Dr. Zanaida Stewart Robles is an award-winning Black American female composer, vocalist, and teacher. She is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education and performance. Authentic interpersonal connection and relationship-building are core principles of her teaching and performance methods. Born, raised, and educated in Southern California on the unceded lands of the Tongva-Gabrielino peoples, she is in demand as a composer, vocalist, clinician and adjudicator for competitions, festivals, and conferences related to choral and solo vocal music. Dr. Robles's original music has been performed by professional ensembles, community choirs, educational institutions, churches, and individuals world wide. In addition to her self-published music, her works are published by E.B. Marks Music, Pavane Publishing, Stainer and Bell, Oxford University Press, and Hinshaw Music. Her compositional style can be described as energized, soulful, contrapuntal, harmonically colorful, rhythmically driven, heavily modal, occasionally with African elements and touches of progressive rock.