David Flores is a poet, hip hop lyricist, educator, and mindfulness trainer. He is the current Poet Laureate for Richmond. His present position is Lead Trainer for the Mindful Life Project. David is a former elementary school teacher of eleven years at Grant Elementary. He was born and raised in Richmond, where he currently lives with his wife Juanita and college aged children, Maya and Francisco.

Dancing with the Divine: A Flow of Grace by Carla De Sola, ed. by Diana Wear, and designed by David W. McCauley, Jr. (Self-published, 2021), 182 pp.; www.omegakairosbooks.com.

“Dance is revolutionary movement. It has the power to connect us to worlds beyond our own. A dancer’s outstretched hand says come...take this journey. I’m reminded as I read Dancing with the Divine that dance, as expressive as a raised fist symbolizing power, offering connection to the divine through art, is such a warm and welcome revelation.”

BK Williams, Activist, Richmond, California

Luis Cubas is a Richmond-based photographer. His journey to photography started when he was a student at Richmond High School. He took a photography class and had the good fortune of having a dark room to develop film and prints. Initially Luis didn't give it much thought, but photography became important to him and was soon taking pictures every day. Over time, the art form evolved from a hobby to a business, allowing Luis to travel, meet people and follow his passion.

Local Richmond artist JD Arandía is a podcast host, stand-up comedian, and County Arts Commissioner. JD is Bay Area born and raised. He grew up on a steady diet of Cantiflas, Chespirito, Jim Carrey and The Simpsons and from the first time he made someone laugh he was hooked. He enjoys the art of comedy because it brings light to all aspects of the human experience.

Authored by Tony Tamayo, RPA Intern

Photo Credit: Tony Tamayo

Art is exploding in the mainstream in our city. We are beginning to see new art investments centered around community involvement and inclusivity. Paired with the rise of social media that was fast-tracked by the pandemic, artists in Richmond are being newly discovered and uplifted through the community on and off the cellphone screen. Art is important for many reasons: art uplifts our spirits, art can help relieve stress, art can be a source of income, and most importantly, art can preserve critical aspects of our culture here in Richmond.