented, recording atmospheric field recordings of the environments where he worked and lived

• Gather and edit those recordings into a series of soundscapes and musical collages to be displayed on the Wells International Foundation Website for The Beauford Delaney Project—Where Scholarship Meets Community.

Shaltreece Chandler
Development Volunteer and
Brand Ambassador for WIF's Youth Veterinarian Initiative

We first learned about Shaltreece Chandler because of her children's book, Kelsie 100, which teaches kids financial literacy through a girl who saves money to build a zoo. We quickly realized that her numerous skills and interests completely align with ours, and we welcomed her aboard as a volunteer in December 2023.

Shaltreece "Shal" Chandler is a project management consultant who has dedicated more than 25 years leading, serving, building and transforming organizations. Working at her best in environments where she is contributing to a cause or outcome greater than herself, she describes herself as "a creative and strategic thinker who cares about people and leverages both pragmatic and out-of-the-box thinking to solve problems and inspire a shared vision of what's possible."

When we first met, Chandler told us about her desire to support us and shared that she believed she could use her business experience and acumen to help raise money to strengthen our infrastructure as well as fund our projects and programs.  She officially signed up as a volunteer in December 2023.

In addition to being a consummate business professional, Chandler is incredibly creative.  When we learned about her children's book—Kelsie 100—and her love of reading aloud to children, we saw the alignment with our Literacy Strategic Focus Area (SFA).

Because we had combined our STEAM Education and Literacy SFAs in our Youth Veterinarian Initiative, the fact that Chandler's main character was a little Black girl who wanted to save money to build a zoo was an unexpected bonus.

Shal Chandler wearing Kelsie 100 t-shirt

Chandler became passionate about the initiative and began to look for ways that she could bring our work in STEAM Education to Michigan, where she currently resides.

We made her our YVI brand ambassador in January 2024, and she wasted no time in her new role!

In February 2024, she introduced WIF and Dr. Tori Ellis of our partner organization, Mindfulness & STEAM Lab, to the Michigan State University Extension in East Lansing.  This led to invitations to participate in the MSU 4-H Animal and Veterinary Science Camp in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

The 2024 camp was the first to include mindfulness as part of the curriculum and the first to utilize the services of an organization external to MSU.

Dr. Tori Ellis and Shal Chandler at
MSU 4-H Animal & Veterinary Science Camp

In keeping with WIF's mission to expose girls to STEAM careers, Chandler connected us with Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan (GSSEM).  Through her outreach, we received $1500 from the Girl Scout Troop 78014 (raised through cookie sales) at the University Liggett School to support the purchase of a hydroponic garden. 

We sent the money back to the school, and they purchased the towers directly.

This supported the raising of edible produce for the school while providing hands-on STEM learning experiences and instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in the minds of students.

Shal Chandler and hydroponic towers

As a further introduction of WIF to the Greater Detroit Metropolitan Area, Chandler organized a unique event at the newly completed MaryAnn Wright Animal Adoption and Education Center in Dearborn, MI.

On Thursday, May 29, Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit partnered with the Wells International Foundation (WIF) to host “Sound & Sanctuary: A Concert for Canines and Cats” from 3-4 p.m.

Ackeem Salmon was the featured artist.  He played the harp for the dogs and cats while the general public walked through the facility in search of animals to adopt.

Left to right: Nova Zorok of Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit, Ackeem Salmon, and Shal Chandler

In July 2025, Chandler had the opportunity to read Kelsie 100 aloud to two groups of children that WIF serves through our STEAM Education/Literacy initiative in our home town of Houston, TX.  We are excited that her passion for our work continues to grow.

As we enter our second decade of service, we look forward to having Chandler work with us to raise funds to sustain our ability to expand our impact in Michigan, the rest of the U.S., and the world.

Erica Handy
Brand Ambassador for WIF's
 Entrée to Black Paris Cultural Awareness Program

Erica Handy reached out to WIF in April 2023 to express interest in volunteering for our ADCI Paris group.  Her undying passion for travel and study abroad and for Paris led to her becoming the first brand ambassador for our Entrée to Black Paris Cultural Awareness program.

Erica Handy is passionate about history, language, and culture, especially as they pertain to the African Diaspora.  She is a strong advocate for African Americans learning languages, traveling and studying abroad.

Handy designs cultural, educational, and global learning experiences that help people connect more deeply with history, place, and the world around them.  With a B.A. in Foreign Languages with a concentration in French and a minor in Spanish from Jackson State University and a professional background spanning museum education, cultural programming, historical interpretation, and heritage tourism, she is committed to creating meaningful travel experiences for diverse audiences.

Her approach to curating African diaspora-inspired Parisian itineraries is rooted in connection, curiosity, and cultural understanding.

