2024

March 21, 2024

We talked with with Sammie B, a genre-defying female artist, musician, and creator from the Hudson Valley.⁠ Not only is Sammie B a rapper/singer-songwriter, poet, DJ, and beat producer, but she is a visual artist as well. A single braid in her hair along with her taglines “Brliing” and “I literally made the beat”; are her recognizable trademarks- along with her vibrant yet calming aura. She is also a recovery coach for those struggling with SUD and mental illness. After many years battling with depression, loss, heartbreak, and addiction, she lives on to give others hope by telling her story of overcoming through music and art while radiating positive energy and authenticity. Sammie B makes music with the intention of making her listeners feel connected/supported and/or empowered. LLPE Music is her independent record label. She is also the CEO of Sammie B Creative LLC in which she distributes her merchandise, art, and more!⁠

2023

October 19, 2023

We chatted with Joel Bergner, a community artist whose large-scale murals can be found in 30 countries across 5 continents, painted in his signature style combining intimate portraits of local residents, vibrant color palettes and small details that draw the viewer in to experience multiple levels of meaning. His elaborate murals weave smoothly between realism with an urban art sensibility and the raw expressions of children’s art. As a community-based artist, Joel’s work is informed by his creative projects with the world’s most vulnerable children and communities, from Syrian refugee camps to American prisons; the favelas of Brazil to an orphanage in South Africa. In each project, he guides participants through the process of exploring issues that are important to them, designing their own composition and then collaboratively painting a public mural in their community.⁠

⁠Joel has worked with corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon Studios, Gucci and Radisson Hotels; as well as international institutions like UNICEF, the US State Department, and the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR). He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Artolution, a non-profit organization that supports artists in refugee camps and marginalized communities across the world to lead their own arts programs with youth. In this role, he travels the world mentoring young artists and collaborating on humanitarian art programs. Joel and his work have been featured on the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, CBS This Morning, NPR, Al Jazeera, Reuters and more. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two small daughters.⁠

August 31, 2023

Stephanie JT Russell’s most recent creative nonfiction book is One Flash of Lightning, a poetic treatment of the Samurai code (Andrews McMeel). Her work has been featured in books and journals such as The Xavier Review, The Winter Anthology, Sequestrum, Lightwood, ArLiJo, and at noted venues including The New Museum, The Griffin Museum of Photography, The Albright Knox, Bowery Poetry Club, and The Berkeley Museum. A visiting artist at New York University, The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, The Stone House, and other institutions, Russell received the Overall Winner Award 2022 from the Wirral Poetry Festival, UK. A Trustee at The Emile Brunel Studio & Sculpture Park, an historic nature sanctuary and art center in Boiceville, NY, Russell is founder of its AIR Brunel BIPOC Fellowship Residency (brunelpark.org). Russell was appointed Dutchess County Poet Laureate 2023, for which she is curating an intercultural Laureate Event Series, Stream of Life, featuring poetry and art from multicultural communities throughout Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley region.⁠

July 27, 2023

We talked with Onaje Benjamin, a community activist and consultant, with over thirty years of experience. He has expertise in community organizing, advocacy, criminal justice, training, and staff development. Onaje facilitates workshops, lectures extensively, and has published articles on a variety of issues, specific to Human rights and social justice.⁠⁠

April 27, 2023

We talked with Pamela Sneed, a poet, performer, and visual artist. She is the author of Imagine Being More Afraid of Freedom Than Slavery, KONG and Other Works, Sweet Dreams and Funeral Diva which was featured in The New York Times and won the 2021 Lambda Lesbian Poetry Award. She is the recipient of a 2023 Creative Capital grant in literature.

March 23, 2023

The roles were reversed! We talked with Poet Gold, a poet, author, performer, songwriter, community “Artivist” and speaker. Poet Gold brings a soul-searching insight about human existence, love, dreams, challenges, and triumph.

Interview and Q&A Session lead by Harrison Brisbon-McKinnon.

2022

August 25, 2022

Join us as youth share their voice about the importance of art and its impact on the community as a catalyst for change.

