Shayla James (she/her) resides on Kumeyaay land (San Diego, CA). 

She is a Black woman, only child, daughter, granddaughter, niece, wife, sister in law, aunt, pet parent, mentor, educator, facilitator, musician, creative, researcher, business owner, strategist, visionary, connector, advocate, listener, multitasker, manager of her chronic disease, and gathering planner. She doesn’t consider herself an event planner, but she can curate a pretty good gathering of people. Everything she does is connected to the realms of arts, culture, youth development, education, and policy in some way. Her work is rooted in community and collaboration with others across disciplines and she is an advocate for accessible, inclusive arts learning and programming for all ages. She focuses on racial and cultural equity in the arts,  arts assessment and evaluation, cultural policy, and social emotional learning. 

She has always been a lifelong learner who enjoys exploring multiple ways of being and understanding the world. She enjoys connecting with people and fostering connections between people. She enjoys zooming in and out, understanding nuances and big themes, and connecting the dots to better understand and challenge inequitable systems. She finds the greatest joy is spending time with her family, friends, Dreamer (dog), and Rem (cockatiel). In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, putting together puzzles, watching anime, and baking poundcakes. Being a Co-Creator of heARTSpace is her newest, exciting role and she’s ready to embrace the adventure. 

Additional Roles:

  • San Diego Creative Youth Development Network, Director

  • Teaching Artist Circle, Lead

  • Sempre Music Studio, Owner and Music Instructor

  • RISE Research & Evaluation, Research Associate

  • Teaching Artists Guild, California Regional Network Coordinator 

  • San Diego Art Matters, Board Member (Secretary)

  • California for the Arts and California Arts Advocates, Board Member

  • Arts, Culture, and Design Committee for the Port of San Diego, Committee Member

  • Independent Performer, Consultant, Facilitator, Community Liaison, Coalition Builder, and Strategist