Nuestros profesores

Born and raised in Washington Heights, Soledad Aguilar-Colón is writer and educator whose work centers her community and mixed Nuyorican-Peruvian culture. With a dual BA in Written Arts & Cultural Anthropology from Bard College, she's taught in NYC schools and led an afterschool program on Podcasting and Storytelling for high schoolers.

Amongst her many interests, Soledad also has a background in journalism and has previously worked alongside award-winning journalist, Amy Goodman, as a Youth Reporter and Co-Anchor for Democracy Now in 2015. On her own time, you can find Soledad writing poetry or reading her favorite graphic novel.

Being bilingual I came late to reading and writing, but am now an avid reader and a published writer!

Daemond Arrindell is a multi-genre writer, filmmaker, educator, and performer interested in found poems, visual poetics, persona, experimentation and exploring what legacy means.

‍

His work has appeared in City Arts, Specter, Crosscut, Poetry NorthWest, Seattle Review of Books and The Pitkin Review.

In a previous life I was a life guard at Jones Beach!

Ariella is a daydreamer, body worker, writer, and student of community organizing. As an educator, Ariella is always excited to learn from their students.

With a B.A. in Human Rights and Written Arts from Bard College, Ariella's writing collects the wisdom of others and—at its best—becomes an embodied spiritual practice, distilling lived experience into spacious meaning.

As a kid, I wanted to be a pirate when I grew up. Now, I am a professional chef!

‍

Profesora y comprometida ilustradora de libros infantiles y artista de fibra, Cozbi se graduó de la Escuela de Diseño Parsons y se formó como directora de arte.

Con numerosos títulos ilustrados, Cozbi escribió e ilustró Mi cabello es un jardín y Mamá y yo. Ha saltado a la fama por su hondureña muñecas.

Cozbi también es una reconocida diseñadora de ropa y confeccionadora de colchas. ¡Sus muñecas hechas a mano han aparecido en The Oprah Winfrey Show!

Gal Cohen is an artist and educator based in Washington Heights, NYC. Her work explores the intersections of memory, identity, and place, often drawing on personal narrative and urban environments.

As an educator, she is committed to creating inclusive, imaginative learning spaces where students of all ages can experiment, reflect, and grow.

I am an art and urban tour guide, leading urbanic tours at the High Line, and gallery tours in Chelsea. Also, my studio space is in the Cornerstone Center, right above Uptown Stories!

Escritora y madre local, Shamie ha sido educadora en escuelas independientes de Nueva York durante cinco años y ha enseñado talleres de escritura creativa durante una década.

Shamie publicó varios artículos sobre perspectiva social para la revista Circle y actualmente está trabajando en una colección de historias para niños con sede en Nueva York.

Apasionada por la enseñanza y la escritura, se esfuerza por fomentar la creatividad innata y mejorar las habilidades de los niños para dar vida a ideas imaginativas.

Stacy comparte su experiencia en escritura creativa y teatro musical con niños de todas las edades, basándose en su experiencia como intérprete y autora publicada.

Con un amplio catálogo de obras de teatro, musicales y libros infantiles galardonados como Oportunidad de volar, es aclamada por su Campamento Rolling Hills serie.

Stacy también escribió Hanazuki, una serie de libros basada en la serie de YouTube de Hasbro, ¡y puedes verla corriendo por Washington Heights con sus hijos gemelos!

Bobby is a passionate, high-energy artist from Washington Heights whose love for the arts runs deep and shapes everything he does. What he loves most about teaching is witnessing young writers start to discover their creative voice and begin to use it to speak their truth.

He began acting in high school, discovered writing in college, and later expanded into producing and directing. Now, he stands on the verge of directing his first feature film.

I had a horse on my grandmother's farm in DR when I was 7! She was a beautiful white mare but I can't remember her name.

With an MS in Education from City College, Geeta has worked in schools teaching literacy and after school programs and doing hunger relief work as a volunteer.

Geeta has dedicated most of her professional life to volunteerism in agriculture, food, and the environment but has found intersections in peace movements, the arts, activism, and education.

