About

Hi, I’m Tereva — an artist, educator, and Arts in Medicine professional who believes that creative expression is a birthright. With a Master’s degree in Arts in Medicine (University of Florida), I work at the intersection of art and wellness, supporting others in reconnecting with their capacity for healing, joy, and expression through creative, research-supported practices.

I was born in Miami, a city rich with movement, color, language, rhythm, and culture. My earliest memories are steeped in song, from the sound of hymns drifting from my grandmother’s piano. I first stepped onstage at the age of five as a dancer, and by nine, I was a part of the South Florida Youth Symphony as a young violinist. Creativity has always captured my curiosity. As a violinist, I emoted what I could not verbally express. I trained at New World School of the Arts and became a professional violinist, performing for music awards and pop artists before my high school graduation.

Still curious and longing for expression, during my time pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Education, I began auditioning and working as an actor. Since then, I’ve had the honor of telling beautiful stories through the art of theatre in Florida, New York, and Georgia. I’m most proud of my performance From Colored to Black, which is now a part of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, and my role in the play Eclipsed, which earned me the award of Best Supporting Actor at the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival. I’ve also had the rare gift of training with some of the most brilliant artists and thinkers of our time — including Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Louise Robinson and Carol Lynn Maillard of Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Sonia Sanchez. These visionaries, advocates, and creatives continue to be a grounding force in my work and an enduring inspiration for the kind of liberation I aim to hold space for through creativity.

My research — Black. Write. Now. — explores how communal literary arts practices can impact Black women’s self-assessed stress levels as a means of reducing risk of hypertension. As a violinist, I found a sacred purpose in giving bedside performances for end-of-life patients in hospice care. As a teaching artist, I have worked as an assistant director, acting coach for individuals and theaters, and with organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, and most recently, as a partner and provider for Art Pharmacy.

At the heart of everything I do is the belief that we are all born with a spark. Creativity is a home we return to. I’m so happy you are here.