Ja’ Licia Gainer (2001) was born in (Broken Arrow) Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gainer and her family moved to Columbia, Missouri in her early childhood and has lived here ever since. Gainer attended University of Missouri in Columbia, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Art History. Gainer is currently in graduate school for Master of Arts in Visual Studies and is in the teacher assistant/instructor position at the University of Missouri. Outside of research interests, Gainer is an avid painter, having her works in local galleries and exhibitions in the past years including the Columbia Art League, The Shops at Sharp End, the annual Boone County Art Show, and Orr Street Studios.