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Nikol Straws
​Board Member

Nikol Straws has over 20 years of experience intersecting the business and arts arenas.  She has worked and volunteered in arts and dance programming here in the Kansas City area for the last 15 years and has spent more than 10 years working in the children's hospital industry.
 
Her dedication and passion for uplifting and supporting youth has been woven into the fabric of almost everything she does but has been a major component of her focus since relocating to Wyandotte County, KS. Alongside her husband, they are dedicated to building a connection between the schools, parents, local businesses and existing community organizations; all in an effort to improve the safety and support of kids in their schools and community.
 
Nikol works directly in the arts on a regular basis and crosses over into many areas creatively.  She is one of the Midwest’s premier DJ’s, a published model, a published poetess, an award-winning dancer and has her own magazine company.
 
Nikol lives with her husband in Kansas City, KS and between the two of them they are the parents of 7 children aged 12 to 30.

Ophelia Brinkley 
Founder/CEO

Ophelia knew that the arts play an important role in childhood creativity and emotional
development; she also loved the community created through art. She saw the amazing impacts
of art firsthand in her oldest son, who is now 17. Throughout his adolescent years, he loved to
dance; it was through dance that he built confidence and friendships. These connections with
his friends – as well as the ability to take his art with him wherever he went – positively impacted
his life in several ways; dance kept him active, entertained, and out of trouble. The benefits that
were brought into his life (and into Ophelia’s) made it clear to her that more kids needed the
opportunity to express themselves and build a community through art and creativity. She also
wanted to ensure that kids had a safe space to practice their art – something her son and his
friends never had.

Patrice Robertson
Secretary

Patrice has been with the organization since the beginning she works two jobs in the medical field and is a active member of the board.
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