Artist, advocate and creative change agent, Alea McHatten is a Black, non-binary, Milwaukee Native. Their motto is “if you wanna break a glass ceiling, you better bring a hammer.” It is Alea’s personal mission to bring people together to share in the commonwealth of knowledge and resources to thrive.

Alea has devoted more than a decade to creating spaces where all people, especially people of color, are heard and celebrated as assets of our community.

As the Education Manager of Still Waters Collective, Alea coordinated the very programs that helped her find her voice and cultivate her talents - Voltage Teen Open Mic and Slam, the High School Slam League and WI Teen Poetry Championship.

As the Program Director of Ex Fabula, Alea connected more than 12,300 Milwaukeeans by way of 600+ events with award-winning, multi-lingual programming (2020 Mandi’s Associated Bank Trailblazer Award, 2021 Unity Award, 2022 Shepherd Express Best of Milwaukee Award).

Their passion to increase dignity in our beloved community fuels their appetite for service.