Shemwell is a native of Louisiana with a degree in French and a love of Francophone Cajun folklore and is the author of "The Devil in Canaan Parish," is a southern gothic suspense novel set in south Louisiana in 1957.

Karen T. La Beau is a self-taught, third generation artist, New Orleans, La. native who now resides in Shreveport, La. She has created many pieces centering on telling her story through paint, canvas, wood, old windows, and sheetrock.

Mahogany Ensemble Theatre is the premiere African American theatre in North Louisiana. Since 2003, we have successfully mounted and toured mainstage, dinner, and children’s theatre productions throughout Louisiana and beyond. MET involves youth, teens, and adults in performance, training, and education experiences.

Bertha Cooper Harris is a Louisiana Folk Artist and the artist of The Courage to Rise Again. She is also the owner and operator of Bertha Harris Folk Art Gallery.

Lumpy Grits is a performing arts theatre that offers acting and theatre classes as well as FÊTE experiences. They’ve been bringing together artists from both sides of the tracks since 2013.

The Shreveport Times part of the USA TODAY Network, has been the local news source for Northwest Louisiana since 1872.