Unity Lewis began making music, performing, drawing, painting and sculpting as early as the age of three. He started seriously recording music and founded the Napalm Clique, a rap group, in L.A. when he was 13. In the Fall of 2000, Unity moved to the Bay Area were he completed his Bachelors degree in Fine Arts at the California College of the Arts. After attending CCA, he began working on completing his teachers credential for single subject art and his Masters in Education at Mills College.
Since 2001, Unity had taught Hip-Hop, art and life skills in public schools across the Bay Area and on the island of Guam, where the Guam Legislature awarded a Resolution for his contribution to students’ lives in 2005. For over 20 years now, Unity has been creating, releasing and performing his own art and music full time, as well as curating art exhibits and continuing to grow as an art educator. As a musician, Unity has collaborated with artists such as Dead Prez, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Oscar Brown Jr., and Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets to name a few. As a visual artist and curator he has exhibited and featured in publications alongside Jacob Lawrence, Elizabeth Catlett, Hank Willis Thomas, Betye Saar, Samella Lewis and many others.
Education
University
- 2007 M.A. Mills College (Majority of course work completed. 4.0 GPA)
- 2006 Teacher Credentialing Program (All course work completed. 4.0 GPA)
- 2005 M.A. California College of Arts and Crafts (CCA)
Professorships
- 2017 Professor, Hip-Hop Education. American River College
- 2006 Professor, Hip-Hop Education. California College of the Arts (CCA)
Teaching Positions
- 2010 Instructor, Hip-Hop. Project Avary, California
- 2009-2010 Tutor/ Lead Tutor. Boys and Girls Moving Forward (Working onsite at the majority of Elementary, Jr High and High Schools in Oakland), California
- 2008-2009 Instructor, Hip-Hop. Oakland Leaf/ Urban Promise Achademy, California
- 2006 Instructor, Hip-Hop. Castlemont High School, California
- 2005 Instructor, Hip-Hop and Temporary Autonomous Zones. City Studio/ Nevin Community Center, California
- 2005 Instructor, Hip-Hop Education and Art. George Washington High School, Guam
- 2003 Instructor, Art. Girls Inc., California
- 2001-2007 Instructor, Art. Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA), California
- 2001-2005 Instructor, Hip-Hop Education and Art. Arts Far West Jr. High and High school, California
T.A. Positions
- 2005 Teachers Assistant to Eric Norberg (SPIE1), Art. Berkeley High School, California
- 2005 Teachers Assistant to Miriam Klein Stahl, Printmaking. Berkeley High School, California
- 2004 Teachers Assistant to Mildred Howard, Art. Arts Far West Jr. High and High School, California
- 2001-2003 Teachers Assistant to Brian Keith Thomas, Mural Painting, California College of Arts and Crafts (CCA)
Professional career
Administrative and Curatorial Positions
- 2022 Curator for the Samella Lewis Gallery. Sojourner Truth Museum, California
- 2015-Present CEO of Unity Lewis Arts and Entertainment INC.
- 2014 Co-Founder of Hip-Hop Heads. Hip-Hop education non-profit, California
- 2014 Co-Founder of San Fran Psychic Clothing
- 2013-Present Chief Executive and Curator for the Black Artists on Art Exhibition Series
- 2010-2017 Curator for the Samella Lewis Gallery. Joyce Gordan Gallery, California
- 2000-Present Manager of Dr. Samella Lewis’s legacy through Unity Works Art, The Samella Lewis Gallery (Etsy) and samellalewis.com
- 1999 CEO of Unmarked Entertainment
Professional Affiliations
- 2022 Board Member, Arts Council of Placer County
Professional Memberships
- 2016-2017 The Recording Achademy
- 2006-Present American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Selected Honors and Awards
- 2015 Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Government Official Barbara Lee for Black Artists on Art (The Legacy Exhibit)
- 2010 Best Music Video, San Diego Black Film Festival
- 2010 Best Music Video, ION International Film Festival, Nigeria
- 2010 Best Music Video, Urban MediaMakers Film Festival, Georgia
- 2010 Best Music Video, Mountain Film Festival, California
- 2008 Best Music Video, Vote Hip-Hop Awards, California
- 2007 Best Music Video, San francisco Black Film Festival
- 2007 Best Music Video, Hollywood Black Film Festival
- 2007 Best Music Video, Rincon International Film Festival, Puerto Rico
- 2005 Resolution from the Government of Guam for contributions to students lives via diverse forms of art
- 2003 Award of Appreciation, Partners for Peace, California
- 2003 Certificate of Appreciation, California College of Arts and Crafts (CCA)
- 2002 Certificate of Appreciation, California College of Arts and Crafts (CCA)
Selected Solo Exhibitions
- 2021 Project 25 Aerosol Exhibition. Sacramento, California
- 2021 Project 25 Abstract Exhibition. Sacramento, California
- 2004 Unmarked Napalm. California College of Arts and Crafts (CCA) San Francisco Galleries
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2022 Black Artists on Art: Past, Present and Future Exhibition. Crocker Art Museum. Sacramento, California
- 2022 Samella Lewis and Family. Arden Fair. Sacramento, California
- 2021-2022 Black Artists on Art: Trailblazers Exhibition. Sojourner Truth Museum. Sacramento, California
- 2021 Black Artists on Art: The Liberation Exhibition. Project 25. Sacramento, California
- 2017 Black Artists on Art: The Legends Exhibition. Kaneko Gallery, American River College. Sacramento, California
- 2017 Black Artists on Art: The Origins Exhibition. Joyce Gordon Gallery. Oakland, California
- 2016 Unity Lewis- Art Traditions. Kaneko Gallery, American River College. Sacramento, California
- 2015 Black Artists on Art: The Legacy Exhibition. Petaluma Arts Center. Petaluma, California
- 2015 Black Artists on Art: Marin Community Foundation. Marin, California
- 2015 Black Women Artists on Art. Oakstop. Oakland, California
- 2015 Black Artists on Art: The Legacy Exhibition. Oakstop. Oakland, California
- 2013 Town Business: State of the Art Hustle. Warehouse 416. Oakland, California
- 2012 Question Bridge. The Oakland Museum of California
- 2012 Samella Lewis and the African American Experience. Louis Stern Fine Arts. West Hollywood, California
- 2007 Icons and Influences. Thelma Harris Gallery. Oakland, California
