Chantrell M. Lewis

Chantrell M. Lewis, M.F.A. is a multidisciplinary arts educator, published author, researcher, and accomplished performer whose passion for the arts began at age eight. A Mezzo-Soprano, she has performed on stages from New York to California including historic landmarks such as the Karamu House, the oldest Black theatre in the United States.  Lewis holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Kent State University and an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of California, Irvine. She is also a certified specialist in youth social-emotional development (UC Riverside) and a credentialed performing arts educator in California.

With experience as a Teaching Artist and Adjunct Professor, Lewis has designed curricula that integrate literacy and the arts, aligning with state standards for visual and performing arts education. Additionally, she is a founding member of the New Hope Orange County Orchestra in Anaheim, CA. An orchestra created to help bridge the critical gap in access to classical music education for Black youth. Her published research reflects her commitment to the integration of arts and education, with works like Unbound: The Performing Arts and the Social-Emotional Development of Black Youth (2022). Unbound was presented at UC Merced’s symposium Being and Becoming: Blackness in Multiple Contexts (2023).

In 2024, Lewis was the keynote speaker for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 7 for Representation, Equity, and Diversity, where she led three workshops on topics including hair and wigs for textured hair, theater and social-emotional wellness, and starting an arts nonprofit. She was named a CA Creative Corps Fellow, Arts OC California Arts Council Emerging Artist Fellow, Community Engagement Grantee, and an Honoree at the 23rd Annual Arts Orange County Awards. Lewis was also recognized as one of Orange Coast Magazine’s 2024 “Kickass Women of Orange County” for her contributions to the arts. In 2026 Lewis received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by Congressman Dave Min for her outstanding commitment to serving the community.