Tisha Marina, M.A.

Global Peace Ambassador and Educator,

Santa Barbara & Los Angeles, California

“Diversity and Personal Impact”

My name is Tisha Marina. I am a dancer, an international speaker and Peace Ambassador. I am the founder of I Choose Peace, whose educational mission is to empower young leaders with the courage, compassion, and leadership skills to create peace within themselves and their peers. I have worked with thousands of students, schools and communities facilitating Bully Prevention trainings, Restorative Practices and Equity and Justice workshops. 

 My journey with Vanessa Isaac has changed my life forever. I will never forget the first time I walked in to my first class with her. My heart was immediately blown open and I knew things would never be the same. From there on, my life as a dancer, person and spirit grew for the better. 

A very special added bonus in dancing with Vanessa is the diversity of her classes and workshops. As a woman of color, I always felt like I belonged in class, which is not often the case. It was such a blessing to be in a room with people of all ages, races, cultures and languages. In one of my favorite classes, I danced next to a small child and an elderly woman, whom were both dancing with all their heart and soul. These experiences prove that dance is a universal language and Vanessa creates this space in such a beautiful and tender way.

 Vanessa taught me the discipline as a dancer to master the craft, through so much passion and dedication. Her infectious love for her culture quickly grew into my passion as well. I became obsessed with Brazil, the music, the instruments and rich history. One of the best times of my life was dancing with her company. Dance rehearsals became the highlight of my life. It brought me a sense of peace during the hard times and gave me an outlet to pour my own passion in to. 

 After moving to another city, I produced my own (first) show and dedicated it to Vanessa. I would not have come this far as a dancer without her guidance. Vanessa’s artistic contributions and impact in our community are countless. I am continuously inspired as I watch Vanessa dedicate her life to enriching the communities around her.

Tisha Marina,

I Choose Peace Organization

Tisha Mariana, M.A. is the founder of I Choose Peace organization and dancer. She has her master’s in counseling psychology. This takes a holistic approach towards treating mental health through modalities which include: Somatics, Experiential facilitation, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy