

Mission
"We help marginalized women/femme creatives gain accessibility and visibility in the arts to facilitate personal healing."
- Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia
Mother-Daughter Team & Creators of Sista Creatives Rising

Claire Jones
CREATIVE, WRITER, WOMEN SURVIVORS ADVOCATE
Believing everyone has a creative spirit, Claire's long-term goal is to help marginalized women gain inner strength by accessing their artistic side. A Buddhist and Frances Perkins Scholar, Claire's journey to scholarship began during her childhood in Barbados when she sought relief from the chaos of living under domestic violence. Claire uses her creative works, poetry, and informative writings to encourage women trauma survivors to utilize the arts for self-improvement. In the 1990s, standing at The Door of No Return in Senegal, where slaves last saw their homeland, she reaffirmed her purpose: to confront and overcome intergenerational trauma.

Amaranthia Sepia
ART COORDINATOR, CREATIVE, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
Amaranthia Sepia feels it’s critical to use her voice to facilitate positive representation of marginalized women. As a Buddhist Black, invisibly disabled woman with C-PTSD and GAD, she highlights unconventional experiences through art. Returning to America after spending her childhood in Japan, Sepia was severely bullied. Creating works based on fond memories of Tokyo taught her the healing power of art. Since 13, she’s coordinated art events on anti-bullying advocacy, BLM, disability inclusion, and women’s mental health. Now 22, she provides marginalized women/femmes tools for utilizing their creativity to gain confidence to make a difference in their communities.


Meena-Serenity
FEEL-GOOD AMBASSADOR, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA)
Meena-Serenity is a four-year-old white rescue cat who's fueled by cuddles, kisses, hugs, and playtime. She loves to race around the house and gallop while playing chase. She is Amaranthia's ESA, but Meena also deals with anxiety and PTSD symptoms. Meena and Amaranthia have the same birthday. Meena loves to sit in windows and often invites her Big Momma, Claire, to watch. Claire has to pretend she is excited about seeing nothing as Meena purrs contentedly while sitting on her stool. She loves to cuddle with Little Momma, Amaranthia under the blankets every morning.
Meena is a rescue we found online through Rutherford County Humane Society in 2019.

"With greater accessibility and multi-genre art spaces, we would see not only more representation in media and leadership roles for marginalized women and femmes creatives… this would translate into greater tolerance and increased visibility of race and gender diversity in today’s culture."
~ Sista Creatives Rising~
Awareness, Education And Inclusivity Through The Arts


WORKSHOP CONCEPTS
Using Art to Form a Healing Space for Creative Women
For women/femme creative activists who want to expand their voice in the arts.
How The Art of Storytelling Can Help Overcome Self Sabotage
For older women who've struggled with impostor syndrome with an interest in using creative writing for self-reflection
How to Create Art Accessibility For The Mentally Ill
An opportunity to learn how galleries and art events can use virtual opportunities to be inclusive of marginalized and creatives with emotional/psychological disabilities.
Emo Bunny: Character Design As An Expressive Tool For Mental Wellness
For young creatives looking for a positive healthy outlet to express their negative experiences and struggles. Learn how Amaranthia Sepia's original character, Emo Bunny, helps her face her struggles with GAD and C-PTSD
Testimonials
The 2021 Art & Mind project generously chose our nonprofit as a beneficiary. They gave us a chance to get back to our community, and I'm so grateful to Amaranthia, Claire and their volunteers for that. The documentary and video work was excellent and showcased all different and super talented artists.

Contact
General Inquiry
Art & Mind Inquiries
Virtual Workshop/Presentation Inquiries
Virtual Speaking Engagements
Virtual Media Interview
(978)-346-5912