Geeta lives on the Upper West Side with her husband and daughter where she weaves, knits, crochets, and plays with her cat Tito!

Raymundo is an NYC native photographer and teaching artist with a B.A. in Studio Arts from City College. He values the power of storytelling, nurturing expression, and fostering a sense of belonging, and is inspired to contribute to our mission of helping young people find their voices.

Raymundo combines technical skills with strong artistic vision and discipline. He has taught and engaged with community programs and projects through Harlem Stage and Publicolor.

I write short stories, am designing a video game, and take photos… So yeah! I’m a professional daydreamer.

Assal es cineasta, intérprete, escritora y profesora en la Academia de Cine de Nueva York, y comparte sus vastas habilidades y experiencias con nuestros jóvenes artistas.

Sus películas aparecen en festivales internacionales, dirige vídeos musicales y es cofundadora Festival Bienal de Cine Every Woman, y cocreado Crisis del bigote en Irán.

Cuando no está escribiendo, enseñando, leyendo o preparándose para una sesión fotográfica, Assal pasa tiempo de calidad con su esposo, sus caracoles y peces de colores.

After earning her MFA in writing for young adults from The New School, Molly has taught creative writing at schools across NYC, including NYU, Fordham, FIT, and SVA.

Molly is the author of young adult novels "Epically Earnest" and "Thanks for Listening" (named a Kirkus Best YA books of '24), as well as picture book "I Have Seven Dogs". Her play "The Patron Saint of Other Women" won the Georgia College Arts and Letters Drama Prize in 2021.

My middle school superlative was most likely to save the turtles!

Ally is an emerging educator, writer, actor with a background in comedy. What they find most interesting about storytelling is the dance between expanding a world and keeping it focused.

Currently they are venturing into playwriting, having written full-length play "Nothing Nothing It's Nothing" through the Voices of America Writers Workshop. As an actor Allyson recently guest starred opposite Rachel Weisz in "Dead Ringers" on Amazon Prime!

Ally played a bad guy on TV, has three cats, and is good at basketball (minus the stamina part).

‍

Miss es una autora e ilustradora publicada de célebres novelas gráficas y cómics. Se especializa en la enseñanza de la escritura e ilustración de cómics.

Sus novelas gráficas como Henni y Escapar de «Special» han figurado en las listas de libros más importantes, The New Yorker's Daily Shouts, y han sido nominados a premios.

Soy el creador/escritor de la serie de ciencia ficción de Z2 Comics LA DULZURA

Jane, poeta, artista de performance y educadora, publica trabajos de estudiantes y enseña escritura, literatura e interpretación en todos los grupos de edad.

El libro de poesía Names publicado por Jane forma parte de la galardonada serie ABC Chapbook. Uno de sus poemas ha sido nominado al premio Pushcart.

Jane lidera la banda The Icebergs y formó parte de Sister Spit, ¡la famosa compañía de poesía femenina de la costa oeste!

Erik/Advocate of Wordz is an award-winning performing poet, certified breeder of mythical creatures, and educator.

His work has been featured/covered by the LA Times, CNN, PBS, and more. He has performed at establishments including Lincoln Center and Princeton University. He is the recipient of a BRIO and Toronto Film Festival award.

I love baseball (my 15 year old son is a great pitcher!), and Comic books (Marvel, DC, Manga, etc.)! I believe dogs are humanities truest and best friend.

‍

La experta en educación Njoli es profesora de pedagogía y facilitadora de programas con una pasión por involucrar a la comunidad en el proceso de descubrimiento.

Como escritor independiente, Njoli utiliza su dedicación a las prácticas restaurativas para generar obras intencionadamente introspectivas y conectivamente introspectivas.

Activista, orador público, artista marcial y explorador, Njoli integra a la perfección su amor por la aventura en su visión de la vida y el trabajo.

Tess Michaelson es escritora, artista interdisciplinaria y educadora con una maestría en escritura de no ficción de la Universidad de Columbia.

