OUR TEAM

Julia Tsitsi Chigamba, grew up in the cultural traditions of Shona music and dance, guided by her parents who are both from a long line of musicians and storytellers. Julia is the first master Zimbabwean dancer to make her home outside of Zimbabwe. Her father, Tute Chigamba, is a master mbira player and her mother was a master dancer. Julia’s brothers, sisters and cousins were members of the Zimbabwean National Dance Company and later founded their own mbira and dance ensemble, Mhembero. The Chigamba family lived in poverty during colonial times, when ceremonies were banned, but they held onto their traditions. The family thrived following Zimbabwe’s independence in 1981, when traditional music was in demand. However, Julia was forced to re-locate to the U.S. in 1999, when Zimbabwe’s economic downturn began. She left three children, ages 4, 7 and 9 years, in the care of her parents, until she was finally able to bring them to live here in the U.S. in 2010. Two years after moving to the U.S., she established the music and dance company the Chinyakare Ensemble in Oakland, California, to share the beauty and wisdom of her culture. Julia and the Chinyakare Ensemble have continued to perform throughout the Bay Area and across the U.S. In 20**, Julia founded the non-profit the Kumusha Foundation in order to continue to preserve and promote traditional Zimbabwean music and dance. In addition, in 2014 she started her own clothing line of African inspired designs, the Tsuro Collection. Julia Chigamba’s professional experiences include tours of Africa, China, Europe, Canada and the South Pacific with Mhembero. She has performed at such prestigious venues as the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles; Davies Symphony Hall and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Julia has performed at social consciousness raising events at the University of California Berkeley and the East Bay AIDS Walk in Oakland. She and the group that she founded, the Chinyakare Ensemble are recognized for their authentic presentation of Zimbabwean music and dance and are regular invitees to the annual Zimbabwe Music Festival that takes place in the northwest; Camp Tumbuku in New Mexico; and the Collages des Cultures Africaines in Oakland. Julia and Chinyakare have performed in the Bay Area for Princess Nandi Zulu and Archbishop Ndungane from South Africa and have opened for Zimbabwean musicians Oliver Mtukudzi and Thomas Mapfumo. She is featured on recordings including Zviri Kufamba Zvishoma (Boka Marimba – 2000); Kushinga Mhavambo, (Kusinga Mhavambo – 1998); and Pasi Mupindu (Mhembero Mbira Ensemble – 1998). In 2015, Julia served as the cultural consultant on the play, The Convert, written by Danai Gurira. Julia has also taught Zimbabwean dance in schools throughout the greater Bay Area since 1999, and currently teaches dance at Destiny Arts in Oakland.

Archie Nagraj is the Executive Director at Destiny Arts Center, where she oversees Finance, Human Resources, and Operations, supporting all of the back-end operations that make Destiny run. Originally from Boston, by way of New York City, Archie has been with Destiny since 2015. Archie believes that the arts are fundamental to positive social change and community health. The arts provide shared languages that young people can use to take control of their lives, make healthy decisions and build community. Archie has been in the youth development field for over twenty years, honing her holistic expertise in programs, administration, development, and executive leadership. From Citizen Schools in Boston to Creative Arts Workshops for Kids in New York City, where she served as the Executive Director from 2004-2009, Archie has facilitated the operational systems and working relationships that make it possible for passionate people to effect positive social change. In addition to working at Destiny, Archie loves spending time with her son, exploring the wonders of the West Coast, baking and traveling. Archie received her BA from Boston University, and holds an MPH from Columbia University as well as an MSW from Rutgers University.

