FWM: How are you using your artistry and voice to evoke and empower connection?
I work to use my artistry to challenge ideas, encourage conversation, and bring groups of people together that may not otherwise be connected. I want to connect people in their vulnerability so that we can truly be ourselves in all the beautiful, messy parts that make each one of us so unique from the next.
During quarantine, for instance, I focused my work to reach out to diverse voices around the country. I produced and directed a show in which strangers were brought together through a genre, theme, and item they had to include in short plays they would write and develop. Inevitably, when creating, we are putting ourselves into the work. Our voices are being heard and seen through what we produce, so this experience was one that allowed people to play, express, and share. I also used this socially distanced timeframe to create a letter between strangers, in which we used photography, poetry, and performance to form understanding and perspective around emotions towards COVID-19. This 3-part letter transformed into a video series. Outside of projects, I enjoy bringing together personal development and activism through my artistry to evoke deep-rooted compassion within the human condition. During university, I ran an expressive arts workshop and focused on breaking down age gaps as I led young adults in their twenties and respected elders in their sixties.
I am now looking into creative coaching to use my gifts to support others in creating and finding their power and honing in on their voice and gifts. In working with a team, I thrive on collaboration and support out-of-the-box ideas to have all voices heard and added to the mix.
FWM: What is it about the Arts that moves you?
The arts allow for authentic and vulnerable connection; they allow for understanding of oneself and of others. Each and every person carries a story and holds several capsules of stories within the invisible backpack we all wear. The arts allow for us to unpack those backpacks in ways that we may not be able to express if it weren’t for bringing pen to paper as a poet, or a cinematic visual brought to screen, or the lullaby of a piano crafted by someone in sorrow at 3 a.m. Through nonverbal and verbal connection, we are able to discover our voice(s) and what makes each one of us so powerful.
Artistic expression also allows us to move beyond barriers that are set to distance connection, such as foreign language or misunderstanding of a child with special needs. The arts heal people towards self-love and acceptance that can ripple out towards impacting change. Through Arts practice, we can begin to thoroughly and deeply shape our understanding around the human condition. There is so much about the arts that moves me–I wouldn’t be who I am if it weren’t for expression.
FWM: Tell us about The Human Arts Collective.
The Human Arts Collective was launched at the beginning of COVID in March 2020. It started with an embodied open mic fest, in which I asked artists to come for a virtual night of fun, blending in short films and performances. Now, as of this past summer, I have had two dear friends, Lila Klatz and Jarred Okosun, join me behind-the-scenes.
The Human Arts Collective (T.H.A.C) is a humanitarian-focused collective founded on collaboration through an expressive arts framework. Through our work, THAC promotes transformation and empowerment whilst impacting people to feel heard, seen, and appreciated. We are the first organization to curate and develop expressive works entirely online. We develop new works in multimedia theatre–bridging together the new medium we are in with performance, writing, and film. As we begin to further brand our social media, we are starting to use hashtags such as #veryhumanconvos to cultivate conversations with other artists. We are using our platform to be an inclusive and inspiring environment for youth; for diverse representation in a world that limits diverse voices; and for centered compassion around the cross-genre emotions that make us laugh together and cry. We are creating art to impact, and I could not be prouder of what this seed of an idea has bloomed into. We are only at the beginning.
FWM: Share your goals.
I hope to be able to make the arts more accessible for individuals to participate in their power to create. I strive to impact the world through utilizing the arts. This extends to youth to go after their dreams and positively grow as they use the arts to form understanding and connection around how they view the world and their place within the world.
I would love to see my writing and my skill set as an artist be used to curate meaningful content within television and theatre platforms I grew up watching. I actually just applied to The Ted Fellowship Program and would love to have the platform to discuss and invite others into the conversation of using the arts to impact growth and change.
FWM: You are directing and producing a virtual museum gallery show, set to launch in October. What should we expect? How can we attend?
Ah, yes! I am SO excited and taken away by the immense talent and authenticity of the 13 diverse artists we have in our ensemble for this show. I have learned so much more than they can possibly learn from me. Using the virtual landscape we are in, we have crafted a 2-part show called “My Story, My Voice.” Part I involves a museum-based website in which people will learn, and be able, to interact with the 13 artists we are working with. Each artist has their own gallery page which brings forth the intersection of various mediums. All stories are grounded by the prompt of “Shaping Perspectives.”
To attend, people will have the option to register for free and by-donation tickets which will give them access to the entire site. To stay in the loop and follow the journey, as well as when the site will be released, you can check in with our social media: (IG) @thehumanartscollective and (FB) The Human Arts Collective!
FWM: How have you worked across mediums to develop socially conscious artmaking?
I believe every story has its unique pairing with a unique medium to get that story across in the best and most powerful way. This is why my art has allowed me to travel in various worlds–Film, TV, Theatre, and Poetry.
While in university, I had co-directed, wrote, and produced a documentary on anxiety in young females. Focusing on the education system and my own story of anxiety in my youth, I documented the stories of 13-18-year-old identifying females in public school. I met with psychologists, parents, guidance counselors, and youth programs to gather stories on how anxiety is impacted through the traditional education system. I have decided to transform the work into a narrative film and social media site, still in progress, where youth can interact with one another so as to not feel isolated or alone in their feelings.
Another project, in which I have worked across mediums to develop socially conscious artmaking is through a guerilla-styled performance challenge called “The Memorial Project.” Four artists, including myself, devised a performance challenge to promote social awareness, financial revenue, and support towards children and families detained in concentration camps. We traveled through living rooms, New York City streets, and parks to inspire other performers to actively participate in this call for action. This project allowed us to use our artistry to honor the seven known children we have lost and the many more who have endured substantial hardship.
FWM: Share your initiatives with the youth.
While we had to put this project on hold due to COVID-related concerns, the THAC team had begun to develop a non-traditional camp-styled retreat for youth. We created this program “Finding Your Voice.” Through partnerships with other teaching artists and educators, we crafted 4-week workshops across a wide range of artistic disciplines to support youth in social and emotional cognitive learning. We focused each workshop around building confidence, curiosity, skill-based artistry, and creation. We planned on having this retreat end with an additional showcase week that would allow students to gain mentorship from a teacher of their choice. This would result in individual work created by the student based on all they learned and would allow for family and friends to see each child share their voice and artistry. While this is just one example, I fully enjoy working with art groups and companies to empower youth towards acceptance and change.
