Our Organizers
Guardians of Traditions
Guardians of Traditions provides entertaining and culturally relevant events that reflect the diversity of the community, engages youth at risk, and encourages others to share their story. By creating opportunities to showcase the connection between culture and community, it helps to create a sense of pride and fostering a strong identity, which in turn helps people become active members of society; it is possible to be able to retain our individuality and still be part of the community.
Technocopia
Technocopia is a makerspace that provides access to tools, supportive learning, and a maker community that can be leaned on to get the jumpstart needed to pursue their project.
They also work to bridge community connections by providing non-profit memberships for local organizations and mutual aid groups, and by encouraging Technocopia members to be engaged community stewards.
The Village Worcester
The Village is an Afrocentric cultural, learning, & healing center in the Main South neighborhood of Worcester, MA. The Village builds grassroots power by connecting BIPOC groups, healers, and individuals whose work is rooted in racial justice, learning, creativity, community, & healing.
They have continuously have proven to be pillars of our local community through their dedication to providing accessible programming, and supporters of several BIPOC lead organizations and individuals.
Troy Thompson Photography
Known for vibrant colors and capturing natural emotion, Troy Thompson enjoys documenting his experiences and stylized portraits. His specialty is event photography where anticipation, experience, and split-second adjustments enable him to catch the moment. Much of Troy's work happens in collaboration with nonprofits and cultural organizations across the region, from festivals to museums, highlighting the people and stories that make those communities vibrant.
Guatemalan Center of New England
The Guatemalan Center of New England focuses on promoting community engagement by hosting various events and programs that emphasize education, the arts, and cultural heritage. The Center organizes an annual cultural festival, along with workshops and other activities, to provide a platform for individuals to showcase, explore, and appreciate the diverse traditions and artistic expressions of Guatemala.
South East Asian Coalition
The Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusets (SEACMA) assists Greater Worcester’s immigrants, refugees, and long-term residents from Southeast Asia and other parts of the world to successfully integrate, thrive, and become contributing citizens while preserving and celebrating their cultural heritage.
Our Artists
Abu Mwenye
Magda Leon
Jennessa Burks
Xiang Li
José Criollo
Ray Bernhoff
Leadership
Vanessa Joga
Born and raised in Dominican Republic, Vanessa believes that is possible to retain one’s cultural identity and still be part of the community. Vanessa Joga is the Executive Director and co-founder of Guardians of Traditions. Guardians of Traditions provides entertaining and culturally relevant events that reflect the diversity of the community, engages youth at risk, and encourages others to share their story. Vanessa De Leon Joga founded Guardians of Traditions in 2019 to celebrate Dominican culture, which she does by “using the arts as a vessel to connect within the community. Dominican carnival is known for the creative and elaborated costumes, which always capture people’s attention.”
For the Worcester Kite Fest, Vanessa continues to center community connections through culture, and has tirelessly worked to bring this festival to life.
Eric Sutman
Eric helps our community be a little more punk, and a lot more empowered to make and create. The Technocopia makerspace has worked for the past 10 years to be a place where people come for the tools, but stay for the community. As the Executive Director, Eric has helped many organizations with their community projects, created non-profit membership to give more creative autonomy to nonprofits and mutual aids in the city, and worked to build up a makerspace that is supportive and educational to new members.
For the Worcester Kite Fest, Eric has been instrumental in ensuring the engineering of our Barrilete project is achieveable, and providing space, supplies, and tools for different kite workshops and projects leading up to the big day. He has also contributed his own creativity to our block-print style flyer!
The Village Worcester
The Village has provided years of dedication and support to their community center devoted to the uplifting and safety of Black folks. They build grassroots power by connecting Black/BIPOC groups, healers, and individuals whose work is rooted in racial justice, learning, creativity, community, & healing.
The Village remains a pillar of the Worcester community, hosting programs that celebrate the richness and beauty of Black History & Culture year-round, and providing accessible opportunities for our community to explore holistic healing with BIPOC practitioners.
For the Worcester Kite Fest, The Village has been incredibly generous with their time and support for this project, including organizing the creation of one of our Barrilete panels!
Hank Von Hellion
Hank von Hellion is a Las Vegas-based artist working across digital, sculpture, painting, photography, performance, and fashion. Bad Advice Club, founded in the mid-2000’s as equal parts performance art and protective shield, is the creative umbrella for all of it: an ongoing, unfinished exploration at the intersection of punk ethos, Dadaist irreverence, and community. His work exists at the intersection of whimsy, satire, and self-reflection, using deadpan and disruption to explore questions of power, belonging, and how we move through the world together as both witnesses and players.
Hank has continued to be a pillar of communication and support for Guardians of Tradition, and by extension, the Worcester Kite Fest. He has helped immensely with the development of our PR, graphic design, and he has also contributed his own creativity to our block-print style flyer!
Troy Thompson
Troy B. Thompson received a toy camera as a kid and was so upset it didn't take real pictures that his family had to get him an actual one. He's been taking photos ever since.
Known for vibrant colors and capturing natural emotion, he enjoys documenting his experiences and stylized portraits. His specialty is event photography where anticipation, experience, and split-second adjustments enable him to catch the moment. Much of Troy's work happens in collaboration with nonprofits and cultural organizations across the region, from festivals to museums, highlighting the people and stories that make those communities vibrant.
Troy founded the nonprofit 'No Evil Project' to use art and humour to challenge stereotypes and help people find common ground. So far, he's photographed over 11,000 participants and counting.
For the Worcester Kite Fest, Troy has been dedicated to supporting the project through his photography, capturing workshops and progress made to bring the Worcester Kite Fest to life.
Guatemalan Center of New England
The Guatemalan Center of New England promotes community engagement by hosting various events and programs that emphasize education, the arts, and cultural heritage. The Center organizes an annual cultural festival, along with workshops and other activities, to provide a platform for individuals to showcase, explore, and appreciate the diverse traditions and artistic expressions of Guatemala. Their programs are designed to provide joyful, hands-on experiences that invite participants of all ages to explore the beauty of Guatemalan traditions, arts, and customs. From engaging workshops that explore traditional crafts to opportunities that connect generations, each initiative celebrates the rich cultural narrative that defines our community.
For the Worcester Kite Fest, the Guatemalan Center of New England has supported our project as one of our organizers for running a panel workshop for our Barrilete project!
Tuyet Tran
Tuyet Tran is the CEO of the Southeast Asian Coalition, The Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusets (SEACMA) assists Greater Worcester’s immigrants, refugees, and long-term residents from Southeast Asia and other parts of the world to successfully integrate, thrive, and become contributing citizens while preserving and celebrating their cultural heritage. She has a long history with the organization as one of it’s original co-founders, and has returned to lead SEAC to fulfill its mission and enter a new life stage for the organization.
Tuyet has worked along with Vanessa and Eric to organize the Worcester Kite Festival, and has provided marketing and logistics support. She has also helped organize one of the panels for the Barrilete project!
Our Sponsors
Santiago’s Liquor
Eddie Plaza Inc.
