Building Our Own Tables

This week, Kelundra Smith sits down with Yura Sapi to discuss building her own table as a playwright and shares the process and inspiration behind some of her latest works. Topics for this episode include affirmations, changing hierarchical structures, and moving beyond a sense of urgency. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection an...

This week, Yura Sapi is joined by Christiamilda Correa to discuss creating LiberArte, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to racial, social, and climate justice worldwide; the Strategic Planning Institute; and NYU Latinx Alumni. Topics for this episode include writing prompts, seeking out spaces to find community, and transforming challenges. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https...

Victor Vazquez joins Yura Sapi to share his experience creating X Casting, a casting company that spans theatre and film in the United States and worldwide through a shared purpose of collective liberation and anti-racism. This episode’s topics include thinking about our role in the political landscape, globalism, and a curiosity for generous solutions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. Se...

Recently named Edward Medina Prize winner Brittani Samuel joins Yura Sapi to share about her experience building her own table as a theatre critic. Topics in this episode include choosing joy every day, being a child of immigrants, and a shared meditation practice. This episode is dedicated to theare artist and critic Edward Medina, honoring his legacy which brings us all together today. Hosted by...

Jose Solís joins Yura Sapi to discuss creating the BIPOC Critics Lab and co-creating the Token Theatre Friends podcast-webseries. This episode’s topics include finding beauty in the internet, how a metaphorical grain of sand can change the world, and a tarot reading for the first three months of 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

Abundance Zaddy joins Yura Sapi to talk about creating Cause Reign, an oral history project that connects Black people—with a focus on Black trans and queer folks—to their histories through dreamwork, the practice of remembering, recording, and activating the healing potential of dreams. Topics in this episode include prioritizing love and sweetness, transcending time, and asking for consent. Host...

How exciting is it to transform our future and be the future ancestors we dream for? Yura Sapi opens the space with a gratitude ritual and shares about what’s to come on the new season of the Building Our Tables podcast. Topics for this season include evolutionary times, the four elements, and sounds of nature. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

Get excited to be creatively filled by Building Our Own Tables, Season 3 with Yura Sapi, dropping new episodes every Wednesday starting on January 11th, 2023! Your donation to Advancing Arts Forward supports liberated spaces, like this podcast, that uplift, heal and encourage us to change the world. (https://www.advancingartsforward.org/) Trailer by Emmanuel Okonko Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...

“In practice, when we work with our community for community, it feeds us and sustains us. It’s not just a time card to check in and out… After rehearsal I’m not drained, I’m living!” Rose shares about creating Art Rat Theatre , a production vehicle dedicated to gardening anticolonial, anti-capitalist theatre for a truly diverse new era audience and catalyzing a greater network of independent insti...

“When friends come together to do a thing and it starts to get unclear who’s still about it and who’s moving on, it’s important to say, ok if it’s not a hobby… then what are the requirements?” Eric shares about creating The Movement Theatre Company , which engages audiences in a rich theatrical dialogue, enlightens communities to the important issues affecting our world, and empowers artists to ce...

“How many people are really pursuing their happiness right now? That’s in the BIll of Rights that we’re supposed to be doing that…We have to look at how we can ease the burden of medical debt, student debt, housing debt so we can actually all live in the pursuit of happiness.” Ann shares about creating Intimacy Coordinators of Color , which supports and promotes decolonized intimacy education and...

“Funders aren’t actually checking, were black people harmed when they were in your space? Did you actually pay them an equitable rate? Did they feel safe? Were you welcoming?” Iyvon shares about creating The Parnsip Ship , a podcast play company that amplifies bold artists for audiences who crave accessible stories and storytellers.  Topics include funding frustrations, helpful boards, and pandemi...

“People felt like they had a home. I don’t know if you’ve ever built a theater with community before. There is an ownership and a loyalty when they feel they’ve been welcomed and they belong.” Teresa shares about creating Bishop Arts Theatre Center , which creates a diverse and vibrant arts community while creating sustainable opportunities for local and emerging artists through performances and e...

“These higher ed institutions are basically training people to keep these white institutions going… They teach us to go into these institutions but they don’t teach us the harms that come with the institutions.” Quanice shares about creating Arts Administrators of Color Network , which empowers artists and art administrators by providing tools and resources to advocate for equity, inclusion, acces...

“White supremacy wants to take away our ability to imagine and to create or to even fathom what an afroindigenous future could be… All of the work has been done if we look back to our Elders.” Tara shares about creating Groundwater Arts , which shapes, stewards, and seeds a just future through creative practice, consultation, and community building. Topics include implementation of relational life...

“As we grew, we became eligible for institutional funding and that is when things began to change. Because all of a sudden the way we did our work had to conform with funders for us to receive our funds.” Kyoung shares about creating Kyoung’s Pacific Beat , a peacemaking theatre collective dedicated to working with artists, non-artists, and local communities to transform experiences of oppression...

“We needed to look at how we could work together, first with the BIPOC community. And then, upon completion of that assessment, we would be ready to partner with others.” Michelle shares about creating Visionaries of the Creative Arts , which is dedicated to responding to the critical needs of d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing artists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color, in Washington, D.C. To...

“As somebody who grows up in, I guess, a “third world country” and then moves to the U.S., you feel this sense of responsibility… to have to give back something, or you have to be the best in your community, but also still be connected.” Parmida shares about creating Seda Iranian Theatre Ensemble , which creates opportunities for refugees and immigrants whose voice cannot be heard. Topics include...

“Centering relationship, community and the artist in all the work is where you begin. Yes, we’re co-producing on an end product. We’re making a show. However, the relationship … is a great place to start from.” Maurice shares about creating The Front Porch Arts Collective , a black theatre company committed to advancing racial equity in Boston through theater. Topics include keys to success in co-...

“You have a relationship just for one show– that’s not a relationship. Not at all. It’s more like exploitation.” Samson and Dmae share about creating Theatre Diaspora gives Asian American Pacific Islander theatre more visibility and engages the public in insightful talkback discussions on cultural diversity. Topics include  the importance of relationships in being a community organization, represe...

“We find that it's really important that everybody verbalizes their thoughts and their agreements or disagreements so that we know everyone's on board.” Beto shares about creating Radical Evolution is a multiethnic producing collective that seeks to understand the complexities of the mixed-identity existence in the 21st Century. Topics include consensus decision making, equitable partnerships, rec...

“We need to know that this whiteness is not something that just affects us in the U.S. or in the west, it’s something that affects everybody everywhere through the history of colonization. And it affects the arts everywhere.” Pooja shares about creating Rites of Passage Project , a movement to reclaim and celebrate women’s initiations envisioning a truly equitable, just and thriving world for all....

“There’s a reason why they don’t want us to ever talk about genocide… It’s because when you name something you acknowledge it exists and then you can deal with it.” Claudia shares about creating Calling Up Justice , a transmedia social justice practice.  Topics include the power we have in selecting the words we use to talk about what we're doing and the resiliency producing model when it comes to...

“You cannot have it inauthentic AND have the community’s support.” Nydia shares about creating Blactina Media , which amplifies Afrolatinx and Caribbean stories with an emphasis on women through media and entertainment.  Topics include the importance of authenticity and what it means to say true to your audience, saying no to opportunities that aren't in line with your values, and some real talk o...

“How do we do this with zero money?” Jonathan shares about creating The Sống Collective , which uplifts work that pushes against preconceptions of Asian Americans and reclaims the Vietnamese American narrative.  Topics include asking for resources in community, power sharing, unanimous decision-making, and abundance over scarcity.  Your donation to Advancing Arts Forward supports liberated spaces,...