On Thursday, September 10 Teia Burton-Green aka Teia’s Higher Consciousness (T.H.C) returns to Waterfront Park—this time as curator of W.O.W Women on the Waterfront. Teia will be joined by DJ MiloOnTheBeat, vocalist Tiffany Wilson and choreographer Shakiah Danielson for an evening dedicated to sharing the voices of talented women artists.

Teia last performed at Waterfront Park in 2025 as part of the Spotlight Series with The Griot Party. We recently had the opportunity to talk with her about her experience as a female artist, her history performing on the waterfront, and what it means to step into the role of curator.

Meet Seattle Hip Hop Artist Teia Burton-Green aka T.H.C

As the only female performer in Tribal Productions, the Seattle-based Hip-Hop collective of the early 90’s, Teia learned the value of her lived experiences and the importance of holding that space for other women. As a local writer and performer with over 30 years of experience, her work is rooted in community, collaboration and connection.

For Teia, community is at the center of her work as an artist.

“As an artist, community is very important because I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most talented artists from the town. In the artist community, it’s important for iron to sharpen iron, enhancing our personal creativity and connection. It also helps broaden our visibility.”

From Performer to Collaborator to Curator

Teia was first introduced to Friends and the new Waterfront Park in 2023 when she performed in Hip Hop 50, an afternoon dedicated to celebrating Seattle hip hop artists in honor of the 50th anniversary of hip hop.

Looking back on that performance, Teia recalls how meaningful it was to return to the stage after taking time away to raise her son.

“It was exciting and reignited a fire within me to perform again at the 50th because I had taken time off to raise my son. I had been singing in choirs and did a spoken word on Vitamin D’s Born Day Don’t Cry For Me, but I never thought I’d be back on stage as THC. It was the best feeling to have my son see me in my element on stage interacting with the crowd because he had heard me flowing around the house but never had seen an actual performance.”

In 2025, Teia returned to Waterfront Park to perform with The Griot Party as part of the Spotlight at Waterfront Park series. The Griot Party brought an evening of storytelling to the waterfront through hip hop spoken word and for Teia, it was an opportunity to share her work while continuing to develop her own identify, style and ambitions as an artist.

Now in 2026, she’s taking the next step—creating a stage for other women artists.

Waterfront Performances Rooted in Community

This year, Teia is stepping into the role of curator, accomplishing a longtime goal—shaping the stage for other artists to share their gifts and talents.

“I am beyond ecstatic to be back on the Waterfront as a curator because it has always been a goal of mine. I get to bring together artists that I have so much respect for and am a fan of. I get the opportunity to bring a spotlight on the vast well of talent we have in the PNW.”

Women on the Waterfront comes from Teia’s vision of providing space for women artists to share their work with the community. Her return to Waterfront Park, from performer in 2023 and collaborator in 2025 to curator in 2026, reflects what the Spotlight Series is all about—offering a platform for local artists and cultural organizations to share their voices, experiences and stories with community.

As the Spotlight series enters its sixth year, Teia’s journey is one example of the importance of a platform not just for community but of community. She hopes the performers feel that same sense of connection and community on stage.

“As the curator of W.O.W., my dream is that as the women perform, I really hope they feel the love as they showcase themselves in the spotlight at the Salish Steps…pun intended. The goal is for the audience to leave feeling exhilarated and entertained by the beauty of our art, our spirits and the ambiance of the water behind us.”

The Next Chapter

Join us at Waterfront Park for W.O.W. Women on the Waterfront on Thursday, September 10 from 6-8 p.m. at the Salish Steps.

Spotlight at Waterfront Park brings free performances every Thursday evening to Pier 58, Pier 62 and the Salish Steps through September 24, 2026. Learn more about the full Spotlight series and upcoming performances here.