Meet the 2025 Pay It Forward Cohort

Hazel Basil is a multi-genre musician from Amherst, MA. Through inviting self-love and introspection with her music, Hazel hopes to open more space for complexity, joy, and compassion. Since learning to play piano when she was 5 years old, Hazel has been entranced by the role of music as an emotional outlet. After coming out as transgender in 2022, Hazel felt an immense surge of love for herself, her community, and music, which inspired her to begin sharing her music. Hazel’s songs are inspired by the unifying power of music and the barriers she has had to overcome in sharing that music with her community and beyond. Since then, Hazel has performed at venues across New England such as the Parlor Room, Iron Horse, and the Academy of Music, bringing communities together in solidarity and strength. “Herbs and Grains”, her first album, is available on all platforms and she has two more albums in the works.

Muriel “MONIK” Johnson is a prolific educator, performer, and visual artist. As a child, Muriel would sit in awe as her mother recited nursery rhymes, sang songs, and told stories. This awakening of a storyteller hidden in the mind of a young child ultimately inspired Muriel. She has been storytelling professionally for over 25 years, captivating audiences around the world. Muriel has performed at preschools, elementary schools, museums, colleges, churches, theaters, festivals, and countless other venues across the U.S. She has toured Colombia, Brazil, and Peru, as well as Cape Town, South Africa, and Ghana, West Africa, where she has had the privilege of sharing stories, gathering stories, and making deep human connections along the way. Additionally, Muriel is a published children’s book author, veteran teacher, and creator of stunning artwork depicting ancestors made with butterfly wings.

Mercedes Loving-Manley is a performer and storyteller whose art and spacemaking is informed by a deep interest in dismantling and reshaping societal constructs as we know them (i.e., gender and race). Born and raised in Dorchester, MA with a degree in creative writing and film, the stories she writes are worlds of reimagined urgency and possibilities for Black people. Her documentary film “The World and Then Some” highlights the experiences of Black LGBTQ+ folks from her hometown, a community near and dear to her. She describes her latest EP “OOZE” as “mostly me remembering who I am and my purpose.” Through her art, Mercedes explores the possibilities of community, romance, desire, and pleasure within, and beyond the lines of the inner city.

Patric Madden is an actor, director, and experimental drag performance artist based in Western MA. They studied English at Brown University and acting at the Yale School of Drama. They have performed at Yale Repertory Theatre, Yale Cabaret, UnitedSolo, Williamstown Theatre Festival, SpectrumNYC, Easthampton Theatre Company, Rattlestick Theatre, 3 Dollar Bill Brooklyn, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Emrooz Festival, Norfolk Festival, and other venues around the region. By day, Patric is a staff member at artEquity doing work at the intersection of arts and activism.

Ricky (D-Rock), also known as The Heatmizer, is the leader of the hip hop trio LS Camp and part of the duo called ERIC N RICKY. Born and raised in the North End of Springfield, MA, his earliest memory of music was listening to iconic artists such as The Jackson 5, Heatwave, Stevie Wonder, and Earth, Wind & Fire. At the age of 13, he decided he wanted to become a musician after becoming heavily influenced by Cold Crush Brothers, Sugarhill Gang, LL Cool J, Mantronix, Run-DMC, T La Rock, Just-Ice, and many others who helped develop and pioneer the foundations of rap music. He dealt with a lot of adversity while being homeless in his early 20s but relied on the strength of the hip hop culture to get him through the tough times. He believes that the “age factor” is a tough obstacle to overcome, but meeting and performing on the same stage as KRS-One, he feels, was his greatest achievement to date and more than makes up for the struggles. Heatmizer has been a consistent and active participant in hip hop music from 2000 to present recording, performing, and promoting hip hop music and events all over New England.

Mo Schweiger is a multidisciplinary writer based in Western Massachusetts whose chief aim is to reveal and lampoon the structures that keep people divided, with the hope that their work will bring people together. They are the co-author of the Montague Reporter satire column “True Love Will Find You in the End,” and co-organizer of a variety of multimedia works including Eggtooth Productions’ A Happening and Far Out! Comedy Festival. Mo is currently working on a short story collection and absurdist transsexual short film Baker’s Boy.

Chestina Thrower is a vibrant and soulful jazz vocalist born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts. With a voice that holds so much warmth and soul, Thrower is making a name for themself in the jazz scene. Thrower’s musical journey has been marked by notable collaborations and learning opportunities. They have had the privilege of sharing the stage with renowned saxophonist Charles Neville and participating in workshops with jazz legends Charles Tolliver and Sheila Jordan. They have had the opportunity to sing at a large array of events—from the MassMutual Center to the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bishop’s Lounge in Northampton, Holyoke Community College’s Dr. George Timmons’ inauguration in 2024, as well as opening for the Jazz in July All-Stars Concert at UMass Amherst.

A skilled scat singer, Thrower draws inspiration from the iconic voices of Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, B.B. King, and Esperanza Spalding. Their unique sound is a testament to the rich musical heritage of these jazz, blues, and soul greats, while also reflecting their own distinctive style and artistic vision.

Ailey Verdelle is an accomplished musician, composer, and educator working in the styles of jazz, improvisation, and electronic music. A graduate of Hampshire College, Ailey is passionate about the creative arts and the use of music in creating a more compassionate world. They are a talented musician and composer committed to social justice, uplifting Black music, and bringing community together through music.