Kelundra Smith: What I inform individuals is you must keep in mind that your very existence is proof that you’re the descendant of survivors, so it is in you to be resilient, to have fortitude, to be artistic and modern even when it appears arduous.
Chorus: [sings “Remember”]
Yura Sapi: Welcome to season three. Welcome to our liberation. Welcome to the Building Our Own Tables podcast. The Building Our Own Tables podcast is produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons, a free and open platform for theatremakers worldwide. This is Yura Sapi right here to assist you in your journey of creation in the direction of our collective liberation. How thrilling is it to rework our future and be the longer term ancestors we have dreamed for? May you obtain that witch helps you in your journey and launch that witch doesn’t. The universe expands as we do. Nature evolves as we do. We keep in mind. We keep in mind. We keep in mind.
Chorus: [sings “Remember”]
Yura Sapi: Let us name upon the 4 components that assist us: The fireplace that burns inside igniting our creativeness, our skill to see into the longer term. The water that holds us and holds inside our reminiscence. The air that lifts us up and carries our tales throughout to fulfill one another. The earth, which gives us sustenance, restore. To assist us on this journey, allow us to welcome in all of our ancestors.
We’re studying from visionaries who’ve constructed their very own tables, receiving gems of knowledge to assist us alongside our journey. In at the moment’s episode, I talked with Kelundra Smith, a gorgeous author who shares about her journey from a profession in arts criticism to releasing new worlds of performs as a playwright that channeled by means of her within the current years. Kelundra and I have been linked years in the past for efforts round range, fairness, and inclusion, which means the assist of bringing extra critics of colour to the theatre business. We’ve linked once more right now to share with you all her knowledge and assets round what you would possibly want as you could embark in a brand new profession focus round your artmaking. Kelundra shares affirmations and concepts assist for be breaking poisonous patterns, working by means of the interior world, the methods during which we could maintain ourselves again, and what sorts of methods you would possibly take to beat these interior challenges. With a mission to attach individuals to cultural experiences and one another. Kelundra Smith, please inform the gorgeous listeners about your lovely self.
Kelundra: My title is Kelundra Smith. I’m an arts journalist, theatre critic, and playwright primarily based in Atlanta, Georgia—born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I come to theatre as a type of children who used to speak an excessive amount of at school and that is the place they put you. They stated, “Okay, if you are going to speak, we will put you on a stage.” And so, I used to be a type of children who was all the time in… decide the month program: Black History Month, President’s Day, no matter it was in class and at church. That advanced as I acquired into highschool and into school into having an curiosity in efficiency critique, this concept of criticism as a type of documentarian archiving. Early on, I acknowledged that the work created by girls, non-binary individuals, individuals of colour, varied communities that had been marginalized, wasn’t getting the identical degree of documentation as was the work created by their white colleagues and counterparts.
I sort of discovered my manner into writing about theatre as a result of I used to be keen to go see various kinds of performances, whether or not it was performs, musicals, efficiency artwork on the locations that weren’t getting coated by the native paper on the totally different locations I used to be dwelling once I was first beginning out. I used to be keen to drive to the extra rural communities or the extra suburban communities and write about what was occurring on the market, and so that’s sort of how I discovered my manner right into a profession that then caught the eye of some nationwide magazines and newspapers. Then, I did that for a very long time whereas working a full-time job doing communications at varied totally different locations after which this little pesky pandemic hit. I used to be used to being in a theatre each week for many of my grownup life.
Theatre had not but found out go digital initially of the pandemic. I used to be at dwelling after which I began writing tales that had been dwelling in my creativeness untapped for in all probability three years. By the time that pandemic hit, I began writing performs, particularly trying on the Black Southern expertise. So I’ve a trilogy of performs set in Reconstruction period Georgia, I’ve a prequel to A Raisin within the Sun, and I’ve a play that I’m actively writing about Black and Brown girls nurses working at a hospital, being caretakers throughout a pandemic and the way that impacts them spiritually. I’m simply exploring my manner by means of this theatre factor.
