Our Story

Empowering teenage girls* nationally through the performing arts, since 2002!

*girls, young women and TGNC (trans &  gender non-conforming) youth of color

The seeds of viBe Theater Experience were planted when 8 girls came together to perform “Say It How It Is!” Since this first performance on August 17, 2002, viBe has grown, expanded in New York City and to a national scale, and risen to the occasion on and off stage, time and time again!

Directed by Columbia University graduate students and Co-Founders Dana Edell and chandra thomas, the originally written play addressed issues most important to the teens: misogynoir, domestic & state violence, homophobia, social & economic justice, teen pregnancy, and more. It’s from this seed that viBe has flourished into a nationally-recognized, high-impact performing arts nonprofit that is youth-led and youth-centered. 

MISSION

viBe Theater Experience is a Brooklyn-based performing arts nonprofit that provides free theater and music arts education, academic and wellness support services, youth leadership and workforce development opportunities to girls, young women, trans and gender-expansive youth of color ages 13-26 throughout New York City and nation-wide. viBe’s intensive programming engages, inspires, and empowers young people to write, publish, direct, and perform personal and collaborative performance art based on their lived experiences.

Our Team

Administrative Staff

Michelan “Mimi” Le’Monier

Co-Executive Director and Artistic Director

Beryl Briane Ford

Co-Executive Director and Development Director

Kayla (Cabbage) Lewis

Operations Assistant

Marketing & Communications Assistant

Brianna Harrison


Teaching Artists

Alicia Pilgrim

Christina “Titi” Akinsanya

Geanina “Nina” Riley

Kenya Lewis

Lei’anna Gladden

Marcela “Be Uniq” Carbajal

Murphy Lorenzo Applin Jr.

Phanésia Pharel

Safa Ishmel-Muhammad