Christina Chan is the Senior Programs Manager at Destiny Arts Center, where she works with partners at schools and community centers to create programs that provide students with spaces for artistic expression and community building. Originally from Tacoma, Washington, Christina has been with Destiny since 2015. Christina believes that all youth are vulnerable to different risks in this world. However, through the love and nurturing of their communities, young people can become caring leaders who have the power and drive to implement positive social change in our society. Through her work at Destiny, Christina supports youth on this journey through building strong bonds and encouraging them to find their own unique voices. As a Manager for the California Youth Energy Services program, Christina helped set over six-hundred young people on a path to higher education through job skills training and community service. During her tenure with An Taisce, the Green Trust for Ireland, Christina created programs and curriculum to help young people become better stewards of the earth through action and example. In addition to her work at Destiny, Christina enjoys finding new hiking trails with her partner, Matt and her dog, Buddy, who also happens to be the official Destiny office dog. Christina graduated from UC, Berkeley in 2002 with a major in Mass Communications and a minor in Education.

Nasim Coy is the Business & Operations Manager at Destiny Arts Center, where she supports the daily office management and accounting functions of Destiny. Originally from Iran, Nasim has been with Destiny since 2015. Nasim believes that given the proper tools, youth can transform into strong, fearless nurturing leaders dedicated to changing the world for the better. Before coming to Destiny, Nasim worked with the UCSF Athena Breast Health Network, a collaboration between all five U.C. medical centers to create quality breast health care for all women. In addition to her work at Destiny, Nasim enjoys salsa dancing, travelling and spending time with her best friend and husband, Josiah, and their dog, Paxton. Nasim holds a BS in Health Education from San Francisco State University.

Beatriz Escobar is a Program Manager at Destiny Arts Center, where she helps deliver our center-based programs, supporting youth, teaching artists, caregivers and staff. Originally from Brazil, Beatriz has been with Destiny since 2019. Beatriz believes that art can free our imaginations and offer inspiration for us to shape the world we want to live in.

In addition to her work at Destiny, Beatriz is an interdisciplinary artist working with performance, installation and participatory art projects. Beatriz has been a member of the Dia de los Muertos Committee at the Oakland Museum of California since 2017 and a photography mentor to youth with First Exposures since 2014. She is the co-founder of Emergent Landscapes, a platform for POC artists to present live work in natural landscapes. Beatriz has received the Impact Awards 2017 for her project Amazonas Riverine Program and an Alternative Exposure Grant from Southern Exposure for Emergent Landscapes. She was a 2017-2018 Creative Dissent Fellow at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and is currently an Affiliate Artist at Headlands Center for the Arts. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Social Practice from California College of the Arts.  

Samara Atkins is a teaching artist at Destiny Arts Center, where she teaches hip hop dance and movement in our programs at schools and community centers throughout the East Bay. Originally from Oakland, CA, Samara has been with Destiny since 2011. Samara knows that movement and dance are powerful tools for everyone to share their story, process, cope, and heal from the things we experience in our society. Movement brings communities together and connects people to people. Samara believes that through movement, youth are able to access and channel their emotions, communicate their experiences more clearly, connect with others, and empower, as well as express themselves in ways that allow them to thrive. Samara has danced for CHIC ft. Nile Rodgers at the 2015 FOLD Festival, representing Destiny Arts Center. She has been a featured dancer for Adobe Max product launch and their 2017 Adobe Design Achievement Awards ceremony. Samara has been featured in music videos, news articles, and was a dance journalist for Dance Studio Life magazine. She has co-founded Mix'd Ingrdnts, an all female-identified performance company est. in 2010, that exists to empower womxn, youth, and the community to express themselves through performance and dance education. As co-artistic director, choreographer, and dancer of the company, Samara has received notable dance awards, notoriety in the community and internationally, and appeared on the Harry (Connick Jr.) Show. She also was choreographer and director of Howard University's Vizion Performance Company while attending. Samara has been a dance company member and received training from two of Oakland's premiere studios/companies Newstyle Motherlode and Dance-A-Vision. In addition to her work with Destiny Arts Center, she has co-started and co-lead Power of Hope Bolinas since 2015, and been a lead-facilitator for Partners of Youth Empowerment Global's Creative Faciliation Training. Samara is a core member of the grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers as choreographer, dancer, singer, and songwriter. Through Alphabet Rockers, Mix'd Ingrdnts, Destiny Arts Center, and her own mantra in life, Samara engages in, creates, and produces content that positively impacts social change and creates spaces for people to be seen & heard. She also really loves to travel and share her love of dance and storytelling.  Through Mix'd Ingrdnts, Samara has received Bay Area's Best Dancer award. She's also represented the US on a dance tour in China and workshopped with Debbie Allen at her studio with the St. Mary's Dance Ensemble, under Naa Dodua - Diane Green. Samara will always spread her joy and love of dance to people around the world.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Antwan Davis is a teaching artist at Destiny Arts Center, where he teaches stepping and body percussion in schools and dance studios throughout the the Bay Area. Originally from Las Vegas after having grown up in Albuquerque, NM. Antwan has been with Destiny since 2017. Antwan is a multi-percussionist who has been engaging audiences for 14 years with body percussion and stepping.  He co-founded and performs with the Las Vegas-based body percussion dance company Molodi.  He has also performed with the Las Vegas and North American production of Stomp, and has toured nationally with Step Afrika! He performs and teaches workshops and residencies in the U.S and internationally.  As a performer, he thrives on breaking down musical and genre barriers through creative, interdisciplinary projects. As a teacher he is enthused by creating community through body music, giving people a different outlet of expression. Antwan has recently expanded his artistic crafts by becoming an improvisational actor and stand-up comedian. “My passion is people, I love connecting, inspiring, sharing and creating with people.” – Antwan Davis

