Briauna
Certified Yoga & Sound Bath Artist
Briauna is a lead certified yoga instructor. She has worked with CEF since her grandmother founded the nonprofit in 2006. Briauna's yoga journey began when she was 12 years old, and today she holds a Yoga Alliance Certification with over 700 hours of teaching instruction. Briauna specializes in various yoga practices such as Yin, Restorative, and Vinyasa. Her passions center around working with youth and diverse communities seeking alternative healing methods. In 2021, Briauna founded Yogitherapi, a wellness experience and travel corporation.
Izell
Professional Photography Artist, Camps and Halls
Izell is a native of Michigan who resides currently in Atlanta, GA. He is currently working in the aviation industry, and he continues to participate in advocacy in healing informed practices for youth. He is a lead facilitator for boys and girls through his work with Center for the Empowerment of Families, Healing Captured, and other programs throughout LA County.
Izell is dedicated to being a resilient role model for challenged youth and provides mentorship for marginalized children, including foster youth, special needs children, and youth detained in LA County Juvenile Halls. He also utilizes his mentorship skills and artistic abilities to create programs aimed at sustaining youth and promoting healthy coping habits.
De Jur
Yoga Artist
De Jur Jones is a yoga therapist trained at Loyola Marymount University. She has specialized training that has helped her find her niche in serving at-risk, under-resourced, and highly traumatized communities and populations. For the past 14 years, she has been teaching youth in the juvenile justice system, probation camps and their staff, shelters for the homeless, group homes, mental health centers, direct services programs, and incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth and adults around LA County. De Jur loves the work that she does. She is also a lover of theater, books, cats, and music, and she moonlights as a flight attendant.
Mark
Artist
Mark started drawing and painting at a young age and later majored in art at Garfield High School. In addition to his artistic pursuits, he has sold his art to interior decorators at the Pacific Design Center in Hollywood for 7 years and was a member of the Whittier Art Gallery. His art has been displayed in various locations including Monterey, CA, San Luis Obispo, CA, and Malibu, CA.
In addition to his creative endeavors, he has experience in teaching high school and adult students at the San Pedro/Harbor Occupational Skills Center (L.A.U.S.D.) and was honored as Teacher of the Year in 1997. Furthermore, he has a background in public speaking and served as a school counselor for two years.
Kaylie
Culinary & Garden Artists
Kaylie is a dedicated culinary and garden arts artists at CEF, where she has been inspiring young minds for the past year. With a passion for giving back to the community, Kaylie blends her love for cooking and gardening to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences for her students. She believes in the power of food and nature to foster creativity and teamwork, and she enjoys mentoring youth as they develop valuable life skills.
Annette
Potter/Ceramics Artists
Annette is a Professional Ceramic Artist and the Founder of Radiclay for Radical Young Ceramic Artists in Los Angeles. She holds a B.A. and M.Ed from UCLA, and she has worked as a public school teacher for 15 years specializing in Special Education. Annette enjoys working with youth and adolescents in schools and communities.
Da'Shaunae Marisa
Professional Photgrapher
Da’Shaunae specializes in documentary, editorial and commercial photography. Her main objective help her students explore their “FEELINGS" through photography.
"If I can evoke something meaningful from your soul I have fulfilled my purpose.” - CEF Healing Captured Teaching Artist, Da’Shaunae,
Her creative endeavors started in illustration and transitioned to graphic design study for two years before pursuing photography. Her relationship began when her mother would always carry a Kodak disposable camera to photograph her and brother. In 1st grade, her mom gifted her a camera to document her last day of school. This experience later evolved, and today Da’Shaunae’s professional photography can be found in the New York Times, WSJ, Bloomberg, National Geographic, Time Magazine, and other publications. She also enjoys creating public art photographs using wheat pasting methods on buildings to inspire and engage her community.
London
Potter/Ceramics Artist
London James is a dynamic ceramic artist hailing from Chicago, IL, whose vibrant upbringing in Southern California has deeply influenced her work. Raised by her mother amidst the rich cultural tapestry of Los Angeles, James was immersed in a world shaped by music, sports, art, sneakers & more. In James’ current ceramic practice, sneakers become the object of interest, and the use of slip casting becomes the process par excellence in capturing all the subtle details in these complex forms. Through the merging of James’ love of ceramics and sneakers as a cultural icon, she is able to explore ideas about her own identity, while staying motivated to inspire and nurture creative spirit among young black & brown youth. Nike deemed London an "Icon of Los Angeles" highlighting her talent & story their platform. London's brand has since been featured on platforms like Complex, LA Times, Spectrum News & more.
Michael
Lived Experienced Mentor, Camp Afflerbaugh
Michael Jourdain is an author, activist, and mentor based in Los Angeles County. With a lifetime of lived experience within the LA County Community, he advocates for marginalized voices and empowers individuals through education. His literary works address themes of identity and resilience, earning him recognition as a leader in community activism. As a mentor, Michael inspires young people and emerging leaders through workshops focused on confidence and advocacy skills. Committed to creating a more inclusive society, he believes in the transformative power of storytelling and collective action.
Genaro
Media and Graphics Artist, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
Genaro is an artist and advocate for creative expression at CEF. He uses his artistic skills to create inclusive workshops that help individuals explore self-expression in ways they may not have had access to before. Passionate about empowering others, Genaro believes in the transformative power of art to foster connection and healing within the community.
Brittany
Professional Dancer
Brittany Desatnik is a respected choreographer, dancer, and dance instructor with extensive experience in the industry. Over the several years, she has worked with top artists such as, Nicki Minaj, Brandy, Ray J, Billy Ray Cyrus and Justin Bieber, and contributed to some of the most memorable performances in music. Known for her creativity and technical skill, Brittany also shares her passion for dance through teaching, guiding and inspiring aspiring dancers with her workshops and classes.
Erin
Food Artist, Communities and Parks and Rec
Errin Ulrich is a food artist from Los Angeles, CA. She holds a degree from California State University of San Bernardino. Errin leads food art classes at local Los Angeles County parks for people of all ages. Her passion is helping students turn fruits, proteins, and vegetables into works of food art. She enjoys seeing the smiles and wonder on her students' faces as they become adventurous in their food art designs. Errin also has a huge love for gardening and enjoys growing various types of vegetables to fuel her joy of creating new recipes and ideas for her classes.
Jose
Professional Artist, Camp Afflerbaugh
Jose Abel Gonzalez Jr. began his artistic journey at the age of nine at La Academia de Arte Yepes, where he developed a profound passion for painting. Under the mentorship of George Yepes, he spent a decade as a studio assistant, refining his skills and cultivating a sharp eye for detail. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cal State LA, Jose transitioned into photography and has since made significant contributions to various high-profile campaigns. His career reflects a dedication to artistic excellence and a versatile approach to creative expression
Jason
Professional Photographer
Jason is a commercial photographer and graphic designer based in Los Angeles. With 25 years of experience in graphics, he approaches his photography with the end result in mind. Having been a professional photographer for over 16 years, he started his photographic journey when he noticed that some photographers couldn't capture the visions he had for the projects he worked on as a graphic designer.