Artist, Photojournalist, Educator

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Velvet has been privileged during her 20-year professional career to do work that she is passionate about, including shooting photos, teaching young students and showcasing her artwork in a gallery.

As a teacher, she is particularly interested in integrating art and technology into classroom instruction. She has managed a media arts program for at-risk teens and currently received a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) Teacher of Art, grades K-12.

Velvet honed her management and leadership skills when she headed the media arts program for YESPhilly, a nonprofit in North Philadelphia. As Director of Media Arts, she managed instructors in mural arts, audio and video production, graphic design and media arts literacy. Later, as Director of Marketing and Recruitment, she helped find and enroll students in the program's newly founded alternative high school.

Velvet is an award-winning photojournalist who has photographed everything from the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks to community street fairs. She did much of her visual journalism as a staff photographer for The Detroit News, however, her work also has appeared in national publications.

Velvet serves as Chair of the Photo Auction for the National Association of Black Journalists, Visual Task Force and has helped raise more than $250,000 for student scholarships and visual programming. She also served as Technology Chair for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Rho Theta Omega chapter. In this role, she helped baby boomers learn how to use modern technology to communicate.

Prior to earning her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Velvet obtained her undergraduate degree in studio art and secondary art education at Marymount College.