Our Facilitators - Radici Studios

Jen Bloomer M.A.

is an artist, facilitator and the founder of Radici Studios. For the past two decades, she has painted and taught art all around the world. Jen has a BA in Latin American Studies, a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Painting, and a Masters Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. She has created art with people aged 1 to 81 holding space for them to find their unique creative voice in the world through the arts. Jen’s own activist art can be seen in local murals, at marches for social justice across the country, and across social media. Her work has been shown internationally by Amplifier Art, and is included in the Library of Congress archive.

Jen is a cis white woman partnered with an Eritrean/Italian man with whom she is raising two mixed race children. She believes that the intersection of creativity, connection and community holds the answer to our personal and collective healing.

Stephanie Garma Balón, MA, AMFT

(she/her) is a second-generation Pinay-American, & proud Mama—born in SF, raised in Daly City/SF (Ohlone Land), and of Ilokano & Visayan decent. As an Expressive Arts Therapist at StarVista in Northern San Mateo County (SMC) providing individual and group therapy to youth, parents, and families, Stephanie leans on her belief in the transformative healing power of the arts. Her heartwork and hustle includes over 20 years of experience in health & human services, namely a community mental health advocacy background addressing health inequities amongst hxstorically marginalized populations. As Co-chair of the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of SMC, she co-founded the first social enterprise cultural center/cafe in North SMC (anticipated to break ground in 2022) that aims to increase access to culturally responsive mental health support and provide an intergenerationally engaging, healing & creative, gathering space for the Filipina/o/x community.

Amber Simmons MFT

is a Black American mom, wife, spoken word artist, and therapist from Oakland, Ca. Amber received her Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Communications and Maters of Arts (MA) Degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Expressive Art Therapy. She has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Amber is the co-Owner of Simmons&Simmons Wellness Center. Simmons&Simmons Wellness Center strives to support healing through various therapeutic and holistic approaches because they believe that every person is on a different life journey. Through the wellness center, Amber strives to make mental health services more readily available to those that need it, especially for folks from marginalized communities. Amber has had many opportunities to witness healing through art modalities with children, families, adults, and in group settings. Amber believes in using the arts as a processing tool to break down barriers, develop understanding, gain clarity, and find meaning in ones life.

Susan Gray, M.Ed & M.A

is a certified teacher, homeschooling/unschooling mama to twin boys and an aspiring co-conspirator for racial justice and collective liberation. As the white partner in an interracial marriage and mama to multi-racial children, she believes in holding space for children to explore all parts of themselves and their complex identities while she comes alongside them to do that work as a daily practice herself as well. She believes children are change makers no matter how young, and she strives to empower all children to create the world they want to live in by finding their own unique voices for justice. Susan lives and works in Seattle, WA, where she serves as Program Director for the Masters in Teaching program at City University of Seattle. Before becoming a teacher educator, she was a special education teacher for students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities, and also trained as a mental health counselor providing mental health therapy, behavioral support services, and parent coaching for children and families in a variety of settings.