 You are watching in the studio. My name is Natalie Minya. I'm the director of Tese foundation here in Davis We help students in Zimbabwe to find education and with sanitary packs So our foundation started an event five years ago called hats off to diversity high T and This year we have the African lioness symposium this week Monday November 5th And then the hats off is November 4th So for those events I wanted to invite African women and girls doing amazing things in their fields And we are fortunate to have two of them here today, and I'll let them introduce themselves My name is Sheila Sheldon Chaltz. I Makenyan young artist age nine who fell in love with the art of the tender age of five years Wow, and who is next to you? This is my mom My name is Vivian at the end. Oh, I'm happy to be here We are hosted by Tese foundation and I'm so happy to be here. I am so excited. You're here Thank you for accepting our humble invitation to join us You know, you're an amazing artist as you can see the lion hears your signature Painting piece masterpiece and when I saw your 14 million view video on BBC Africa I knew that I would at least try I know you have a lot of people asking you to be a lot of places But I knew that I really wanted to have you on my show And I know you're an artist a lot of people know you're an artist But some people don't know that you're a designer too So I would love you to stand up and show us one of your pieces you designed and tell me about it this is my favorite piece because I Went with it to the to the president He loved it. That's wonderful. So what inspires you to paint what inspires you to design but mostly I want to hear What what's your inspiration? When I was five years old That's when my mom my teacher noticed my talent and she told my mom about it And I really think my mom for supporting me. She said after that she started having issues in a stomach and She she was the breadwinner of our family we really depend on our father because His work is he's usually called and sometimes is not he's not So I decided that I should stand up for women because my mom had been suffering. She had done six operations Wow and She could not go to work That's why I said I She's my inspiration. Wow That's amazing Vivian. How does it feel? You know, I hear she's a celebrity in Kenya You can't go anywhere without people stopping her for an autograph or a picture. How does it feel to have a daughter so famous? I feel good, you know We have children and actually you don't know why God gave you that such Child with the such great talent and yeah, I'm so happy for having her cuz She has helped us a lot in the family like we depend on her She really help us like and granted. She's nine years old Yeah, she is what advice do you have for other mothers out there other parents out there that have a child with a Gift and they don't have the gift because I think I've asked you do you draw? She must you know, it must be your gene or your husband's gene and you said no nobody drew in our family And they were like where did she get these talent and how is she doing it actually even with me? I don't understand. So what advice can you give to to other parents out there to help them nurture their kids talent? to the parents any talent your child might have be it singing like Drawing my girl just started with the sketching and I was like, why are you wasting a lot of time? Sketching you are wasting my ink and the book Yeah, and actually later became something good to me like I was very sick and She could draw and bring food for us like she could bring something on the table So I later noticed that whenever the talent your child have Supporter in everything like in Africa. We used to Tell our children like you should only be a doctor. You should be a yeah like We should do these great great things be an engineer, but I Later came to notice that Any talent your child have please support that's true And look at what's where the talent has brought you here to the u.s. Yeah, I never Been in the u.s. But I'm here because of her. Yeah, what does it feel like Sheila to be in the u.s. For the first time I Cannot believe it Cuz my talent has made me reach far It really has and you know you have a talent you mentioned about painting the president. I couldn't believe it Let tell me how do you come from walking on the streets of Kenya to? Painting at the White House or at the presidential house. I Painted at the streets. So we had been suffering and Then I knew that the president of Kenya really loves children and I decided I should draw for him Well, I was drawing this this girl called Amani. She's a singer. She is she sang Gal on fire and she went Viral on Twitter and Instagram and then I told my mom just decided she'll also put mine And let mine go viral and he found it and he found you And I understand he's even helping you pay pay for your tuition because he wants you to stay in school Yes, that's wonderful. Really. I mean I am so inspired by you. You are such an inspiration to so many People out there. Can you tell me more about your art? And what dreams you have in the future for your art? Where do you see yourself? But I want to know first of all, what's your inspiration for especially something like the lion She has a website and she'll tell you more about it where you can see all the other things. She's painted But what's your inspiration when you see that lion? It's just really Magnificent my art is like no other. Yeah, it's about blend blending and playing with paints and That's why you can see a beautiful lion. It's beautiful. Really. It's beautiful What is your dream five years from now? Where do you see yourself? I will To have a foundation that will help women widows and vulnerable children because they suffer a lot and Just like my mom who is suffering. Yeah had suffered. Mm-hmm. Yeah She has also been dreaming of having a studio like yeah, yeah, she can talk about her studio too like Where I come from many people don't Many children have talents, but they don't have anywhere to practice. That's true My I cannot say I'll teach them outside because many children come to my house and They're not my house cannot accommodate all of them And I cannot also say I'll teach them outside because it the weather of mombasa Right change a lot and my studio will help them I'll help them Practice their talents and also the same studio Will be where I'll put my paints and paint on I can't wait I hope you will give me a spot in that studio one day Will you promise to show me around when I come to Kenya? Okay So you you painted the Kenyan president in a lot of different people you do arts by commission But you painted two famous people here in the u.s. Can you tell me about them? It is allen and opera and they're gorgeous. Yes I've I've been really Longing to meet them because I know if I meet them my life will entirely change That's true. They they have that special talent Yeah, so where will you be this month? I know you're in davis and um, northern california For the whole month, uh, where can people find you? Um, I'll be in tesai foundation. Yes Come and I'll see and you'll see me live. Yeah, she'll be so she's gonna be actually auctioning off One of her masterpieces for our our our nonprofits But we support girls education and I was really humbled And I know this was your idea to to auction you even chose which piece you're going to auction For us what inspired you to donate something so generous your your pieces aren't cheap at all So this is something that is really from your heart. What inspired you to donate such an amazing piece to our foundation? many children suffer and they don't They don't have anywhere to go to school and I I had experienced that because when my mom was suffering she had six operations and It made me have a heart to give out And I thank you for it our students wait for funds from people like you And you know, there are some ways in which art can change the world My son told me that and she said he said do you know that art can change the world? Look at sheila. She's painting, but her painting is going to be used to change the world Have you ever dreamt that you would be a world changer? No Well, thank you very much. I'm excited that you'll be in the davis sacramental area. She's doing davis art in the bout She's doing a pop-up. She's doing, you know, she'll be at our tea hats off to diversity This sunday two to five at veterans memorial She will be at our first ever african lioness symposium where we'll find out even more about her story At uc davis this coming monday november 5th And uh, you'll be at the brazilian center to november 10 and 11 the brazilian center in sacramental So there are lots of places you can find sheila here in the u.s This month only and of course she has a website and a following quite the following on youtube But I want you to tell them what's your website so they can check out ellen's picture Oprah's picture and all the other things you've painted. You can see me on youtube sheila sheldon facebook instagram twitter At sheila sheldon Yes, or you can promote me through my website page sheila sheldon art dot com Thank you. Sheila. You're so amazing. My name is natalie mania director of tesai foundation You can find us same places. She said and you've been watching in the studio by davis media access. Thank you