Sara Rose Salih

Founder & Executive Director

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Sara Rose Salih is the Founder and Executive Director of The Usual Artspects, a unique nonprofit organization where creativity meets healing. Sara began her lifelong work in community service helping special needs teenagers during middle school and high school through her school's Partner's PE program. In college she became heavily involved in her sorority’s philanthropic efforts for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Walk to End Alzheimer's, Inherit the Earth, Main Seacoast Mission, and Gerontology. After college Sara volunteered at SafeHaven, a shelter for battered women in Tarrant County.

Sara’s background in film and creative writing at the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of North Texas, and the University of London, prepared her for a multi-faceted career as a writer, filmmaker, and abstract artist. In 2013 Sara published Tales of a Sevie, a lighthearted and empowering coming of age book for tween girls. In 2018 she directed, filmed, and edited the promotional video for the Epilepsy Heart Project to deepen public understanding of epilepsy through the medium of art.

The following year Sara produced her own project, Heal The Cause, a powerful Public Service Announcement to create awareness of sexual abuse and trauma. Heal The Cause debuted at the Women in Film Dallas Topaz Festival in 2019. The subject matter of this PSA has always been a cause close to Sara's heart and inspired her to create a local online support group for survivors of sexual assault. The online support group rapidly expanded and now has over 200 members internationally.

At the same time, Sara’s abstract paintings were being featured in shows throughout Dallas-Ft. Worth. In 2021 she created The Usual Artspects and began producing her own art shows—booking venues, artists, musicians, and vendors and coordinating events. Continuing to be inspired by the moving stories of women in the online support group she started, Sara made the decision to combine her art show business with her personal vocation to help survivors of sexual assault. Relying on her nonprofit experience serving on the Board of Women in Film Dallas, Sara transitioned The Usual Artspects into the nonprofit organization it is today, promoting advocacy, awareness, and providing unique artistic programs of healing for female survivors. 

Ashley brings a wealth of knowledge in operations and is a National Operations Manager by day in her current career. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Austin College in 2009 and revels in human interaction, relationships, mindfulness, meditation, conflict resolution, problem solving, and carries an analytical mindset. 

Creating works of art herself in her spare time, Ashley understands the power of creativity; it is a way to safely escape and be yourself with no judgment and the result is something beautifully unique. Reaching women in an impactful way through all mediums of art is a passion of hers. The Usual Artspects joins both this passion and the love of art together. 

Kim Diggs has worked in content development, PR and marketing for 10 years. Her entrance into these fields began when she was the arts and entertainment editor for 14 local newspapers simultaneously. She hit the ground running and never looked back, developing editorial calendars, content strategies and PR campaigns for well known companies such as Macaroni Grill and BuzzBallz.

She is currently a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Dallas Regional Chamber, and the Dallas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

A survivor of sexual abuse herself, she is now using her skills to assist survivors in their journey to healing.

Kristina Davis

Director of Philanthropy 

Kristina was born and raised here in Texas and has lived in Grapevine her whole life (give or take a couple of years for college and ministry). She greatly enjoys our little community and is honored to be on staff at Grapevine Relief And Community Exchange (GRACE), a social services agency, where she works in the development department as a Grant Writer. 

In this role, she has had a front-row seat to learn what it takes to maintain the financial stability of a non-profit organization and has taken part in the planning, set up, and 'run of show' of several fundraising events, campaigns, and drives.

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Kristina also serves as the Chair of Philanthropy on the Board of Directors for the Grapevine Young Professionals under the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce.

Kristina feels this experience allows her to be a resource of knowledge for The Usual Artspects. She looks forward to being able to support its mission and continue to offer avenues of healing to those who have been victims of the unacceptable.