Cabaret 2008 - Trapeta Mayson and Vena Jefferson

Trapeta received a Transformation Award in 2007. Trapeta is a poet whose biggest goals as an artist are to tell the truth in her work and to honor the experiences of others by providing an artistic platform for self-expression. She is committed to making art that is progressive and her poetry covers many themes-the nuances of being an immigrant living in the United States, being a woman of color, young people living in urban communities who feel silenced, and the impact of mental illness on families. Trapeta is currently a resident artist with Art Sanctuary's "North Stars" afterschool program and leads the Painted Bride Art Center's "Rock The Pen" monthly poetry workshop for high school students.
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Vena received an Art and Change Grant and a Transformation Award in 2007. Vena is the director and founder of Urban Africa Cultural Arts. She is a dancer, storyteller and teacher, drawing primarily from African and African American traditions. She aims to make the connections between hip-hop culture and West African movement and rhythmic patterns and also seeks to work against homophobia and sexism, which prevents boys from participating in dance and girls from participating in drumming. Vena's work is often directed toward helping women heal from abuse, but she ultimately creates it to empower the entire African American community with love, self-esteem, history, culture, and knowledge of one-self.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• trapeta
• mayson
• vena
• jefferson
• dance
• theatre
• poetry

[MadameCamara]

Wow! You's a bad B Vena!

[ckbambrick]

how amazing is trapeta mayson??? this is so beautiful... her poetry is so cinematic, ms. jefferson's dance augments the piece beautifully!