Fifty-three fellows from communities across the U.S. were selected to participate in the 2022-2023 National Leaders of Color Fellowship cohort to build on the legacy of creating an intersectional, intergenerational, and multiracial movement on behalf of cultural equity across the field. During this no-cost eight-month fellowship, fellows receive access to specialists in the field, strategic learning objectives to deepen thought on anti-racist and culturally-oriented leadership practices, and national-level network and cohort building.
Anika Kowalik (they/them), the Associate Educator of Teen Programs, coordinates the Teen Internship program and works directly with teens. Kowalik is a Black and Queer Multidisciplinary Artist residing in Milwaukee. They hold a BFA in Printmaking from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. In their practice, they address creating safe space, representation and acknowledgment of disadvantaged communities, and programming encompassing these themes. They have a myriad of ties within communities that MAM directly serves as a result of years of interfacing with these communities as an artist. They’ve championed intersectional, anti-racist, and holistic care practices for local organizations such as Cactus Club Milwaukee, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, and the Milwaukee Art Museum. Kowalik completed training from the Clinical & Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin for a Childhood Development certification in early 2022 and has experience in public health evaluation as a Project Assistant for Jael Solutions LLC. The multiplicity and richness within their background brings a needs-based approach to teen programs reflective of equity-driven approaches to education. Overall, they want teens to see themselves in art careers by providing a fulfilling experience for all involved.
