Founders

Cynthia A. Ayala is a bilingual educator of 19 years and a co-founder of a biliteracy, makerspace for children. She is an advocate for students with special needs and students who are marginalized by systemic racism. Her life’s goal is to make a difference in the world by empowering others through education.

Da'Mon Stith is a founding member of Cry Havoc Action Choreography, the sword instructor at BookPeople's Camp Half-Blood, the Chief Instructor and Founder of Guild of the Silent Sword, co-founder of Street Forge Armoury, and the president of HAMAA (Historical African Martial Arts Association) an organization he founded in 2016 dedicated to the research and reconstruction of lost fighting arts from Africa and the African Diaspora. His days are spent training and educating others in the warrior traditions of Ancient and Medieval Africa arts and fabricating historical and fantasy weapons.

Elizabeth Mikeska is a bilingual school librarian with 17 years of experience as a public educator. She implemented a makerspace in her library which serves at-risk youth from grades PreK - 5th. Her passion is connecting literacy and innovation to promote meaningful learning experiences and student agency. She is also the co-founder of a biliteracy, makerspace for children.

Patrick Benfield is a maker educator with 12 years of teaching experience and the founding director of two educational makerspaces. He is also a Lead Maker Mentor for The University of Texas at Austin UTeach fellowship, a Thinkery EdExchange Senior Fellow, the Education Coordinator for Maker Faire Austin, and a contributing author in Meaningful Making by the Stanford FabLearn Fellows.