October 10 initiation marks a new chapter of growth for the national arts fraternity, including Epsilon Chapter’s first new members since 2020.
WASHINGTON, DC — Gamma Xi Phi, the professional fraternity for artists and creators, welcomed seven new members during an initiation held October 10, 2026, representing the District of Columbia, Maryland, and North Carolina. The newest members join a growing community of artists, educators, and cultural leaders committed to advancing the arts through service.
The seven initiates bring an impressive range of professional experiences and artistic disciplines to the fraternity, including creative writing, journalism, theater, visual arts, filmmaking, arts education, and nonprofit leadership.
The initiates join three chapters: Beta Chapter in Washington, DC; Epsilon Chapter in the Baltimore metropolitan area; and Phi Chapter in northeastern North Carolina.
The initiation also marks an important milestone for Epsilon Chapter, which last welcomed new members in early 2020, shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The addition of three accomplished professionals represents a renewed opportunity for growth and fellowship within the Baltimore-area chapter.
Meet the New Members
Beta Chapter — Washington, DC
Aaliyah El-Amin
Aaliyah El-Amin is a published poet, literary organizer, and founder of You Are Write Here, a writing collective dedicated to strengthening the literary community in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Through readings, workshops, writing sessions, and other programs, her organization has connected with nearly 900 people worldwide.
Her poetry has appeared in several literary anthologies, and she has participated in workshops associated with Cave Canem and the Brooklyn Women of Color Writers Workshop. She is also a member of Federal Poets and Maryland Humanities.
Inspired by Toni Morrison’s encouragement to write the books one wishes existed, El-Amin has dedicated herself to building the infrastructure that allows writers to flourish.
For El-Amin, membership in Gamma Xi Phi represents an opportunity to expand that work alongside other artists committed to community building and service.
Catherine Frost
Catherine “Cat” Frost is a theater-maker, educator, and arts administrator whose work spans playwriting, arts education, and cultural programming.
Frost’s accomplishments include receiving the Ninth Annual Gaffney Playwriting Award from the University of California San Diego, being selected as a Lambda Literary Fellow, and serving as a Local Theatre Resident at the Kennedy Center. Frost has also worked as a teaching artist with the National Portrait Gallery, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Smithsonian’s Discovery Theater.
Frost joins Gamma Xi Phi with a particular interest in nurturing relationships among Black artists and strengthening the institutions and communities that sustain their work.
“I’m most fulfilled in positions where I nurture connections and share resources, especially with other Black artists,” Frost said. “I believe Gamma Xi Phi is that spot where I can lend my time and talents.”
Chad Eric Smith
Chad Eric Smith is an actor, filmmaker, producer, and communications executive with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, public art, and the performing arts.
Smith serves as the inaugural Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing for Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. Previously, he served as Senior Director of Communications and Brand Management at Mural Arts Philadelphia.
He is also the Board President of Theatre Horizon, founder of MisterDuke Productions, and a 2023 graduate of Leadership Philadelphia.
Smith is particularly drawn to Gamma Xi Phi’s vision of artists as leaders who advance justice and strengthen their communities.
“I have always believed that artists have the capacity—and, in many ways, the responsibility—to do more than create compelling work,” Smith said. “We can help shape how communities understand themselves, challenge inequity, expand whose stories are valued, and imagine possibilities that institutions and systems have not yet realized.”
Epsilon Chapter — Baltimore, Maryland
DeWitt Cooper III
DeWitt Cooper III is a performing arts educator, director, choreographer, and mentor whose professional philosophy emphasizes the transformative power of artistic expression.
Throughout his career, Cooper has worked to develop emerging performers through disciplined training, cultural awareness, professionalism, and artistic excellence. His work emphasizes the preservation and celebration of Black artistry while expanding opportunities for underserved performers.
Cooper hopes to contribute to Gamma Xi Phi through mentorship, artistic collaboration, and educational opportunities for emerging artists, including potential partnerships to establish scholarship support for arts programs. He also looks forward to building relationships with fellow artists who understand the unique responsibilities and challenges of creative careers.
E. L. Briscoe
E. L. Briscoe is a visual artist and professor at Morgan State University, where he serves as Coordinator of the Visual Arts Program in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.
A native of Charles County, Maryland, Briscoe earned his bachelor’s degree from Morgan State University in 1996 and his Master of Fine Arts from Howard University in 1998.
His artwork is represented in several distinguished collections, including the James E. Lewis Museum of Art, the David C. Driskell Center, the Jean and Robert Steele Collection of African American Prints, and the African American Museum of Art in Dallas, Texas.
Briscoe sees Gamma Xi Phi as a platform for increasing public understanding of the arts and the contributions of working artists.
Shernay Williams
Shernay Williams is an award-winning journalist, content strategist, educator, and creative entrepreneur with 15 years of experience working across newsrooms, nonprofit organizations, startups, and corporations.
Williams currently serves as an events manager and moderator for Word In Black, a national news organization focused on Black communities. She is also a media professor at Loyola University Maryland and provides media entrepreneurship training through the Institute for Independent Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, and her company, The StorySuite.
In addition to her work in journalism and education, Williams designs earrings and bangles.
“I’d like to serve the community through Gamma Xi Phi by leading workshops, events and initiatives that encourage literacy and expand arts access for young people and adults,” Williams said.
Phi Chapter — Northeastern North Carolina
Chanelle Owens-Henson
Chanelle Owens-Henson is an author, visual artist, content creator, skilled tradesperson, and autism advocate whose work reflects a distinctive combination of creativity, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.
Originally from Largo, Maryland, Owens-Henson is a mother of three whose talents extend across electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, writing, visual arts, and independent publishing.
Through her creative platforms and advocacy, she works to empower others and amplify important voices.
“Adding Gamma Xi Phi allows me to expand both personally and professionally while strengthening my leadership,” Owens-Henson said. “I look forward to opening new doors, building meaningful connections, and using my journey to inspire others.”
A Shared Commitment to Art, Fellowship, and Service
Although their professional backgrounds and creative disciplines vary, Gamma Xi Phi’s newest members share a commitment to using their talents to enrich the communities around them. Together, they bring new perspectives and expertise to the fraternity’s work in arts education, mentorship, literacy, institutional development, and civic engagement.
a quote from our national president hunter irby
“It is wonderful to see Gamma Xi Phi initiate new members who demonstrate exceptional merit and artistic talent, each committed to serving their communities and advancing the arts.
I am proud to call them members of our fine fraternity and can not wait to see them grow as Brothers, Sisters and Gammas in our organization.
As WE GROW, we are “Uniting the World, one artist at a time’.”
About Gamma Xi Phi
Gamma Xi Phi is a national community of artists and creators dedicated to advancing the arts through fellowship, professional development, and community service.
The fraternity brings together individuals working in a wide variety of artistic disciplines, creating opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, leadership, and service. Its members seek to build a world in which artists are valued as thoughtful and justice-oriented leaders in their communities and careers.
Gamma Xi Phi welcomes members from all backgrounds, identities, and artistic disciplines, recognizing the power of creativity to strengthen communities and inspire positive social change.