Handy was formerly employed at the International Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson, MS.  She began as an intern, then served as an executive assistant and Director of Historical and Cultural Tours. In this post, she educated thousands over a ten-year period on the literate culture of Timbuktu through the museum’s premier exhibit, The Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word.

In 2015, she participated in a Human Diversity and Social Justice Abroad program in Paris through Jackson State University. Her coursework focused on value systems and cultural anomalies, which provided a framework for understanding how race, class, gender, ethnicity, religion and privilege affect immigrants in France.

This course immersed Handy in experiences that allowed her to witness a Paris many visitors never get to see, and the working class neighborhoods of Belleville, la Goutte d’Or and Saint-Denis became her classroom.

Places of interest visited included:

• A Tunisian community center in Belleville where immigrants shared their stories including their struggles and triumphs while living in Paris

• L’Institut des Cultures d’Islam (Institute of Islamic Cultures)

Institute of Islamic Cultures

• “Little India” and Temple Ganesh, a Hindu temple

• Musée national de l’histoire de l’immigration (National Museum of the History of Immigration) and the Buddhist temple in the neighboring Bois de Vincennes

National Museum of the History of Immigration

• Notre Dame Cathedral and the Mèmorial des Martyrs de la Deportation, the underground memorial dedicated to French citizens deported to Nazi concentration camps

• Père Lachaise Cemetery and its memorials to Auschwitz, Dachau and the French Resistance

• Grande Mosquée de Paris (Grand Mosque).

Grand Mosque of Paris

Handy described this as an amazing study abroad experience that allowed her to move beyond traditional tourist areas and see the real, everyday Paris that most people miss out on and that's worth sharing.

Her belief that art, history, and global experiences have the power to transform how we see ourselves and each other aligns perfectly with WIF’s belief that travel is one of the two most powerful avenues to building well-rounded, open-minded, critically-thinking youth.

Currently residing in Mobile, AL, Handy is connecting WIF to local and regional schools, businesses, and organizations that can benefit from ETBP Cultural Awareness activities, projects, and programs.

Alana Manga
Inaugural Dean of Student Success 
Paris College of Art

In April 2024, WIF had the pleasure of working with the Paris College of Art (PCA) to introduce U.S. high school students from the Going Global with Barbara International Youth Leadership Program to the possibility of pursuing undergraduate education abroad.

As the college's Director of Student Success and Registrar, Alana Manga was instrumental in organizing this life-changing visit for the program's first all-male cohort.

For our second visit to PCA (November 2025), we are thrilled to acknowledge that Manga is working with us in a new position as Inaugural Dean of Student Success.  She graciously granted us this in-depth interview to share her trajectory to this new role and what the post means to her.

WIF:  You began your academic journey in the sciences before moving into education and student success leadership. What inspired that shift, and how do those early experiences continue to shape who you are today?

Dean Manga:  I was always drawn to teaching, reading, and how people learn. I taught my dolls as a child, and would often share my thoughts with family, neighbors, really anyone who would stand still long enough. Little Alana knew things and was going to share them!

At the same time, I observed my parents, who were influential in their spheres, demonstrating how to educate to improve the world in their professional roles. I sought to imitate how they cultivated communities of thought and care around them.  There is a ripple effect to this kind of exchange; ever enlarging and impactful, both directly and indirectly.

Pragmatically, the summer before my senior year of undergraduate study in biology, I worked on a project co-funded through the New York State Department of Labor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. My job was to tutor summer school students, developing workforce readiness lessons that aligned with curricular modules. I was HOOKED! The students were delightful, the material interesting and relevant, and it was eye-opening to me. Yes! Meaningful teaching and learning happens outside of the traditional classroom setting, too.

When I returned to my college campus after that summer, I sought out elective courses at the education department of my college. Then, after completing my undergraduate degree, I chose to begin a Master of Science in School Psychology. I wanted to investigate the praxis of small-group knowledge transmission in a non-traditional setting. Thereafter, I pursued a MA in Education and a Certificate in Educational Administration to understand the policy that undergirds the work of knowledge transmission.

Kindness, community building, non-traditional teaching and learning, and an understanding of institutional theory and practice are the gifts I have received from these experiences and carry forward.

WIF:  You’ve worn many hats over your career—teacher, counselor, professor, director, and now dean. Looking back, what thread ties all these roles together for you?​

Dean Manga: In each of my professional roles, building community with kindness has been an integral characteristic. You know, this is the real underpinning of the work of educators. We draw people closer to encourage thinking, listening, sharing ideas in order to change their lives and others around them. And I think kindness is inherent in this work; I mean that the act of teaching others demonstrates a belief of cultural community, continuity and hope.

