Matthew “JPosh” Schwartz
Artistic Director

JPosh, born in the Bronx of NYC, is known for his powerful signed music performances, alongside being a teacher, figure skater, and performer of all trades. He is currently going for his doctorate in K-12 Leadership/Administration and works as a Director of Artistic Sign Language at Geva Theatre Centre in Rochester, NY. He has traveled around the nation working in theatre, dance, and music festivals as a Deaf performance artist and interpreter. In 2019 via JPosh Productions, he brought together an extraordinary cast of local Deaf Talent in Rochester NY, and now in 2020, he is both proud and honored to work beside and introduce DEAFersity! Online with Deaf Talent from around the globe. His hope in this time of need, as we come together as a group, is to bring as many smiles to our audience, and raise as much funds as we possibly can for what truly matters. “Always remember who you are, what you’ve overcome, and what you’ve yet to achieve.”

Antoine Hunter
—Purple Fire Crow

Purple Fire Crow, a Bay Area native, is an award-winning African, Indigenous, Deaf, Disable, Two Spirit producer, choreographer, film/theater actor, dancer, dance instructor, model, poet, speaker, mentor, and Deaf advocate. Mr Hunter received his training in dance and acting training at Skyline High School (Oakland, CA), California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and Paul Taylor Dance School in NYC. The founder and artistic director of Urban Jazz Dance, Hunter has performed with Savage Jazz Dance Company, Nuba Dance Theater, Alayo Dance Company, Robert Moses’ KIN, Man Dance, Sins Invalid, Amara Tabor-Smith, Kim Epifano, Push Dance Company, Fly Away Productions, Joanna Haigood, OET theater, and the Lorraine Hansberry Theater. He has performed throughout the Bay Area and the world including Cuba, Rome, Hawaii, Peru and London. Hunter is a faculty member at East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, Shawl-Anderson, Youth in Arts and Dance-A-Vision. He is the founder of Iron Tri- Angel Urban Ballet in Richmond, was an instructor and rehearsal director for the Ross Dance Company, dance captain for Expedia.com commercials and was head Choreographer director for a Philippines musical, “Amerikana-The Musical.” He also loves doing short films and long films plus music videos. He was Head Choreographer for D-PAN: Deaf Professional Arts Network ASL Music Video: “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen.

Antonietta
“BallerinaGoddess” Alfano

BallerinaGoddess is a circus performer who is a professional dancer, entertainer and a contortionist. After professionally dancing for 20+ years, she now provides performance art without the use of words but with the power of energy, visual art, and raw emotion. As the only Deaf Rope Artist/Aerialist in the world, she is honored and excited to join DEAFersity! Online amongst the wonderful family of Deaf talents. “Be. A Warrior. Because you are One.”

Brandy “Unique the Deaf Dancer” Mimms

Unique the Deaf Dancer was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a Deaf dancer, choreographer, teacher, and founder and director of Listen With Your Eyes Dance Troupe. Her passion for dance started when she was a young child but was not able to go to dance school because of her hearing loss. Her parents did not believe she could handle herself in a hearing dance class. She never gave up nor allowed anyone to stop her from following her passion. She recently graduated from UA Little Rock with a Bachelor’s in Dance. Her first choreographic work was presented at the American College Dance Association 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. She had the opportunity to perform at the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival in 2017 and 2018 in San Francisco, California. She started Listen With Your Dance Troupe because she wants to share her passion and stories with Deaf and Hearing Communities. She also wants to provide locally trained dancers and choreographers opportunities to gain experiences in their dance career. Her number one dream is to become a well-known Deaf Choreographer/Dancer, and is excited to join the cast of DEAFersity! Online.

Jason Wong

Jason was named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Artists and specializes in strong beat Hip- Hop, Sign in dance, Jazz dance, and K-Pop. He has been actively participating in various performances and competitions, collaborating with different local and international artists such as renowned Finnish Hip-Hop artist with Deaf - Signmark, Singapore Deaf Dance Crew - Redeafination, British Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, and local singers Jonathan Wong, Phil Lam, C All Star, and Andy Hui, etc. Apart from accepting various local and overseas media interviews, he was also involved in the production of Hong Kong’s first Sign in Dancing Movie “Lightning Dance of Silence,” playing the Deaf male lead character and the Deaf movie director. In 2014, Jason went to study at the Broadway Dance Center in New York to improve his dance techniques. After returning to Hong Kong, Jason has been actively promoting “Silent Dance” and formed “Fun Forest Deaf Dance Crew” with a group of Deaf dancing enthusiasts in 2010. Jason is committed to promoting the Deaf culture. Fun Forest has participated in a variety of dance activities and performances, for example, involved in a TV show of TVB named “I Heart HK”, the dancing group also gained the “The Most Dream Power award” in ‘Free Your Dream Power! Dream Stage 2016’, “The Most Potential in Performing award” in ‘Cross All Borders 2017’ and had the honor of being one of the Ten Regeneration warriors of Regeneration Society in 2016, as well as in many other dance activities and performances. The above awards acknowledge Jason’s selfless contribution to the society.

