Pittsburgh, PA—The August Wilson African American Cultural Center proudly introduces its first Marketing Fellow, Sandrah Nasimiyu, and its first Curatorial Fellow, Caleb Smith! 

Announced in the Fall of 2024, AWAACC’s new fellowship program is a prestigious opportunity designed for emerging professionals in the arts. The program aims to provide hands-on experience in developing and promoting exhibitions and programs highlighting African American culture. Over the course of a year, Fellows will gain valuable experience in a fast-paced, professional nonprofit arts environment, solving real-time workplace dilemmas, honing project management skills, and participating in strategic planning. They will also benefit from robust networking opportunities, including introductions to colleagues in Pittsburgh and nationwide. At the same time, the Center will benefit from the Fellows’ presence and perspective to enrich its work and open doors for new opportunities throughout the community. Funding for this program is generously provided by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. 

The selection process was rigorous, with outstanding applications from all over the country. These two fellows were selected for their skills, passion, and discipline in their individual crafts. 

Marketing Fellow Sandrah Nasimiyu is a Kenyan-American creative director and storyteller whose work transcends traditional boundaries. With a keen eye for visual detail and a passion for cultural exploration, she transforms ideas into engaging narratives that captivate communities. Her approach is inspired by nature, art, and global perspectives, seamlessly weaving together elements that reflect diverse stories and identities. As a content creator and strategist, she balances aesthetic flair with strategic acumen, bringing brands to life through impactful storytelling. 

While in university, Sandrah launched Nasimiyu Studios, a creative agency that believes in the centering power of the human experience. Over the past five years, she has worked with brands across industries, including fashion, travel, and technology, to reimagine and breathe new life into their audience. A social butterfly at heart, she is carving out the world she wants to see with some grace but mostly passion because her creativity has no single form. 

Curatorial Fellow, performer-composer-curator Caleb A. Smith is a multi-faceted artist who presents thought-provoking and inquisition-inducing narratives to his audience via a visually and sonically immersive experience. Caleb received his Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he was able to attend on a full-tuition scholarship and also graduated from Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music with a Masters in Jazz Performance. 

As a performer, Caleb has played with a vast selection of artists including five-time Grammy Award winning American visionary Lauryn Hill at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by HBO, a performance with trumpeters Terrance Blanchard as part of Cleveland’s Annual Tri-C Jazz Festival, with performer-composer-artist Lonnie Holley as part of an international tour, and at esteemed venues such as The Jazz Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. 

As a curator Caleb was able to produce a series of educational workshops for Jazz at Lincoln Center entitled Demonstrations and Conversations with Rising Artists. This series offered several young professionals a platform to not only perform their works, but also gave them a chance to be in conversation with the audience about their artistic practice. This allowed audience members to ask questions about and comment on the performance, as well as the artists’ body of work. 

ABOUT AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER 

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is a nonprofit cultural organization located in Pittsburgh’s cultural district that generates artistic, educational, and community initiatives that advance the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. One of the largest cultural centers in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the celebration of Black culture and the African diaspora, the non-profit organization welcomes more than 100,000 visitors locally and nationally. Through year-round programming across multiple genres, such as the annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Black Bottom Film Festival, AWCommunity Days, TRUTHSayers speaker series, and rotating art exhibits in its galleries, the Center provides a platform for established and emerging artists of color whose work reflects the universal issues of identity that Wilson tackled, and which still resonate today. 

Major support for AWAACC’s operations is provided by Richard King Mellon Foundation, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Heinz Endowments, and the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). AWAACC’s programming is made possible by generous support from its donors. For a complete list, visit our website. www.awaacc.org 

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Media Contact: Amanda Brandes
412-567-2956 | abrandes@awaacc.org