WIF:  Paris College of Art has been your professional home for nearly a decade. What first drew you to PCA, and what keeps you inspired to contribute to its growth?​​

Dean Manga: PCA is a lovely school of arts education in the 17eme arrondissement. I happened to see their search for a registrar in 2016. I thought it would be an interesting opportunity to apply my U.S.-gained experience in an international environment. I am lucky that I am able to continue the work that I love in a school that is evolving and student-centered.

The students encourage me. They are bright, curious people, most often young adults, who are at an important stage in their human development. Their passion for their artistic/design practices is phenomenal. I enjoy watching their growth and learning about the passions that capture their artistic/design imaginations.

Paris College of Art viewed from
esplanade at boulevard Pereire

WIF:  This new position of Dean of Student Success is a milestone for both you and PCA. How did you feel when you learned you’d be stepping into this inaugural role?​​

Dean Manga: I was and am still excited! This is a strategic leadership role that directly and indirectly impacts the student experience at PCA; both pastoral care and policy. I have the privilege of knowing the students individually and collaborating with other Administrators to align positive student outcomes across multiple dimensions.

There is also a very talented Student Success alliance of creative individuals with whom I have the pleasure of collaborating. They are invested in the work of developing a continuum of support and extra-classroom learning that aligns with the curricula. I am deeply impressed with their efforts and am encouraged by their capacities to lead.

WIF:  You often speak about empowering students to take ownership of their journeys. Can you share a story of a student who reminded you why that kind of agency matters?​​

Dean Manga: I have been very lucky to be present for many illuminating moments. I think the common thread has been witnessing students' sudden personal growth, developing situational awareness, and subsequently asking for help. There is agency in self-reflection, articulating one's needs, and seeking assistance to fulfill them.

WIF:  Moving from the U.S. to France is no small leap. How has living and working in an international academic community influenced your views on inclusion and belonging?

Dean Manga: Situating myself in an international academic environment has emphasized the importance of building community and coalitions where I am. For this reason, I think that inclusion efforts must be personalized and meaningful.

Why?

As noted by Sara Ahmed, in her book On Being Included, institutional thought on belonging is traditional, often-shallow, and slow-moving. Thus, only relevant and consistent efforts will lead to true change over time.

Alana Manga speaking to the April 2024 all-male cohort for the Going Global with Barbara International Youth Leadership Program

WIF: You’ve served as both an educator and an advocate. What have your students—and perhaps your colleagues—taught you about resilience and creativity in challenging times?

Dean Manga: I have profited from ties to many amazing colleagues and students, many of whom were from populations that have not been traditionally welcomed in higher education. For this reason, their very presence was revolutionary and hopeful.

I have also benefited from their gifts in demonstrating that change takes time and institutions move at a glacial pace. I have witnessed colleagues, assigned to various roles within a college, foster environments that welcome all students; serving as informal mentors. In my eyes, this is the beloved community at work, regardless of budgetary constraints, limiting policies, and traditional knowledge transmission discourse.

WIF: Leadership can be both demanding and deeply fulfilling. How do you nurture your own sense of purpose while helping students find theirs?​

Dean Manga: My four children strengthen my purpose. They are the ones that give me the motivation to work with integrity and to expand my understanding of who I am and what I can do. I want to demonstrate to them that they can overcome any obstacle in their life journey. And lastly, I want them to be proud of me, as I am incredibly proud of them.

WIF: You once chaired the board of a nonprofit that fought homelessness and poverty. How did that experience shape your understanding of the broader social and emotional dimensions of student success?​

Dean Manga: Student success is not limited, in my purview, to earning an “A” in a design course or writing a perfect art history essay. Student success is a holistic framework that encompasses the physical, mental, emotional and psychosocial aspects of a person. Is the student prepared to learn? Do they have a quiet place to work? Do they have all of the materials to start their work? Do they require accommodations for their assignments? These are a few of the critical factors that encourage student success.

I think the visual forwarded by psychologist A. Maslow is an ideal criterion for considering human needs. If basic physiological needs, a sense of safety, and a sense of belonging are not present, the higher-order thinking necessary for academic or creative/design practices is derailed.

WIF: The arts have a unique rhythm and energy as a discipline. What have you learned about supporting artistic students in particular—their unique needs, motivations, and spirits?​

Dean Manga: What I have learned is that the students need extra-classroom speaking opportunities and different types of space. The student critiques, held at the end of each semester, are an art school rite of passage. The students are taught how to evaluate and communicate their efforts so they can present their work in front of a committee of faculty and external parties who are practicing artists/designers. The pressure on the students to understand the technical aspects of their work, analyze their artistic/design process and communicate all of this in a brief time limit is enormous!

