Karon Samuels is a director, program coordinator, and teaching artist with a passion for the performing arts. A proud graduate of Howard University’s Fine Arts program, Karon has spent much of her career elevating and celebrating black storytelling and marginalized voices, working with local art nonprofits that support her personal mission of art accessibility and equity.

She serves as Program Coordinator for The Cooler and Outreach Coordinator for TheMemphis Black Arts Alliance. She is also an artist in her own right, gracing stages in musicals, plays, spoken word sets, and operas in Memphis and the DMV area. Karon is proud to play her part in creating a sustainable, equitable creative economy in Memphis. She hopes to see the creatives in our city leave a lasting, socially impactful influence in modern media, both onstage and behind the scenes.