Founder & Executive Director of 21 Dreams Arts & Culture Collective

Kalonji Gilchrist is the Founder & Executive Director of 21 Dreams Arts & Culture Collective, a nonprofit membership organization committed to advancing creative and cultural arts in Montgomery, Alabama. His commitment to creative placemaking and arts cultivation was born out of a personal interest in community arts. As a young man, he saw first-hand the benefits of creative development but found very few arts and creative community outlets accessible in his locale. As a Montgomery native and mission-driven community influencer, his focus centers on building strategic partnerships to leverage local talent, resources, and communities to encourage and promote creative arts and programming. http://21dreamsmgm.org/

In addition to guiding the creative vision for 21 Dreams, he is also the owner of KHARI Creative, LLC, a boutique production company offering digital media & design services for audience development, client engagement, special events and short-form documentaries. Under his leadership and direction, KHARI Creative has developed a local reputation for delivering dynamic, relevant content that informs and engages audiences. In 2020, the city of Montgomery selected him to direct and produce a documentary celebrating the Montgomery Bus Boycott’s anniversary. Additionally, he has produced digital content for Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., Alabama State University, Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church, and several others.

Over the last three years he has served on the Mayoral Young Professionals Council, Mayor Reed’s Cultural Arts & Entertainment Transition Team, and as a Board Member of Booker T. Washington Magnet High’s FAME organization. He is currently a member of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s Board of Directors and serves on the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Local Arts Board Committee.