But where can they practice this newfound skill set before the high-pressure end-of-semester critique?

Practice and preparation require community involvement. For practice sessions, students need staff, faculty, and other community members who are not in the classroom and are willing to listen to their presentation-in-process and provide feedback.

The space requirement covers several realms.

Physical space for their practice is needed, of course, but they also need a mental space where they can engage in the “what-ifs” that lead to a new insight in their work.

Another type of space (intellectual) is also necessary to explore other disciplines and domains of learning. Their work requires inspiration, references, and the guidance to situate the same.

Engraving of PCA logo

WIF: When you envision student success at PCA, what does that look like to you—not just in terms of grades or graduation, but also in the lives these students build after they leave?

Dean Manga: I hope that the students know that the community enlarges to accommodate their new identity as PCA alumni. Their connection to their university experience remains intact.

I want them to know that they can define their successes as they choose. Their ideas of what they want/who they want to be can/does evolve. Life demands change, and this is a normal aspect of their maturation as artists/designers.

And I hope they stay in touch, allowing my colleagues and me to celebrate their wins with them!

WIF: The title “Dean of Student Success” carries so much promise. What are your hopes for how this role will evolve and influence PCA’s community in the years ahead?

Dean Manga: I view my role as a liaison and catalyst, making introductions and facilitating conversations to support students through their tenure. At the same time, I have the privilege of
encouraging and supporting initiatives that work towards positive student outcomes.

I see the future Office of Student Success as an array of services, information and connections that meets the student learner where they are, at that moment. This could include “experiential” learning opportunities at any level of study, affinity services that address common complaints of life in a foreign country, and intergenerational connections in the campus neighborhood.

WIF is pleased to welcome its Autumn 2025 intern!

Camryn James is a junior at the University of Arizona, pursuing a major in Cyber Operations with a minor in Hip Hop. He was born and raised in Chicago, a city that fuels both his drive for innovation and his passion for culture.

Camryn's academic journey in Cyber Operations sharpens his skills in technology and security, while his Hip Hop studies connect him to artistic expression and community building.

Outside of academics, Camryn is also a DJ, blending sounds and creating experiences that bring people together through music. He strives to bridge his technical expertise with his creative side, finding unique ways to merge cybersecurity, digital media, and Hip-Hop culture. Whether through his studies, DJing, or community involvement, he is dedicated to building connections, embracing versatility, and leaving a lasting impact.

In Autumn 2025, Camryn will create a new digital home for the Les Amis de Beauford Delaney blog and oversee its seamless migration from Blogger.

He will also investigate the ways in which Beauford Delaney’s art has shaped the work of contemporary musicians.

Together, these initiatives will launch The Beauford Delaney Project – Where Scholarship Meets Community, a digital humanities celebration through which WIF will pay tribute to Beauford Delaney—the visionary artist whose brilliance and spirit inspired WIF’s very founding. This project will be the focal point of WIF’s 10th anniversary, honoring Delaney’s enduring legacy while bringing his influence to new generations.

WIF is delighted to share some joyful news—our founder and CEO, Dr. Monique Y. Wells, has completed her certificate in AI for Marketing & Fundraising from Nonprofit Tech for Good!

We’re incredibly proud of Dr. Wells for always leading with curiosity, determination, and innovation. Her dedication inspires us all to continue to support WIF as we grow stronger, smarter, and ever more connected to the people we serve.

With this new knowledge in AI at our disposal, we’re excited to dream even bigger as we work to fund the projects and programs in the arts, travel/study abroad, STEAM education/literacy, and women’s empowerment that serve the communities our donor family cares about so deeply.

WIF is pleased to welcome its 10th Anniversary Celebration intern!

Janjay Gardea is a curious and creative thinker passionate about innovation, storytelling, and purposeful design. As a senior undergraduate studying International Business and Business Management, with minors in Social Entrepreneurship and Community Leadership & Engagement, she is currently spending a semester in Paris exploring fashion design and brand management while preparing for an MBA.

Janjay serves as the Executive Director of her nonprofit, Future Change Foundation, and values growth, legacy, and the ability to build lasting impact. Her experiences span mentorship, marketing, organizational strategy, and storytelling—offering her a multidimensional perspective that blends structure with imagination.

Whether she’s guiding students, shaping brand concepts, or leading change, Janjay thrives where creativity meets purpose. She is deeply motivated by the belief that thoughtful design—of systems, ideas, or experiences—can uplift communities and reimagine what’s possible.

During the summer and autumn of 2025, Janjay will support the planning for WIF's 10th anniversary celebration events in Houston, TX and Paris, France as well as the ongoing celebration of the anniversary beginning in October 2025.  This will include supporting the needs of WIF’s founder & CEO.