STUDIO T ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF EMPOWERING 800,000 YOUTH WITH SACRAMENTO GALA

Founder Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer Honors Proud Family Creator Bruce W. Smith, Hip-Hop Legend Popin Pete, and Community Leaders

SACRAMENTO, CA, UNITED STATES, March 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Studio T Arts & Entertainment (STAE), a nationally recognized youth arts and media organization, will celebrate 25 years of empowering young people through creativity, mentorship, and cultural leadership with a 25th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at The Innovation Factory, 1215 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA. The Innovation Factory (STAE-IF) is a 45,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art creative campus designed to empower youth through arts, technology, and entrepreneurship, serving as a dynamic hub for media production, dance, and youth development.

Founded in 2000 by arts educator and youth advocate Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer, STAE has grown from an elite hip-hop dance academy into a nationally recognized creative hub that equips young people with real-world skills in media, music, performance, branding, photography, videography, and entrepreneurship.

Over the past 25 years, STAE programs have reached more than 800,000 youth and families, providing a space where creativity builds confidence, artistic expression becomes career pathways, and mentorship transforms lives.

“This anniversary is about more than looking back,” said Sandifer. “It’s about celebrating every young person who walked through our doors and discovered their voice, their talent, and their purpose. STAE has always been about giving the next generation tools to dream bigger than what they see around them and create better lives for themselves.”

The milestone celebration will bring together artists, educators, civic leaders, philanthropists, and cultural tastemakers for an immersive Willy Wonka–inspired evening celebrating imagination, creativity, and the spirit of reconnecting with one’s “inner child.” The gala will be hosted by music industry executive, producer, and media personality Whitney Taber, and will feature live performances, youth showcases, red-carpet arrivals, and tributes honoring cultural pioneers and community leaders whose work continues to inspire the next generation.

The evening is presented with the support of National Geographic, The Home Depot, STAE, Gensler, United Domestic Workers (UDW), and Rodeo Tequila, whose commitment to youth development and the arts helps expand opportunities for the next generation of creators.

Honorees include:
Tanisha Hunter, honored for her advocacy and dedication as the mother of rising talents Kida Burns and Shaheem Laws
Bruce W. Smith, the acclaimed animator and creator behind Disney’s beloved series The Proud Family
Timothy “Popin Pete” Solomon, legendary street dancer and founding member of the iconic Electric Boogaloos, whose influence shaped global hip-hop dance culture

The celebration will also bring together influential figures across entertainment, arts education, and civic leadership, alongside artists and STAE youth performers.

Sandifer’s national leadership in youth mentorship has also been recognized through her continued role with Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World. She has been selected to return as a 2026 Judge and Master Teacher for the prestigious program, where she mentors high-achieving students from across the country through leadership workshops and immersive mentorship experiences. Her previous participation included leading a widely praised Servant Leadership workshop that inspired students to share their goals, develop entrepreneurial ideas, and pursue their dreams with clarity and confidence.

Her involvement with Disney Dreamers Academy reflects STAE’s broader mission to expose young people to transformative opportunities in the arts, media, and creative industries while cultivating leadership, innovation, and purpose.

The gala will also raise support for STAE’s Innovation Factory, a creative production and training space designed to provide youth with access to industry-level tools, mentorship, and pathways into the creative economy.

“For 25 years, STAE has been a place where creativity meets opportunity,” Sandifer said. “This celebration honors the artists, mentors, families, and community partners who helped build this movement, and the young creators who will shape the future.”

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: The Innovation Factory
1215 Del Paso Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95815

About Studio T Arts & Entertainment
Founded in 2000 by Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer, Studio T Arts & Entertainment is a Sacramento-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Black and Brown youth through arts education, mentorship, and training in the creative industries. What began as an elite hip-hop dance academy has evolved into a multidisciplinary creative hub offering programs in media production, performance, branding, and digital storytelling. Through its programs, STAE has impacted more than 800,000 young people and continues to build pathways into the creative economy.

About Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer
Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer is a nationally recognized arts educator, speaker, and youth advocate. As founder and executive director of Studio T Arts & Entertainment, she has spent more than two decades creating opportunities for young people through arts, mentorship, and leadership development. Sandifer also serves as a Judge and Master Teacher for Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort, where she mentors high-achieving students from across the United States through leadership training, creative workshops, and career development experiences.

Media Contact: Raquel Lozano | LOOP Studios | pr@loopstudios.com

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LOOP Studios
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