Aaron is a rhythmALLogist and teaching artist at Destiny Arts Center, where he teaches drumming and percussion at schools throughout the East Bay. He is originally from Los Angeles, CA and has been teaching with Destiny Arts since 2015. Aaron knows that rhythm is one of the most powerful, direct and universal ways of unifying a group of people, ushering in creativity, connection and personal transformation. In addition to his work at Destiny, Aaron teaches with several other leading Bay Area teaching arts organizations, such as LEAP, Attitudinal Healing Connection and East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Aaron is founder of RhythmALLogy (www.rhythmallogy.com), an organization using interactive drumming and rhythm making for building community and human potential. He has presented workshops on several continents, working with youth and adults in schools, jails, corporate boardrooms and everything in between. He is also an integral member of the Bay Area music scene, playing with groups such as Jazz Mafia, Orchestra Gold, La Misa Negra and is internationally touring drummer with Rupa and the April Fishes, visiting 30 countries since 2005. Aaron studied jazz drumming performance at Sonoma State and San Francisco State University, pursuing a deeper study of rhythm in Cuba, Ghana, Morocco and Italy. He has taken a plethora of rhythm facilitation trainings all over the world with such teachers at Arthur Hull, Simon Faulkner, Musicians Without Borders, Christine Stevens and others. He holds a BA in Integral Studies from C.I.I.S in San Francisco and draws inspiration from coffee, laughter, found sounds, mistakes and the boundless creativity of the youth he teaches.

Aminah Hanif is a martial arts teaching assistant at Destiny Arts Center, where she teaches Kajukenpo and traditional Filipino karate, as well as assisting as a counselor and staff member at the Camp Destiny day camp in the summer. Originally from East Oakland, California. Aminah has been with Destiny since 2016.

Chibueze* Crouch is a theater teaching artist at Destiny Arts Center, where she teaches acting and vocal work to youth throughout the East Bay. Originally from Danbury, CT (Eansketambawg Quinnipiac land), she currently lives in Oakland, CA (Chochenyo Ohlone land) and spends her free time performing in local theater productions, singing, and creating performance art. Chibueze has been with Destiny Arts since 2017. *(pronounced: chee-bway-zay)

