Field Leadership Fund: Meet Eric Lockley& Rachel DeGuzman

Artist Fellow, Eric Lockley is a Baltimore native and NYC - based actor, writer and producer. Regional theater credits include Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Choir Boy at the Studio Theatre in DC, How We Got On at Cleveland Playhouse, Game On at the National Black Arts Fest in Atlanta and black odyssey at the Denver Center Theater. New York stage credits include The Colored Museum, Hope Speaks, Holes, CATO and The Winter’s Tale. Lockley will also be featured in upcoming films Assisted Living starring Olympia Dukakis and Macy Gray, and Knockout Game. Television credits include features on HBO, MTV & BET. Lockley’s written works include his “affirmative action” comedy Blacken the Bubble and the sci-fi thriller, Without Trace. As a solo performer, Lockley has written and performs Last Laugh, exploring the mental health of 2 black entertainers, and Asking for More, an educational solo show that encourages health consciousness in urban youth.

As a founding member of two Harlem-based organizations, The Movement Theatre Company and OBIE-award winning, Harlem9, Eric has produced numerous productions, events and theatrical presentations that over the years have showcased over 400 artists of color at various stages in their careers. Stand-out achievements have been, Harlem 9's annual one-of-a-kind event "48 Hours in . . . HARLEM", and The Movement's acclaimed productions of Bintou and Look Upon Our Lowliness.  Eric’s most recent endeavor has been writing and producing his first film, “The Jump” – which explores one black boy’s special relationship with the water. www.ericlockley.com

"Sustaining a career in the arts without institutional or commercial support requires a significant amount of focus, faith, prioritizing, negotiating, creativity, patience, flexibility and determination. I’ve been able to sustain thus far and I look forward to thriving with the support of FLF."

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Manager Fellow, Rachel Y. DeGuzman is president & CEO of 21st Century Arts, a Rochester, NY based arts consultancy. She is the founder and executive producer of A Call to Action symposiums and the recently launched A Street Light Festival.

DeGuzman is an active member at VisitRochester and Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council Tourism/Arts Work Group. Rachel is a program partner of Janklow Arts Leadership Program at Syracuse University. She serves as an ongoing pro-bono advisor to several local arts and cultural organizations. Rachel writes a community arts blog at democratandchronicle.com and is the host of a weekly radio show, Up Close and Cultural, on WAYO 104.3 FM where she also serves on its leadership team..

Ms. DeGuzman was 1 of 14 national arts professionals selected by Association of Performing Arts Presenters for 2012/2013 Leadership Development Institute - where she spent a year in collective inquiry focused on the theme of Knowing and Connecting Art with Community. Her past positions include director of advancement/external relations at Rochester City Ballet and marketing and publicity manager of Nazareth College Arts Center.

She was director of development/communications at The Commission Project and director of development at Garth Fagan Dance. Rachel served on Mayor Warren's Neighborhood: Quality of Life transition focus group; was a grant panelist for Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester and NYSCA/REDC. She was a member of the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester’s Cultural Diversity Initiative Committee.  DeGuzman was a past member of William Warfield Scholarship Fund board.

"The barriers that prevent us from creating a more diverse, inclusive and equitable field are systemic and must be addressed collaboratively and sector-wide. I am committed to owning leadership in that transformation."

Learn more about the Fellows here.

Learn more about the work the paired Fellows are doing here.