Theme: Liberation

Our theme for 2025 is Liberation. Why should we reconsider notions of liberation, and how do we experience liberation in our lives, our spaces, and our fields?

Entrenched in history and imperative today, liberation applies to global democracy yet calls attention to individual and community freedom. It can and should transcend political affiliations to encourage understanding people and places emerging from challenges and working for a more vibrant and equitable future. Importantly, people make up the core of global democracy, and the interpretations of liberation for people and their places should lead us to rethink traditional notions of democracy on community, state, and global scales.

Wyatt Center for the Arts
Alumni Drive
Louisville, Kentucky, 40205
United States

Aaron Bibelhauser

songwriter, band leader, Bibelhauser Brothers

The Bibelhauser Brothers combine twin brother harmonies with award winning original songs and instrumental prowess to create high octane bluegrass-country-soul sounds from the heart of Kentucky. In addition to writing songs for award winning bluegrass artists, Aaron Bibelhauser is an accomplished session musician, producer, recording engineer, and longtime host of the weekly radio broadcast Bluegrass Evolution on 91.9 WFPK in Louisville, Kentucky. His twin brother, Adam, has spent the past two decades developing one of the most powerful voices in bluegrass music and his own style as a bassist with a commanding presence, both on and off stage. Both have endured lifelong friendships with their bandmates Jeff Guernsey and Steve Cooley, two of the finest pickers in the country who have carried their bluegrass roots around the globe, on stage, and in the studio with iconic artists including the Dillards, Steve Warner, Vince Gill and more.

Angela Billings

Director of Communications, Kentucky Senate Majority

Angela Billings, a U.S. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, speaker, and author, has performed in many high-profile positions while serving in the Air Force. She worked as an international spokesperson for military forces in Germany, Korea, and Afghanistan and as the senior Air Force representative in New York City. Angela was the media chief and spokesperson for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. While deployed, she also provided operational updates to leaders from the 32 contributing nations in London. She founded her business, The Virago Circle, in October 2020, consulting and speaking to leaders about effective crisis management. Currently, she directs communications for the Kentucky State Senate Majority, and she recently released her first book, Command the Crisis: Navigate Chaos with Battle-Tested Public Relations and Communication Strategies

Ashlee Johnson

Founder, Street Widows Foundation

A Louisville native and graduate of Western Kentucky University with degrees in broadcast journalism and organizational communication, Ashlee Johnson spent nine transformative years in Atlanta as a real estate broker and pioneer in the single-family rental industry, breaking barriers and redefining success in her field. After the tragic loss of her husband to gun violence, she returned to Louisville, channeling her resilience into advocacy and community impact. Ashlee founded the Street Widows Foundation, providing crucial support to widows navigating life after loss. As a speaker, facilitator, and community organizer, she uses her voice to inspire action and empower others to overcome challenges. Her journey is a testament to perseverance, faith, and the power of turning pain into purpose. Whether building businesses, leading movements, or captivating audiences, Ashlee blends ambition, authenticity, and grace in everything she does.

Kendra Mulder

Mental Health Coach

Kendra Mulder, a licensed clinical social worker in Lexington, KY, earned her Doctorate of Social Work in 2023 from the University of Kentucky, where she was inducted into the Alpha Phi Honors Society. A member of the National Association of Black Social Workers, she briefly served as second vice president in 2022-2023. Kendra’s career spans roles as a foster care specialist, family social worker, and mental health specialist for Fayette County Public Schools. She now works as a mental health coach and co-owns a private therapeutic practice while teaching at the University of Kentucky. Her doctoral research addressed psychological distress linked to the Strong Black Woman schema, focusing on culturally relevant, preventative interventions for African American women, as well as African American girls in K-12 schools. Kendra is dedicated to equitable mental health support for minority populations

Kiana Del

Louisville Public Media Music Education Manager and Host, 90.5 WUOL

Kiana Del (she/they) is a vocalist, radio host, and educator hailing from the valleys of Carrollton, KY. She uses music to tell the story of our complex humanity and to foster a safe space for others to create freely without the barrier of judgment. She is the music education manager and afternoon host on 90.5 WUOL at Louisville Public Media by day and can be found crooning jazz tunes in smoky lounges by night. Kiana strives to continue weaving the importance of community and connection into her music-making and is passionate about helping the next generation of musicians find their voices.

Laura Ping

Assistant Professor of History

Laura Ping is an assistant professor of U.S. History with a PhD from The Graduate Center, City University of New York where she specialized in U.S. cultural history, material culture, visual culture, fashion, and gender. Laura teaches courses on U.S. immigration, the Long Civil Rights Movement, public health, gender and sexuality, and the U.S. Civil War. Having researched women and society, Laura coauthored Catharine Beecher: The Paradoxes of Gender in the Nineteenth Century (2022), examining social and technological changes during the nineteenth-century through the life of education reformer Catharine Beecher. In her current book project, Beyond the Bloomer: Fashioning Change in Nineteenth-Century Dress, Laura analyzes how American women used fashion as a political symbol prior to gaining the right to vote.

Sarah Horrar

Artist, Poet, Educator

An artist, poet, and educator, Sarah Horrar believes that everyone should be creative and sample creative expression in as many forms as they can. She wants everyone to nourish their artistic spirit because it is as essential to survival as food or drink. Working in private tutoring and public education, she teaches the skills necessary for budding visual artists to feel empowered to create. Sarah recognizes the power of experimenting and thinks art should be accessible and abundant for community health. Through visual art and poetry, Sarah aims to reflect the spectrum of human experience from the serious to the silly, the whimsical to the thoughtful. She serves as the illustrative director of the Wildflower Collective where she often shares her poetry.