Gabriel Christian (they/them; he/him; etc) is a performance teaching artist at Destiny Arts Center, where they teach theater, storytelling, and performance in programs at schools throughout the East Bay. Born and raised in New York City, they have been with Destiny since early 2016. They began collaborating with Destiny as part of the flagship QEAR (Queer Emerging Artists’ Residency) program and were then invited to join the teaching staff that fall. Gabriel knows, through their personal experience, that performance is a vigorous space to exercise vulnerability and communication skills that enable one to enter into the wider world with fluidity, empathy, and freedom. As a young person who made their way to performance through spoken word, Gabriel sees the stage as a testing ground and a safe haven for the marginalized voice. Gabriel has performed in various regional productions in New York, New Haven, and San Francisco, in theatrical capacities ranging from bit ensemble player to dramaturg to lead, namely supporting productions by WePlayers, Theatre Rhinoceros, and Robert Woodruff at the Yale Rep. As a performance artist, they have shared countless devised pieces everywhere from the historic Stud Bar to Stanford, and have secured residencies at This Will Take Time, CounterPulse, CIIS, and Finnish Brotherhood Hall. In addition to their work at Destiny and their performance practice, Gabriel is an adamant yogi, even if time isn’t always quite on his side. Gabriel has studied with Jairo Cuesta and Jim Slowiak, the original collaborators of Polish theatre maker Jerzy Grotowski and renowned international theatre director Robert Woodruff. They interned with playwright Young Jean Lee, and held so many odd theatre jobs he’d need to grow new hands to count them. Gabriel holds a BA in Theater Studies from Yale University.

Raquel Nicole Jetè is a Teaching Artist at Destiny Arts Center where she teaches Theater and Hip Hop Dance. Originally from Oakland, CA, she is going into her third year at Destiny Arts and couldn’t be happier! Raquel believes that is imperative for our youth to be exposed to as much culture and diversity as possible for the enrichment of their lives. That is why she incorporates music and dance from all over the world into her curriculum to diversify the perspectives of students who may not be exposed to much outside of their local communities. Raquel has an extensive Musical Theater repertoire including: AIDA (Aida), RAGTIME (Sarah), SISTER ACT (Deloris Van Cartier) and much more.  She has also performed all over the world including Greece, Spain, Italy, France, Russia and the Caribbean as a singing entertainer. She has graced the stages of APOLLO Theater in Harlem as well as The Metropolitan Room – New York, where she headlined her own concert. Her debut EP is scheduled to be released Summer of 2019! Raquel is a graduate of AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theater. She has trained in New York and Los Angeles and has been teaching at-risk youth Performing Arts classes since 2008.

Bio coming soon!

Kanukai Chigamba is the Assistant Teaching Artist for the Zimbabwean Dance Class at Destiny Arts Center, where she assists Ms. Julia by drumming and also dancing during classes at the arts center and in schools across Oakland. Originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, Kanukai has been with Destiny since 2018. Kanukai believes that many Zimbabwean traditional dances are deeply rooted in their everyday life. She also knows that when working with young people, it is easier when they can connect with the culture they are being introduced to. She feels creating this connection between her own personal and the students’ experiences based on what we do every day and connecting it back to the choreography is such a beautiful process to witness. Kanukai has performed across the United States with the Chinyakare Ensemble, Afro-Urban Society, and Cheza Nami foundation. She has performed at events such as the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Zimfest, Monterey Bay Reggaefest, and the Africa Day Celebration in Washington DC. In addition to her work at Destiny Arts, she teaches dance workshops and performs in the Bay Area. She enjoys taking photos, hiking, and sleeping. Kanukai Chigamba holds a BA in Political Science and African Studies from California State University, Sacramento. She hopes to further her education and land a job at the United Nations one day. Kanukai draws inspirations from many African women dancers who are constantly evolving to better themselves and their art.

Mariella Morales, a San Francisco native was introduced to dance at the age of 7 when she would accompany her mother to her dance classes. Her love for dances of the African Diaspora was due to her attendance at School of the Arts (SOTA), where she was introduced to Dunham Technique and African Haitian. Ms. Morales' academic credentials are: received an A.A in Dance from City College of San Francisco (CCSF) in 2004; completed a B.A. in Dance from San Francisco State University (SFSU) in 2007; and earned a M.S. in Kinesiology at SFSU in 2012. Ms. Morales is also a Certified Dunham Technique instructor (2012). She teaches the following dance disciplines: African-Haitian, African-Brazilian, Dunham Technique, Salsa, Yoga, Zumba and Hip Hop.