Yura Sapi: That’s lovely. I’d love to listen to extra about these performs that you’ve got created, these worlds inside themselves. I need to hear extra about your creations.
Kelundra: It’s all linked. Southern artwork has struggled to be taken significantly and have visibility in all areas of artwork, however particularly within the theatre as a result of theatre so usually sees its epicenter as New York or London or insert title of European metropolis. Art popping out of the southeastern area of the United States has struggled to current itself. Southern music is international, however Southern theatre continues to be making an attempt to get on the market. I feel the will to inform the tales that I grew up listening to about my elders and my ancestors rising up, actually fueled me to need to write performs, however it’s the identical factor that fueled me once I was writing theatre criticism and theatre journalism. It was all the time centered on Southern arts and tradition. I feel the South is very essential proper now as a result of the Southeast is among the most ethnically and racially various areas within the United States of America.
The majority of African Americans within the U.S. dwell within the Southeast, so I feel it is essential that because the South is experiencing this reverse Great Migration in addition to is turning into dwelling to extra immigrants and refugees, these tales get documented in historical past so that individuals fifty years from now should not sitting and saying the identical issues we at the moment are of like, “How come I by no means heard about this and the way come I by no means heard about this?” Because that is been the true reckoning with the best way we inform our histories over the previous couple of years.
People are like, “Wait a second, how come my grandmother or my grandfather, nobody ever advised me about this factor?” I keep in mind having a dialog with a colleague. I used to be telling her this story about one thing that occurred to my great-grandmother or one thing of that nature, and she or he was like, “I’m simply so amazed. Never heard this in my life.” And I used to be like, “Well, you possibly can’t imagine a historical past is full If a sure group of individuals was criminalized and banned from with the ability to learn write and inform their tales.” I see a part of my function as filling in gaps.
Yura Sapi: Time isn’t linear. You should not alone. You are by no means alone. We’ve been by means of the cycle earlier than. We’re working from the facility of our previous fighters from earlier than and time is not linear. Connections occur for a purpose. There’s a purpose I’m right here the place I’m. So bask, indulge, refuge within the happenings of now, the happenings of previous which can information to the longer term, which can be actually the previous. The Building Our Own Tables podcast is produced in partnership with Advancing Arts Forward, a motion to advance fairness, inclusion, and justice by means of the humanities. We create liberated areas like this one which uplift, heal and encourage us to alter the world. Check out advancingartsfoward.org to see our gatherings, programs, teaching, and artist residency program. You also can donate to assist this podcast in different areas.
What would you prefer to share with somebody in the event that they have been beginning to construct their very own desk? What practices would you prefer to share with them?
Kelundra: Breathe. I do know that sounds very, very fundamental and easy, however dropping breath down into the physique could be very, crucial, so I might say breathe first. The purpose why I say breathe is that once you’re embarking on constructing your individual desk, it is rather straightforward to really feel overwhelmed. It could be very straightforward to really feel lonely. It could be very straightforward to really feel discouraged. What I inform individuals is you must keep in mind that your very existence is proof that you’re the descendant of survivors, so it is in you to be resilient, to have fortitude, to be artistic and modern. Even when it appears arduous respiration helps to recenter into that place.
Yura Sapi: Do you may have a selected respiration train or immediate you could share?
Kelundra: I’ve an affirmation that I’ve been saying in all probability since I used to be about twenty-five, twenty-six. The repetition of that does one thing with my breath, so I’ll share that, which is, “I’m humble. I’m grateful. I’m centered. I’m on goal. I’m worthy. I’m freed from fear. It is already all proper.” I do know, proper? You simply need to exhale.
Yura Sapi: Yes. Well, instantly my ft planted into the ground, my ft absolutely increasing onto the ground, feeling all elements. Yeah, that breath instantly exhaled. Do you say that affirmation a number of instances?
Kelundra: I say it at any time when I want it. Usually there’s sort of a “rule of three” or 4 round this stuff, however I say it at any time when I want it. Sometimes I can say it one time and it is like, “Okay, I’m again.” Sometimes it is like, “Okay, I’m simply going to say this till I imagine it.” And it really works each single time.
