Main Street Theater’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Artist Fellowship Program is a paid artistic leadership development program for early-career artists of color. Applicants submit a resume and portfolio. The selected fellows will be assigned to a production either with the MainStage or Theater for Youth programs in their area of interest (Directing, Design, or Stage Management) while being given access to additional professional development opportunities within the Main Street Theater organization.

2025 – 2026 JEDI Artist Fellows

Mariana Pérez (she/her) is a Mexican actress, director, and educator passionate about creating theater that bridges cultures and generations. She has directed Captain Star / Capitán Estrella, a bilingual play for young audiences performed at the Consulate of Mexico, The Music Inside of Me, a short film featured at La Vida es Cortos Festival. She also served as Assistant Director on El Llano en Llamas with HAPAA Houston and is currently Assisting Directing Duermevella with Teatro Loft. Mariana is especially interested in theater for youth and in the imaginative possibilities of theater with objects. She is committed to nurturing curiosity, creativity, and cultural pride in young audiences while continuing to grow as a director and storyteller.

Sha’Na “Shay” Lynnette Smith is a Houston-based multidisciplinary artist, arts educator, and wellness practitioner whose work centers on poetry, storytelling, and community care. A graduate of Prairie View A&M University with a B.A. in Theatre Arts, Shay’s creative practice spans writing, directing, performance, painting, music, and somatic sound healing.

Shay has performed in a wide range of roles—including Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Vera in Seven Guitars—and directed acclaimed productions such as Black Nativity by Langston Hughes, Mirandy and Brother Wind by John Cornelius and Michael Bobbitt.

As an educator and certified wellness practitioner, Shay blends creativity and healing to foster inclusive spaces for growth. Her contributions to Houston’s arts scene have earned her support from The Idea Fund and the Art and Survival Fellowship.