Anna joined the Destiny Arts Center board in 2019. As a former grantmaker, she was inspired by its impactful, social change-focused arts & movement programming, and eventually spent many Saturday mornings at the Center when her oldest child enrolled in martial arts classes. Her son felt immediately at home in Destiny’s inclusive, multiracial, and intergenerational community — something she hopes for every youth. Currently, Anna serves as Director of Communications at Metta Fund, a private foundation working to advance the health and wellness of San Francisco’s aging population, particularly those furthest from access and opportunity. She brings over 15 years’ experience in the philanthropy and nonprofit sector. Anna holds Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in Global & International Studies as well as German Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She also holds a Master in Public Administration (M.P.A.) from San Francisco State University. Having grown up in three different countries, Anna brings an immigrant’s perspective and deeply respects and values cultural relativity and difference. She spent many years traveling the globe and her passion for access, justice, and equity keeps her work as close to community as possible. When she is not shuttling one of her kids to school, or writing a press release, she can be found enjoying Friday nights at the Oakland Museum of California, reading the Sunday New York Times, or dragging the family on a hike by the water.

Castle Sinicrope has been a Destiny Arts Center board member since 2018. She learned about Destiny through her evaluation work for the City of Oakland and saw the power of its programming and social change mission firsthand when Sarah invited her to attend an end-of-summer camp performance in 2015. Castle is an independent evaluator who helps local, state-wide, and international organizations understand and improve programs that promote social and economic opportunity. She currently serves as the external evaluator for the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)’s Healthy Neighborhoods Collaboratives and supports their place-based collaborative approach to neighborhood revitalization in East and West Oakland. She holds a BA in German from Georgetown University and an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Originally from Amherst, Massachusetts, Castle has been in the Bay Area since 2008. After years of competing at the highest levels of ultimate frisbee nationally and internationally, she now chases after toddlers and can sometimes be found in the ceramics studio.

David has been a Destiny Arts Center board member since 2012. He came to Destiny after seeing the Destiny instructors inspire his children with their thoughtful, nurturing approach. Years later his son still proudly remember his yellow belt promotion in martial arts. David is a Director or Competitive Marketing at New Relic, where he researches software markets and advises sales professionals on how to build successful client relationships. Prior to Joining New Relic, David worked for several leading companies including Oracle, Salesforce, Polaroid, A.T. Kearney and Booz-Allen & Hamilton. He holds a BS in engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Originally from New Jersey, David has been in the Bay Area since 1997. David is passionate about youth activities and spending time with friends and family. He can be found at a family BBQ or watching his children play, dance or act when he’s not at work or here at Destiny.

David has been a Destiny Arts Center board member since 2015. He came to Destiny, because of its deep roots in the community and its work with young people. David is a Director of Customer Experience at PG&E, where he leads a team of 50 employees who work to make it easier for customers to do business with the company. He holds a BBA from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and a MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from Germany, David has been in the Bay Area since 2008.  He enjoys spending as much time as possible outside – whether it be running, skiing or backpacking.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Tana Johnson joined Destiny Arts Center in 2016 after witnessing Destiny’s ability to create strong youth leaders and community advocates through its social justice oriented curriculum in movement arts. Tana is a screenwriter with over twenty years of experience as an arts educator, video producer, and teacher trainer in non-profits, museums, colleges and county offices of education. Tana ran the Integrated Learning Specialist Program at Alameda County Office of Education where she led a training program for educators to deepen their practice through Teaching for Understanding and Studio Thinking Framework. Tana has received awards for her own films as well as digital films and products she produced at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She holds a master’s of arts in Creativity and Arts Education from San Francisco State University. Originally from Idaho, Tana has been an active member of the Bay Area arts community since 1992. Tana loves traveling with her husband and two daughters, hiking the hills of Oakland with her two dogs, and attending the inspiring Destiny Arts performances.

