Arla Coleman Newkirk Little Victory (Formerly Arla Scott)
Arla Coleman Newkirk Little Victory (Mama Arla) is Founder and Director of Taratibu Youth Association.
Mama Arla began her dance training during college studying Horton and Graham modern dance techniques. After graduation from the University of California at Davis, she became the Director of the Black Repertoire Dance Troupe of U.C. Davis. After relocating to Washington, D.C. she began dancing with the University of the District of Columbia then joined the staff at the D.C. Youth Ensemble (DCYE) under the Direction of Carol Foster.
While working with DCYE Mama Arla studied Taratibu with Mama Afia Bonsu of the Nationhouse Positive Action Center, Watoto Shule. In 1990, she started the DCYE Taratibu Drill Team and has since performed Taratibu nationwide as well as internationally in the Virgin Islands, Scotland, Tanzania, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. After almost 20 years of teaching and performing Taratibu with DCYE, Mama Arla, along with Mama Naima, started the Taratibu Youth Association in August of 2007.
Naima Hylton
Naima Hylton, Founder and Co-Director of Taratibu Youth Association. Naima began dancing at Suto Dance Studio, Hyattsville, MD. She subsequently joined the D.C. Youth Ensemble (DCYE), founded and directed by Carol Foster.
Naima learned and later worked as the Technical Director for DCYE, as well as with other arts organizations. She served as DCYE’s Studio Manager for several years managing the daily operations of the organization. She also served as the “Acting Director” of DCYE while Mrs. Foster was on hiatus; having complete oversight responsibility for the organization.
Naima, brings her wealth of talent, organizational and technical skills to the continued development of this organization and the mentoring and support of our youth.
Board of Directors
Arla C N L Victory
President
Management Analyst, CSOSA
Maya Jones-Little
Board Member
Registered Nurse, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Melanie Middleton
Board Member
Senior Financial Institutions Policy Analyst, Federal Reserve Board
Dominique Charlot-Swilley, PhD
Assistant Professor - Senior Policy Associate, Georgetown University Center for Child & Human Development Georgetown, Early Childhood Innovation Network (ECIN)
Naima Hylton
Vice President
Director of Sales and Marketing at Hilton Garden Inn Washington, DC/US Capital
Jeffrey Little
Board Member,
Electrician, Kolb Electric
Emesha James
Board Member and
Supervisory Community Supervision Officer, CSOSA
Adina Gittens-Smith
Board Member
Associate Broker, CBRE, Inc.
Raneene CW James
Board Member
Chief, Portfolio Management Branch US Department of Agriculture
Doris White
Financial Secretary &
Project Specialist, Tribal Tech, LLC
Dr. Cheryl Lee Butler
Board Member
Cheryl Y. Lee, D.D.S., P.C.
Yanique Edmond-Pierre, Ph.D., CTRP-C
Board Member
Associate Professor, University of Maryland - Global Campus; Lead Public Health Advisor, USDHHS
Staff
Ylynne Brown
Rehearsal Manager
Moriah Jordan
Vocal Instructor
Mamady Victory
Percussion
Yanique Edmond-Pierre, Ph.D., CTRP-C
Health & Wellness
Charlene Wallace
Wardrobe/Costumes
Janell Dixon
Administrative Manager
Sonia Dawkins
Modern Dance Instructor & Choreographer
Nehemiah Dixon
Art Department
Travis Spencer
Mindfulness Instructor
Darise Victory
Wardrobe/Costumes
Taeja Moffitt
Administrative Assistant
Elena Anderson, PhD
Modern Dance Instructor and Choreographer
Kai Bandy
Fitness Instructor
Emesha James
Leadership
Terrance Payton
Modern Dance Instructor and Choreographer
Lesina Martin
African Dance Instructor and Choreographer
Dominique Charlot-Swilley, PhD
Health & Wellness
Crystal Waters
Parent Liaison