Diversity and Inclusion in our Programming

Alka was at Folk Music Ontario as the Executive Director starting in 2013 and was there until 2021. Prior to that, she worked as the Interim Executive Director at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and spent many years as the Senior Manager of Operations with the Toronto International Film Festival. Alka has also worked at CBC Radio as the Associate Producer for Outfront and in campus/community radio in Ottawa, Guelph and Toronto. Alka sits on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for the Folk Alliance Board of Directors and is a Board Member for the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition.

Rachel Weldon (she/her) is founder and executive director of music presenter organization Debaser, and music programmer and administrator for artist-run centre SAW. She has produced and/or programmed hundreds of events and programs, working in festival management, creative production, programming and marketing. Rachel is also chair of the board of Halifax outsider music festival EVERYSEEKER, and DJs and makes radio under the moniker Pink Veil.

Rosina  is the lead singer of the protest electronic duo LAL, who were long listed for the Polaris Prize for 2019 and 2021. They/she are a queer/gender fluid, culturally Muslim and Bengali identified artist. Rosina helps run the alternative DIT (Do it Together) community and arts accessible (physically and financially) space Unit 2, a space dedicated to supporting QT2SBIPOC and friends in order to support an arts ecosystem.  Rosina also co-curates shows, participates in theatre and other collaborative art making practices and runs workshops around sound, recording and poetry. Rosina will be releasing her first solo dance /electronic album called BASIC INCOME, in 2022.  She / they have curated for Luminato Festival, Mayworks Festival, Bricks and Glitter festival while releasing music, playing live, building new worlds and s supporting emerging and established artists.  Rosina currently lives and was born in the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lenni-lenape and the Wendat Nations..

King Kimbit is a literary Hip-Hop artist based in unceded Algonquin territory (Ottawa). King is passionate about empowering and encouraging youth, community care, and sharing love through writing, reciting, and the abolition of punitive, carceral institutions. King became Urban Legends Poetry Slam Champion in 2012, which launched her career in performance arts.  King has coordinated Youth Speak! writing and performance workshops for teens and is also 1/3 of the founding force behind Cap City Cyphers, a space for rappers across the city to unite and celebrate love and unity through Hip-Hop.  She has reached for her roots through various organizations, holding executive positions in local and regional VSAs, as well as performing and presenting for the Union of North American Vietnamese Students Association in Anaheim, New Orleans, and Seattle. She was also cohost of Spirit of Vietnam on CKCU 93.1FM.King is currently a writer and vocalist for Speaking Vibrations, an interdisciplinary performance group with tap dancer Carmelle Cachero, ASL poet Jo-Anne Bryan, and contemporary dancer Jordan Samonas. In 2017, King released her debut album Life Lessons Poetically, a collection of poetic and music by artists local and abroad. She is now working on her solo album Healing Trauma From The Projects.