viBe Theater Experience Names New Co-Executive Directors Beryl Briane Ford and Michelan Le’Monier
Ford and Le’Monier, who succeed Toya Lillard, herald a new chapter for the organization.
BROOKLYN, NY: viBe Theater Experience’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Beryl Briane Ford and Michelan Le’Monier as the organization’s new Executive Co-Directors. The organization has been under their interim leadership since November 2021, and viBe’s Board unanimously approved their permanent appointments in March 2022.
Ford and Le’Monier are well suited to lead viBe in its next chapter, having lived and institutional experience as well as demonstrated success scaling the organization’s operations, budget and programming. They are poised to shape, manage and inspire viBe's advancement as trusted collaborators and in close partnership with its staff, and deeply committed Board of Directors and Junior Board.
“I’m ecstatic to be co-leading this organization with Beryl Briane! Since my participation in the viBeApprentices program in 2017, I knew I wanted to contribute to this community of artists. Being in this position really brings my experiences as a participant and a staff member full circle. As Co-Executive Director, I envision abundance — through arts and wellness — as a lifestyle, not a privilege, for Black girls, young women, and gender expansive youth. Our organization has grown immensely (in community, programming, and production) over the past few years and it is my goal to continue to guide that growth with the support of our Board and Staff.”- Michelan Le’Monier, Co-Executive Director, viBe
“I firmly believe that investing in the leadership of Black girls, young women, and gender expansive youth is a critical pathway to liberation. I am eager to build up and sustain this and other pathways in my new role as Co-Executive Director. I came to viBe in October 2020 from The Museum of Modern Art with a desire to support viBe’s mission of creating safer spaces for youth to create art rooted in their lived experiences. It’s an honor to be amplifying their work alongside Michelan, viBe’s Staff and Board. I am thrilled to be co-leading an organization which nurtures the artistic and professional praxis of emerging artists, administrators, and educators of color. I look forward to continuing viBe’s legacy of cultivating the next-generation of innovative arts changemakers and thought leaders in New York City communities and beyond.”- Beryl Briane Ford, Co-Executive Director, viBe
This shared leadership model brings to life viBe’s organizational ethos of investing in and activating leadership opportunities for young people. viBe is uniquely positioned to cultivate pathways for program participants to become arts practitioners and leaders. In fact, the co-executive directorship leadership model is not new to viBe — the organization was originally co-founded and co-led by Dana Edell and chandra thomas when they were both under 25 years old. Ford and Le’Monier look forward to continuing the organization’s nearly 20-year commitment to centering the voices of young Black women.
“viBe was co-founded on the leading principle of collaboration and shared leadership. chandra and I co-directed every viBeStages show in our first ten years as an organization, modeling for the girls that multiple voices and different perspectives enhances creativity, innovation and productive dialogue. We were striving to dismantle hierarchical models that center individual leaders as if they alone are doing the work and making the change single handedly. Arts and social justice work demands coalition-building and viBe's new model of co-directors celebrates and reinforces our core values of strength through collaboration.”- Dana Edell, Executive Director, SPARK Movement
Both Ford and LeMonier have tenured histories as leaders within viBe Theater Experience, having been trained and mentored by former Executive Director, Toya Lillard, as Development Associate and Operations Director, respectively.
“It is with great pride and pleasure that I celebrate Michelan and Beryl Briane as viBe’s new co-Executive Directors! During my tenure as Executive Director, I felt duty-bound to support the leadership of Black girls, young women, and gender-expansive youth by creating pathways within the organization, and designed and implemented training programs like viBeApprentices, viBeLeadershipInstitute and viBeCompany to exist as incubators for talent and leadership–upholding a tradition of supporting the next generation of artists, leaders, activists, educators and theater-makers. And so it is quite fitting, and intentional, that Michelan and Beryl Briane’s leadership is demonstrative of what it means to trust and invest in young Black women.” - Toya Lillard, Interim Executive Director, 651 Arts
“As Board Chair, I couldn’t be more proud of viBe’s growth and impact — and our new co-leaders are proof positive that our way WORKS! Inclusive and dynamic programming, an unwavering purpose, implicit trust in Black women, centering lived experiences and cultivating leaders from within is what we practice and preach.” Cheryl Overton, Board Chair, viBe
Ford and LeMonier are committed to continuing viBe’s impact within the theater community locally in New York City and nationally, bringing greater visibility and support to young people who seek to share their artistic genius with the world around them. Additionally, viBe’s Co-Executive Directors are committed to deepening the organization’s advocacy work in its core areas of focus: racial and financial equity, gender and healing justice, youth empowerment and women’s leadership. Ford and LeMonier will jointly strive to ensure their leadership places viBe at the forefront of these issues through key partnerships with individuals, community and impact-oriented organizations, as well as mission-aligned corporations.
