Mocha James Herrup holds a PhD in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin. They worked for many years as a full-time professor at the Austin Community College where they also co-founded the Peace & Conflict Studies program. Currently, Mocha James writes about arts and culture for the New Bedford Scallop and teaches Social Issues and Documentary as a Senior Lecturer at Suffolk University in Boston. In between Texas and the East Coast, they spent 2 incredible years in Seattle teaching as an Artist-in-Residence at the University of Washington at Bothell and programming and organizing with Three Dollar Bill. Mocha James has programmed with other festivals including SXSW and the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, and their award-winning films have been screened on the Sundance Channel, at the Walker Art Center, Northwest Airlines, and in festivals around the world.

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Deb picked up her first ukulele and instantly fell in love with this small but mighty instrument. Her passion for the ukulele led her to become one of the few New England teachers certified by the prestigious James Hill Ukulele Instructor Institute. A lifelong music lover, she also directs a ukulele band and has studied with musicians both local and international.

Sue Young’s passion for dance started at just 6 years old when her mom signed her up for dance classes, laying the groundwork for a lifelong love of dance. She has studied under a diversified group of instructors and is experienced in ballet, jazz, tap, Irish Step, Latin, swing and ballroom. After recuperating from open heart surgery in 2012, she returned to teaching and became The Z’s Salsa instructor in 2016. But Sue doesn’t just stay in the classroom, she’s also a Zeiterion Volunteer Usher!