Celyne Camen is a writer and the mother of Angel Jochi Hernandez-Camen, a Mexican-born teen musician who trains and performs as a drummer with Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac, an experimental classical composer who studies at New England Conservatory, and who is learning Nahuatl with the goals of preserving traditions and decolonizing the present cultural and intellectual landscape. Both Celyne and her son’s father, Miguel Antonio Hernandez -- who lives in Mexico -- strongly support the mission of Ollin and want their son and other youth to realize the Mexicayotl culture. Celyne has been an antiracist, human rights, and indigenous rights activist for over 25 years. She works for the Crossroads Women’s Center in Germantown, organizes with the Global Women’s Strike, and supports projects geared toward overcoming the barriers lower-income and African-descent children face when competing in the sport of chess and in education systems generally.

Jesús Castellón was born and raised in southern California. His family is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, and have been active members of various educational and political causes in Southeast Los Angeles. He has been a bilingual high school mathematics teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for more than 20 years. He is also a graduate student in the Urban Education Doctoral Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee finishing his dissertation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, teaching credentials from Alverno College, and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in bilingual education and literacy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has also been an active member of the Omeyocan Dance Company for more than 3 years. The group specializes in danzas from both Mexica and Mexican folklore and provides various workshops and presentations regarding Mexica culture, tradition, and history. He along with his temachtiani were recipients of the 2015-2016 Wisconsin Art’s Board Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant Program sponsored by the State of Wisconsin and the Endowment for the Advancement of the Arts where they spent a year immersed in the study of the Aztec Calendar and other Indigenous knowledge. As Board Treasurer he brings with him his vast budgetary and organizational skills related to various educational settings. He is dedicated in meeting both the mission and needs of Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac.

Veronica's diverse journey includes theater, Mexican regional dance instruction, storytelling, and crafting workshops. She adeptly balances preserving Mexican traditions with adapting to our ever-changing world. Veronica's strength lies in her humor and her joy in teaching children, who always offer her fresh insights.