Jessica Ozberker, LCSW, LPCC, is a first generation American, born to Jewish, European and Middle Eastern parents. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and has traveled to over 30 countries. Ms. Ozberker attended the Evergreen State College and earned a B.A. in Humanities with an Emphasis in Cultural Studies. She then went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Social Work at San Jose State University. Ms. Ozberker soon became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor.

She has close to 20 years of experience offering and developing psychotherapy and providing psychoeducation through community events, presentations, and trainings. Ms. Ozberker has extensive experience in non profit management, case management, advocacy, lobbying, research, and community outreach among diverse populations of at risk children, youth and families, elders, and triple diagnosed homeless adults.

Throughout the past 10 years, Ms. Ozberker has served on three board of directors for various non profits. Currently, Ms. Ozberker has a private psychotherapy practice, supervises clinical interns and works with Jewish Family & Children Services. She centers her work on empowering, and involving people to be active partners in their own care. Through her work she supports her own personal, professional and philanthropic commitment to social justice.

Ms. Ozberker’s favorite activities involve being in or near the ocean, spending time with her children, family and friends, travel, and anything related or connected to the arts.

Sifu Anthony Daniels is a Co-Founder of Destiny Arts Center and the former Director of Center-based Martial Arts programs at Destiny Arts Center, where he taught an eclectic mix of asian martial arts forms including Japanese Karate, Kung Fu (Wu Chien Pai), and Judo. Born and raised in Oakland, Sifu Anthony co-founded Destiny Arts Center in 1988, with Sifu Kate Hobbs. Sifu Anthony believes that when youth commit to the study of Martial Arts they will learn to prevent violence in their communities and build skills around cooperation and discipline. Sifu Anthony has taught martial arts, youth leadership, self-defense and conflict resolution to youth of all ages since 1980 at Destiny and in many other after-school programs in the Bay Area, including the California School for the Blind, Job Corps, the Chestnut Court Housing Projects, and Parks and Recreation programs. He has also taught youth and adults internationally in Switzerland and Mexico. Sifu Anthony holds a first-degree black belt in Judo and a fifth degree black belt in Wu Chien Pai Kung Fu. Sifu Daniels has taught martial arts at Destiny since 1988. He started studying at age 13 and received his Black Belt in Kung Fu in 1982 and in Judo in 1988. He was a five time state champion with the California Karate League in the 1980s. And a national collegiate medalist in both olympic Tae Kwon Do and judo Sifu Anthony holds an AA in Developmental Disabilities from Chabot College, a BA in Humanities from New College of CA, and an MA in Youth Leadership New College of CA.

Kate Hobbs a Co-Founder of Destiny Arts Center. In her role as Mentor Teaching Artist, she supported Destiny Teaching Artists to passionately share their art form with young people. Born and raised in San Francisco, Kate co-founded Destiny Arts Center in 1988 with the goal of offering high quality martial arts training for youth. Kate was particularly interested in teaching practical skills for de-escalating violence and promoting peaceful solutions to violence and abuse for young people and their communities. Kate returned to Destiny in 2013 to usher in the next generation of Destiny teaching artists and hone our martial arts curriculum. Kate believes that toughness, skillful expression, and positive experiences of community give young people what they need to creatively navigate their world and develop the capacity to survive and prosper in the face of inequality and injustice. Kate served as Destiny Arts Center’s Executive Director from 1988 to 1998. She then worked for Sports4Kids (now known as Playworks) from 1998-2005, where she wrote curriculum and developed trainings. Kate taught Physical Education with Berkeley Unified School District from 2005-2008 and worked in Early Childhood Education at UC Berkeley Childcare from 2008-2012. In 2006, Kate came full circle, establishing Oakland Kajukenbo Kwoon, an intergenerational martial arts school hosted at Saint Columba Church. Kate holds a seventh-degree black belt in Kajukenbo. She has a BS from UC Berkeley in Conservation and Resource Studies and a Master Teacher Certificate in Early Childhood Education.