May 26, 2022

We talked with artivist Kicks Kapri. Kapri is an activist and organizer who is dedicated to socioeconomic equity for people of color. He is dedicated to creating spaces for lifestyle improvement and portraying positive ideals for black youth.⁠

April 28, 2022

We talked with artivist Daniel Villegas. Villegas shows with his unique sound and music, that the whole Earth’s group consciousness is changing and that it’s all about changing our individual “frequencies” as we all strive to move towards a completely heart-centered group consciousness.⁠

March 24, 2022

We talked with artivist Bibiana Huang Matheis, an artist, fine arts photographer, and curator. Her work has appeared in major exhibits and publications of all types in the US and Europe, in New York City, Chicago, and Berlin. Matheis’ work is hanging on permanent display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture – Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, D.C.⁠

February 24, 2022

We talked with Vince Ballentine, a multi-disciplined visual artist. Ballentine has traveled internationally and been commissioned to create work for the likes of the NCAA, MTV, BET, and festivals such as Wall Therapy, O-positive, and Meeting of Styles in Germany. His work never stops evolving, as demonstrated by his 2020 US State Department residency in Ethiopia as an ambassador for hip hop.

January 27, 2022

We talked with artivist Barbara Masterson. Barbara Masterson graduated with an AAS in Fine Art from Elizabeth Seton College, received her bachelor’s degree in Art Education in 1988, and her Master of Art in painting in 1990 from SUNY New Paltz. She studied the figure with Franklin Alexander at Barrett House in Poughkeepsie and in Woodstock. Barbara studied with Mel Stabin and Christine Debrowski. In 2002 she studied with Gale Barnett in Giverny, France. She taught art in the Newburgh district teaching the advanced painting classes, the AP art classes at Newburgh Free Academy until her retirement in 2014. Her main influences include Monet, Edward Hopper, Windslow Homer and Michaelangelo. She has been painting her entire life.⁠

2021

October 28, 2021

We talked with artivists BoogieREZ. Boogie is a Japanese Ameri- can artist who crafts detailed imaginary through textile, nature, portraits, flowing abstractions and uniquely creative characters. Her body of work taps into the flow of the streets, nature and the vibrations of dance and culture. REZONES is a self-taught visual artist. Starting out in the early 80’s with graffiti art... The platform eventually brought him to graphic design, which transitioned to graphic design which eventually led him to photography. His primary sources of inspiration are his life’s experiences as well as his environment. pulling heavily from his trials and tribulations as a youth growing up in Long Island, Brooklyn, New Jersey and Poughkeepsie.

September 23, 2021

We talked with artivist Vienna Carroll. Carroll, a singer, playwright, actor, historian, and herbalist, has used her voice to interweave old songs and forgotten stories of Black heroes in larger-than-life performances.

August 19, 2021

We talked with artivist Rashad Wright. Wright, a poet, author and playwright, has used his words to explore childhood, adolescents, athletics, sexuality, self-love, and identity.

July 29, 2021

We talked with artivist Suprina. Allocating, modeling, casting, photography, and video are some of the processes Suprina uses in creating carnival-like narratives themed around politics, environment, and societal trends.

June 24, 2021

We talked with artivist Gerardo Castro. Castro's work illustrates marvelous glittery, unmistakably black, and emphatically brown figures elaborately costumed posing in what appears to be wallpapered interior spaces, rich in color and compositions that celebrate the visual texture of his Afro-Descendant culture, affirming that Latino identity is a means of empowerment (be it social, spiritual, political or personal).

May 27, 2021

We talked with New York based Puerto Rican singer, filmmaker, and activist, Taína Asili. Asili’s powerful vocals carry themes of social justice with an energetic fusion of Afro-Latin, reggae, and rock. Her music exudes strength of spirit and inspires audiences to dance to the rhythm of rebellion.

April 22, 2021

We talked with muralist, Nestor Madalengoitia about his public art, his inspiration and the impact in the community.

March 25, 2021

We talked about "Blue Lotus", the debut album of violinist Gwen Laster’s string ensemble the New Muse 4tet. New Muse 4tet is an improvising string quartet started in 2015, performing 20th / 21st century music and original works as a vehicle for social activism.

February 25, 2021

We watched the video “We Grow” by Poet Gold with Q&A session with Kelly Miller Smith's daughter, Joy Smith as we celebrated Black History Month.

Where do we go from here… we grow!