Los artículos de Tess han sido publicados por The Chicago Review, la revista independiente en línea The Rumpus, The Brooklyn Rail y más.

Tess escribe sobre danza, libros e ideas.

B. Sharise es poeta, autora de cuentos cortos y editora de poesía en la revista literaria Fiyah, presentadora de «Moore Books con B. Sharise» en YouTube, y educador.

Sus obras han aparecido en varias antologías y revistas, incluyendo For Harriet, Chosen Realities: Summer 2020 y Fiyah Literary Magazine.

B. Sharise publicado recientemente Conjurando mundos: un libro de texto afrofuturista para estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria!

Nuestra subdirectora, Dorkys, actualmente educa a estudiantes de todas las edades en escritura y arte en Washington Heights e Inwood.

Sus obras bilingües han aparecido en Time Out NY Kids, BET, Parents Latina, Syracuse Post-Standard y Manhattan Times.

Dorkys mantiene los engranajes de Uptown Stories en marcha, pero cuando no está en los Estados Unidos, ¡pasa su tiempo pintando e ilustrando!

Kate, una educadora dedicada, enseñó humanidades en escuelas intermedias y secundarias en escuelas públicas y privadas durante más de 25 años antes de fundar Uptown Stories.

Su propia ficción ha aparecido en The Madison Review, Brain Child, Salamander y The Ledge!

Kate ha vivido toda su vida en Nueva York y ha vivido en Washington Heights desde 2003 con sus dos hijos. ¡Gracias Kate por el regalo de Uptown Stories!

Toni is a second-grade teacher’s assistant and Uptown Stories afterschool Site Supervisor who loves supporting young students as they learn and grow.

Embracing reading and writing is one of her favorite tools connect to students, encourage their curiosity, and help them build confidence. She is excited to bring out our students' creative sides and watch them have fun while expressing themselves.

I love traveling, sour candies, and playing hide and seek!

‍

Joel is an educator who is passionate about helping kids find their voices through creative expression.

He has experience working in education and community programs that inspire confidence and curiosity. He is excited to continue this work with Uptown Stories at Amistad Dual Language School.

I have watched every Marvel movie, I love storytelling in all forms (video games, movies, and books), and I am always up for a riddle or puzzle game.

Máx. Mimi es educadora en Washington Heights. Durante los últimos cuatro años, han enseñado inglés en escuelas secundarias en escuelas independientes y organizaciones sin fines de lucro en Filadelfia y Nueva York.

Máx. Mimi escribió para GLSEN sobre el apoyo a los educadores negros, queer, trans y transgénero, y contribuyó a La guía indispensable para la investigación de pregrado.

Máx. La pedagogía, la investigación y la facilitación de Mimi enfatizan la diversidad, la equidad, la inclusión y la pertenencia de los estudiantes y profesores subrepresentados.

Noelle es vocalista, compositora, productora, compositora y educadora. Enseña música en programas comunitarios y escuelas de Nueva York y Nueva Orleans.

Noelle ha escrito y producido 3 álbumes de estudio, realizó giras nacionales y actuó en lugares y festivales aclamados.

Noelle ha estudiado con los ganadores del Premio Pulitzer Du Yun y Joel Those. ¡Nació y se crió en Nueva York en nuestro vecindario, Washington Heights!

Kristilyn is a Brooklyn based writer, visual artist, and educator. She loves doing illustration and design work for musicians, and has had the pleasure of working with a number of important artists including Money Mark, Binky Griptite, and the Bernie Worrell estate.

She has had writing and comics published in various indie magazines including MOOF, DoubleBlind, and Forevermore.

I once accidentally locked myself and a raccoon together in an apartment!

Kai Naima Williams is a multidisciplinary writer, performing artist, and educator. She is passionate about telling stories across different mediums - from the page to the stage and on screen.

The author of two poetry chapbooks and children's picture book "The Bridges Yuri Built," Kai's work has been honored by the Asian American Arts Alliance, the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival and the NYT.

I am fascinated by fortune-telling and enjoy giving my friends I Ching readings!