:  CCS FOUNDERS :

ONI LASANA is a professional Storyteller, Playwright, published & performance Poet, Musician, Performing and Teaching Artist born in Philadelphia. She is a 33 year resident of Caln Township, Chester County. Her early professional career was in the fashion industry, music publishing and a talent scout in Artist & Repertoire  for the Wes Farrell Organization's

Chelsea Records in Los Angeles, California.  While attending Laney College in Oakland, she was employed as a radio producer/director at KPFA-FM Pacifica Foundation in Berkeley, California. In the 90's she was an on air talent and producer at WCOJ-FM and WCHE-FM Radio in Chester County, Pennsylvania. A cultural activist and advocate of arts-in-education, Oni served as Chairperson of the Freedom Valley Girl Scouts Minority Task Force, and a board member of Coatesville Woman and Youth Services.  

Oni’s marriage of 35 years, allowed her to raise her 3 children as a stay at home mom and also creatively direct and coach many youths and adults in the Performing Arts & Culture in the community of Coatesville.

Oni served as  a founding member of the Coatesville Cultural Society and presently is a board/member of Keepers Of The Culture, Inc., Patchwork, A Storytelling Guild and a life member of The National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc.  For over 30 years she has performed African American literature in reader's theaters and plays with a benevolent performance ensemble, The West Chester Community Performers.

Oni's latest enrichment program "LOL 4 Real" allows her to create joy, peace and happiness with all ages, as an advocate of health & wellness.  She is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader from the school of Dr. Madan Kataria's Laughter Yoga International.

Since 1994 she is the owner/artist of Oni Lasana Productions which houses her storytelling enrichment programs and workshops. For over 20 years she also presents as an In-Facility Artist on the roster at ART-REACH, Inc. of Philadelphia. 

Oni Lasana Productions has allowed Oni to live out her motto to: Constantly, Celebrate,  Creativity! as she continues to enrich, educate and uplift all ages by actively putting..."ARTS in heARTS" at venues and communities  throughout the USA, Germany, the Caribbean and most recently, Zimbabwe, Africa.   

                                                                                                                     More info: www.OniLasana.com 

JODI JONES is a 28 year resident of Chester County and holds a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Monmouth University, New Jersey. She was a Marketing Coordinator for People’s Light & Theatre Company of Malvern, PA. and Public Relations Director for Venture Theatre of Philadelphia. Presently, she is the Director of Public Relations for the Lenapehoking Museum & Performing Arts Center, New Jersey.

Jodi was the publicist for her husband, short story, play writer, Winston A. Jones, author of “For God, Country and the Confederacy", a story about the St. Claire family; a wealthy free black family of the Confederate south that owned slaves. He also wrote the play "It Pulls It All Apart" for Spotlight WHYY/TV12. 

One of many highlights of Jodi's involvement in her husband's career was him being invited to be a featured writer at Festival Mythos Philadelphia, a celebration of Multicultural Mythologies in the Arts, presented by The University of the Arts and The Native Land Foundation. 

JODI is a pageant judge for the Miss American Organization and was vice-president of Jack & Jill of America, Chester County Chapter and Committee Chair for the Foundation of Celiac Awareness. She is the owner and publicist of MarketIt, LLC in Exton, Pennsylvania and co-founder of Chester County Storytellers!

Ms. Jones is interested in the Art of Storytelling where she will be able to share her Native American heritage and tell the stories of her ancestors, past and present. 

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