Salima Smith
Salima Smith has been a ROAM teaching artist for 3 years. Salima got her start as youngster in New York, where she performed with at the city’s Afrikan Poetry Theater in the 1980s. In addition to studying journalism and graphic communication arts, she was a videographer for the New York City Board of Education (now the Department of Education). She also worked as a public administrator for community enrichment programs.Salima is an arts educator serving communities with an emphasis on cultural enrichment.
She has a gift for working with children, and her workshops for teachers
have met with rave reviews. She is a playwright, director, songwriter
and choreographer who has contributed to several productions. She is a
performing artist with more than 15 years experience as a dancer, and
an actor.
Ms. Moyo has made several trips to Africa, and her study of cultural
traditions has increased her ability to communicate and to collaborate
with people from around the world. These experiences have also
broaden her perspective and increased her resources as a consultant, artist
and arts educator.
In her work with small groups, Ms. Moyo engages children in skillsbuilding
and life-affirming ensemble exercises, using original songs and
raps. Her approach combines rhythm, music, and movement to facilitate
learning.
Through her workshops for educational professionals,
teachers and support staff learn new methods to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation in the classroom.
Her methodology has been especially effective for new teachers, who learn creative ways to get students’ attention and to
avoid suspensions.
Since moving to Cleveland from New York in the ‘90s, Ms. Moyo has been quite active on the artistic scene. She was
a member of Dance Afrika Dance!” performance group, and has been featured for several years as “The Kwanzaa Queen”
in “The Legend of the Nguzo Saba,” produced by Black Renaissance in Theater.
