Amani Ali, Executive Director

Amani is an award winning journalist and well known community and civic leader. As a journalist, he was part of the first group of reporters to arrive on scene to cover the Oklahoma City Bombing as well as the Columbine High School tragedy. His overseas assignments include covering American troops in Bosnia and visiting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Amani serves as an Executive Producer at 850 KOA radio, managing one of its most popular programs.

A graduate of Howard University, Amani studied law at the Laurel University School of Law and is currently in the MBA program at Regis University. He is the former president of the Colorado Association of Black Journalists, and Deputy regional director of the National Association of Black Journalists. He is a member of the President's Council of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Board member of the Urban League of Metropolitian Denver, Board member and plank chair of the National Black Economic Development Coalition at MillerCoors and President of the Saddle Rock East Homeowners Association.

Dee Galloway, Program Assistant

Dee Galloway is a "very-nearly-native" Denverite who is an accomplished poet. She attended Denver Public Schools and recently earned a B.A. in English with a minor in Business from the University of Denver, and she also holds an A.A.S. degree in Accounting from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton. Dee comes to TSP by way of founder Art Jones, who was one of her professors at DU. In 2006 TSP commissioned Dee to create an original poem to commemorate the founding of the Arthur Jones Balm in Gilead Society. Her poem, “They Slice the Air” to commemorate the founding of the Arthur Jones Balm in Gilead Society later was included as the title cut of the next CD from The Spirituals Project Choir. Dee is an accomplished choral performer and has sung with the New York Choral Society, Canto Spiritus, The Colorado Chorale, and the Denver Women Chorus. She loves singing as part of the TSP ensemble Sojourners, and also delights in using her skills as a wordsmith and graphic designer on behalf of The Spirituals Project. "Ever since I took Art's class, I've found that the spirituals sustain me through good times and bad. They're firmly entrenched in the foundation of my life now, and I look forward to continuing to work with TSP to keep the music and the wisdom of the spirituals alive."

Bennie L. Williams, Choir Director

Bennie L. Williams was born and educated in Marshall, Texas, and graduated from Bishop College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in piano. Later, she received the Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting and Piano from Indiana University at Bloomington. She began her teaching career in Dallas and moved to Denver in 1970. After a rewarding career teaching vocal music in the Denver Public School System at the Hamilton and Merrill Middle Schools and George Washington High School, she retired in 1998. Ms. Williams was a recent recipient of an annual award given by the National Association of Negro Musicians, recognizing years of contribution to the musical education and encouragement of young people.

Ms. Williams treasures the opportunities afforded her as a co-director of the Spirituals Project Choir. "The spirituals are our music. Our race survived the brutal persecution of slavery with strength derived from these songs. The songs enabled us to sing when we were afraid, mourn when we were hurting and, most of all, to persevere. The message of this music has been universally embraced as a symbol of hope. The spirituals were created by people who refused to give up and this is the message we must never forget."

John Hubert, Associate Choir Director

John Hubert is the Director of Music at the First Universalist Church of Denver and teaches private voice lessons through his studio Make a Joyful Noise! John received a Bachelor’s of Music from Truman State University in 2000 and a Master’s in Music from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2003. He has performed extensively throughout the Denver metro area as a soloist and operatic/musical theatre performer. John also directs the Denver Center for Spiritual Renewal, a non-profit school for adult education for the Denver Unitarian Universalist Community and serves on the board of directors for JUC Live!, a performing art series in Golden, CO.

Terry Jackson, Accompanist

Terry Jackson is a Denver native and comes from a rich musical heritage (his great-grandfather was a St. Louis jazz great, his aunt is an accomplished gospel and classical pianist). He enjoys several genres of music and has worked with various choral groups along the Front Range as soloist, conductor and accompanist. Terry holds a B.S. Electrical Engineering degree from Colorado State University and an MBA from the University of Denver but expression through song is his passion and purpose.