1st Annual T-Shirt Design Contest Judges

Lisa Sorin – Executive Director, Westchester Square BID
Lisa Sorin is the Executive Director of Westchester Square Business Improvement District. As BID Director, she is responsible for the economic & community development, program planning, fundraising, and fiscal management of the district. Lisa is working to bring a better retail mix to Westchester Square, educating the merchants on the importance of marketing, and navigating City services.

Lisa served as the first woman President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and remains on their executive board. In addition, she is the founder of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Scholarship program which awards scholarships to female students in high schools in the Bronx during Women’s History Month. She is also the Vice President of Bronx United Women an organization whose mission is to strengthen the Bronx community by uniting women through a platform where they have a voice to share their vision and come up with resolutions to help shape the Bronx. She was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to the Commission for an Age Friendly NY, and is on the board of directors of the Bronx Council on the Arts.

She received a certificate from the NYC CORO Neighborhood Leadership Program. In December of 2015 Lisa graduated from the New York City Civilian Police Academy. Lisa holds a Master’s Degree in Business Leadership and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She is the proud mom of two beautiful young ladies, Daniela and Gisselle.

The Westchester Square Business Improvement District is a sponsor of Artsmith and the First Annual Artsmith T-Shirt Design Contest.

Diego Leon – Founder, Dandy In The Bronx
When Diego was a preschool teacher, he would dress well everyday so his students felt more comfortable in their uniforms. Realizing the positive impact his fashion had on the students, he decided to learn more about menswear past and present. Soon he was inspired to influence the future of menswear as well. His fashionable reputation grew as he started documenting his style. That led him to dress well not only in his professional life but in his social life, too. Dandy in the Bronx was born soon after and Diego decided to pursue this passion full-time.

Dandy In The Bronx attaches his work to brands and causes that he believes in. A storyteller at heart, Diego is interested in the narratives behind those brands and causes. With an emphasis on mission and a connection to historically underserved groups, he has collaborated with groups as diverse as Timberland, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Estilo Clasico, Old Navy, the Bronx Narrative, HP Computers, KK & Jay Supply Co. and more.

Diego was born in the Bronx, raised in the Bronx, and devotes much of his time to supporting causes and businesses in the Bronx. He aims to put the power to positively change the Bronx in the hands of those who live and are from there.

Dandy In The Bronx is a sponsor of Artsmith and the First Annual Artsmith T-Shirt Design Contest.

Flora Montes – Founder, Bronx Fashion Week
Visionary Flora Montes is a proud Latina from the South Bronx whose entrepreneurial, philanthropic, and artistic endeavors make her a force to be reckoned with. She is the CEO & Founder of Bronx Fashion Week and NY Fashion Chamber of Commerce; the inspiration behind Blueprint, an organization committed to empowering those fighting addiction by family re-unification; a culinary school graduate; and a published poet who has performed and produced shows for the famed Nuyorican Poet’s Café and other NYC venues. Flora is a member of the New York Latinas Writers Group and serves on the Bronx Museum of The Arts’ Community Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society in the Bronx. She is also a loving mother.

Flora’s rise from the adversity of her less than ideal childhood has inspired her dreams to change the world. She uses her artistic abilities to inspire and support vulnerable communities such as homeless children and victims of domestic violence. Her generosity and vibrant spirit has garnered her many awards and commendations. Some of her accolades include being named one of the 25 most influential woman in NYC by the Bronx Times; being hailed as a South Bronx ambassador of culture, along with fellow contest judges Diego Leon and Jerome Lamaar, by the NY Times; and recognition from local and city government officials like Councilman Andy King and Mayor Bill de Blasio for her efforts leading Bronx Fashion Week.

Anthony Ramirez II – Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Mainland Media
Anthony wants to prove to the world that The Bronx is as rich with culture and history as any other place in the world. He co-founded Mainland Media and its subsidiary FromTheBronx.com in March 2006 with that mission in mind. Mainland Media has partnered with organizations both inside and outside of The Bronx, such as The Bronx Tourism Council, The Police Athletic League, Yelp and Foursquare, to accomplish its goal of improving the borough’s image.

In February 2013, Mainland Media opened The Bronx Beer Hall to further its mission. The Bronx Beer Hall has garnered both local and international recognition and has been featured in The New York Times, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, Delta Sky Miles Magazine and many more. In 2015, the beer hall was voted 1 of the top 10 bars in New York City by Time Out NY.

Anthony grew up in the Parkchester section of The Bronx. After graduating with a BA in Economics from Columbia University, he moved back to The Bronx to administer after school programs for The South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation’s (SoBRO) Youth Development Center. Most recently, he worked with The NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) as the Director of Youth Connect, a highly-acclaimed information & referral service which connects youth and families to services throughout the City, and managed the agencies digital outreach.

FromTheBronx.com and The Bronx Beer Hall are sponsors of the First Annual Artsmith T-Shirt Design Contest.

Jérôme LaMaar – Fashion Designer; Owner, 9J
Born and raised in the Bronx, Jérôme LaMaar has a profound love for art and design, culture, spirituality and glamour. He began his fashion career at age 15 interning for Baby Phat and at age 18 he was appointed as the brand’s Senior Designer/Creative Brand Coordinator. By age 20 he was commissioned to design all of the costumes for Mariah Carey’s 2006 Adventures of Mimi world tour. Jérôme’s career boasts many more accomplishments including consulting at Complex Magazine; apprenticing for Chado Ralph Rucci; and working for Phat Fashions, Promostyl Paris, and Armani. In 2014 he launched the 5:31 JEROME collection. The line has received accolades from the New York Times, Elle Magazine, Vogue, Teen Vogue, WWD, Style.com, and Refinery29. Celebrity supporters include Beyonce, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Swizz Beats, Ingrid, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Serena Williams, Taraji P. Henson, and many others. In 2016, staying true to his roots and love for the Bronx, he opened 9J, his design studio and retail concept, in the South Bronx.

Hoay Smith – Art Director, Bronx Narratives
Hoay is a lifelong resident of the Bronx. He attended elementary school in Co-op City and City Island, and went to high school at Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Wakefield section of the Bronx, where he now resides. He’s a graduate of Mercy College where he studied 2D/3D animation and digital art, receiving his bachelors degree in Computer Arts in 2011.

While honing his skills as a graphic designer, Hoay met and embarked on a journey with other creatives to found Bronx Narratives, an online publication highlighting Bronx culture. As BN’s art director, his sense of design is constantly challenged by the different subjects he covers in the community. Whether promoting a photo walk with a breakdancing hip-hop icon or creating posters for a short film, he explores the bounds of his creative freedom. Hoay was instrumental in the release of BN’s annual magazine and custom handmade tie-dye t-shirts earlier this year.

Listen to the Bronx Narratives podcast featuring Tricia Smith, Artsmith’s founder and president.

Uriah Johnson – Deputy Director, Westchester Square BID
Uriah is the Deputy Director of the Westchester Square Business Improvement District, a non-profit organization that is tasked with maintaining the well-being of the businesses and community of the Westchester Square neighborhood. Uriah is responsible for programmatic support and plays a key role in assisting the organization in fulfilling its goals of marketing the district and promoting long term growth for the neighborhood. As an urban planning enthusiast with an interest in the built environment and community engagement, she strives to be a permanent advocate for the Bronx and is delighted by the opportunity to connect community centered, citizen led programs with a mission to promote an improved quality of life. Uriah holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning at Rutgers University.