Jerald Creer
Host

Jerald is 44 years old, an Artist, Educator, Motivator, and Self-Motivator! His talents are Dance, Acting, ASL Song Expression, ASL Storytelling, ASL Poetry, and Vlogging. “I want to contribute my time as the community participates to embrace unity and promote the essence of equality in the Human Race and for Human Rights. I want to say to YOU is to open your mind and heart to have anticipated conversations with an intent to understand and be understood.”

Jo Rose Benfield

Jo Rose is from Austin, Texas, and was born deaf and grew up in Missouri. Music interpreting, theatre, and stage performing have been a talent and passion of hers since she was 5 years old. Growing up deaf in a deaf family to music, this sparked Jo Rose’s lifelong dream to act, dance, and perform. Her most recent experiences include interpreting at live music festivals and concerts, being on the Jimmy Kimmel Show with Wiz Khalifa, interpreting D-PAN’s online Justin Timberlake’s 2018 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, translating three Tove Lo songs on Tove’s YouTube page, performing as Dr. Madden in the musical “Next to Normal,” and was part of a collaborative music video of Kelly Clarkson’s “I Dare You.” Jo Rose is honored to be a part of DEAFersity! Online because she believes in the power of deaf artistry and equal access to communication.

Kathia Matamoros Jiménez

Kathia is a Deaf belly dancer from Costa Rica who owns “Kais Handmade”. She has developed her work and drive as a talented dancer for over 12 years, and in addition to dance sells handbags through her company at festivals and expos. “I am happy to participate in DEAFersity! Online because I want to improve the quality of festivals and activities offered for our community. Here I am seeing more different types of Deaf artists and talents than I have ever seen before in my life! I want to share my own experience of what being Deaf means. It is each achievement of these great Deaf talents in our show that will help and encourage other children, teenagers, adults and adults with disabilities to share their own talents, to experiment with self-expression, and to continue to improve in becoming themselves. Thank you for having me!”

Kathia es bailarina sorda de la danza del vientre. Es costarricense y dueña de “Kais Handmade.” Ha desarrollado su trabajo y motivación como bailarina talentosa a lo largo de 12 años, y, además, vende bolsos por su compañía en varios festivales y exposiciones. “Estoy feliz por participar en DEAFersity! En línea porque quiero mejorar la calidad de festivales y actividades para nuestra comunidad. ¡Acá veo más variedad de tipos de artistas sordas y talentos sordos que he visto antes en la vida! Quiero compartirles mi propia experiencia de qué significa ser sorda. Son los logros de cada uno de estos grandes talentos sordos en nuestro show que les ayudarán y animarán a otros niños, adolescentes, adultos y adultos con discapacidades a compartir sus propios talentos, a experimentar con la auto-expresión y a seguir a mejorarse en su búsqueda de sí mismos. ¡Gracias por incluirme!”

Tyler James Fortson

Tyler is is an up and coming aspiring actor, Hard of hearing, and he is the first deaf generation in his family. Tyler performed in several productions: A Night in Bethlehem Comedy, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Quid Pro Quo in the lead role as Lucas, and Beauty and the Beast as Cogsworth. Tyler went to SVP in August 2016. He also got a degree majoring in 3D Graphic Technology. While he continues to do education, he is also involved in a lot of activities such as Theatre, Velocity Dance Crew, and Tiger Media, where he is the Director of Roar TV. Tyler joined DEAFersity! Online because he was thankful for his lovely family who supported his dreams and his dream was still there performing on the stage. “Never let your disabilities stop you from what you love to do.” After all, he was very proud for who he has become: A young, black, hard of hearing man who has desires to make a better world for everyone.

Zahna Simon

Zahna is Deaf from birth and was an honored 2018 Changemaker for SF Live Oak School. She is a professional dancer, chemist, avid health nutritionist, Deaf advocate, and interpreter. Simon received a BS/BFA in Chemistry and Dance at UCI where she trained with Lisa Naugle and Donald McKayle. She is aformer chemist by day at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and dancer by night in San Diego, including a feature in the KPBS TV/Radio special “Deaf Dancer Performs in Trolley Dances.” Simon is the Assistant Director for Urban Jazz Dance Company, the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival, and full-time office manager at a small fiduciary office. She has performed with Kim Epifano, SF Trolley Dances, Alameda ICW, and Man Dance Company.