Ancestors in Training ™

Co-curator, cOMMUNITY STEWARD

Ayling Zulema Dominguez is a poet, mixed media artist, and youth arts educator with roots in Puebla, México and Santiago de los Caballeros, República Dominicana. Grounded in a poetics of anticolonialism, their art and writing ask who we are at our most free, and explore the subversions and imaginings needed in order to arrive there. Their collages juxtapose images of the body with that of structural injustice to prompt critical interrogation of our current systems of punishment disguised as justice. Ancestral veneration, Indigenous Futurisms, and communing with the archive are major themes in Ayling’s writing. What can language do for our rebellions and resistance efforts? How can we use it to birth new worlds and weave our ancestors into the fabric of them? What to do with all this rage and sorrow and joy, all this inheritance? Ultimately, Ayling believes in poetry as a tool for liberation.

co-CURATOR, FOUNDER

Veronica Agard (Ifáṣadùn Fásanmí) is a visionary muse and multifaceted creative rooted in the power of ancestral healing and joyful storytelling. Through Ancestors in Training™, she inspires others to honor their roots, build intentional legacies, and envision brighter futures. Known for her warm, approachable presence, Veronica blends poetry, community care, and cultural identity into her work, fostering spaces for healing and transformation.

Her journey includes facilitating workshops, curating transformative experiences, and collaborating with institutions such as CCCADI and the Studio Museum of Harlem. She is invested in cultures of healing. With a digital presence reaching thousands, Veronica weaves vibrant visuals, meaningful conversations, and nature-inspired aesthetics to spark curiosity and connection.

From her soulful captions to her upcoming projects, Veronica invites her audience to explore the intersections of joy, resistance, and legacy. Described as living in the future - Veronica is guided by the past and carries out her dreams in the present.

SPIRIT OF RECIPROCITY INTERN, SUMMER/FALL 2023

Vanessa Gonzalez (she/her) is a dedicated and passionate individual with a strong interest in public and global health, social justice, community advocacy, and healthcare innovation. With a background in biology and community care, she is enthusiastic for learning, understanding, and analyzing the significance of critical race theory and its significant position in Western civilization.

Vanessa worked with Elmhurst Community Partnership, a non-profit organization serving the Latinx population in Queens. She managed a food pantry in the heavily affected Corona area, overseeing volunteer training, health and safety protocols, and COVID-19 prevention education. 

Vanessa also organized online seminars featuring healthcare specialists who addressed the community's specific needs, highlighting the importance of immunization and promoting community participation. These transformative experiences deepened her interest in public health, social justice, and community care which motivated her to seek hands-on learning opportunities with professionals in these fields.

Vanessa comes from a Colombian background where socioeconomic status is deeply ingrained in the culture. She has witnessed the inequality and discrimination faced by non-White individuals, which has fueled her curiosity to learn more. Additionally, she has seen her family members experience limited access to health services due to socioeconomic status, geographic barriers, and other factors. She saw the disadvantage faced by her own family members in comparison to others; she observed the power between private and public medical insurance. Her spark for global health and social justice immersed with these experiences. 

Vanessa acknowledges the vital role healthcare access, quality education, economic stability, environmental conditions, and social factors have on one’s overall well-being. This recognition has driven her to want to learn more about discriminatory behaviors to understand their impact on the present and future. She has a desire to comprehend how past practices can influence the future and what this means for our wellbeing. Vanessa hopes to gain a better awareness of the pressing challenges on both a global and national scale.

Ancestors in Training™ is a community-first collective that is largely sustained by volunteer-based work.