Yura Sapi: Amazing. Yeah. Affirmations are actually highly effective. I’ve additionally labored with some which might be round I, you, we. So saying it within the “I,” then saying it in “you,” and saying it in “we” and actually meditating on that enlargement. I’m free. You are free. We are free. And then the visualization too of the we reaching everybody, all the pieces on earth within the universe, linked all by means of time to really feel all of that after which again and again into me and this physique right here.
Kelundra: I like that. When you say, “I’m free, you might be free. We are free,” you are completely proper. It routinely makes it like, “Okay, I’m not on this alone.” Because loneliness is one other… it is a shortage phantasm. Gratitude is a treatment to loneliness, however it’s not the remedy. Community, I feel, is the remedy. You’re completely proper. Yes. The different factor I do is I sit no less than fifteen minutes simply in silence doing nothing each day, and a few individuals name that meditation. I feel the phrase meditation places somewhat extra stress on it than I can face up to.
What I’ve discovered is simply to cease transferring and cease doing permits me to have the ability to, when it’s time to stand up and go, I transfer with much more ease. So that is one apply. In phrases of the self-discipline, so to talk, of precise creating, I do not look ahead to these muses to indicate up. I’ve realized to take the judgment of high quality out of it and simply sit down and write, whether or not it is a hundred phrases or a thousand phrases, get it out and belief that you’ll edit later, however you must take the judgment out of the experiment, in any other case you may by no means get it executed, and that requires some non secular work too of taking the judgment out of your self.
Yura Sapi: Yeah, and I’m even pondering how the breath and the judgment are linked as a result of if we’re caught on this judgment zone, perhaps we’re not respiration and once you breathe… yeah, there’s this gratitude, this sense of being full and receiving in a manner that soothes that power of despair and that judgment, that cycle. The air that we breathe is essentially the most fundamental factor that we’d like that provides us entry to operate with all of our mind and blood and the techniques inside. When we do not give our physique that, perhaps issues do not operate as easily as in keeping with what we most need.
Kelundra: Yeah, and it is also a matter of clearing the noise too. My associates snicker at me as a result of I flip my telephone off at a sure time of day they usually’re like, “Are you loopy?” And I’m like, “No.” It’s like essentially the most sanity-making factor in the complete world as a result of as a artistic individual, our minds are usually very noisy anyway as a result of they’re stuffed with concepts and since we see issues and really feel issues like on a regular basis all of sudden. And so I feel it is crucial to, once you get up, not have the primary voice you hear be another than your individual interior voice and that you’ve instances all through your day the place you possibly can simply join with that interior voice.
The noise is distraction, and it creates a way of uneasiness a variety of the time, and I feel that is actually essential in relation to constructing our personal tables as a result of to construct your individual desk, you may have to have the ability to have house for imaginative and prescient, innovation, and creativeness. And should you’ve acquired everyone’s, all the pieces occurring inside you, then it is arduous to entry the reward or the factor that’s in you and for you. The feeling that I hate essentially the most, so to talk, once you really feel such as you’re head and your physique are disconnected, and I’ll identical to go lay down and be like, “Okay, I’ve acquired to get my head and my physique in the identical place.”
I would like, at any time when I work on one thing, to have the ability to say on the finish of it, “No people were harmed in the making of this art.”
Yura Sapi: [sings]
Can you converse extra about that have when head and physique will get disconnected? How does that find yourself occurring? How have you learnt that it is occurring and what sorts of issues are you able to do?
Kelundra: Mm-hmm. The manner I do know it is occurring, it is often I’m overanalyzing one thing which suggests I’m afraid of one thing, proper? That means I’m often excited about what I’m afraid of dropping versus what the acquire is or what I might study or what have you ever. And so the best way that I’ve discovered helps me get out of that house is to consider what’s it that I’m studying right here? What is it I’m seeing right here in another way? What is it I stand to realize by taking this threat or what am I giving by doing this factor that is unknown to me? Did I betray myself ultimately? Is that why I’m feeling uneasy? Really asking these interior questions.
Yura Sapi: [sings]
Can you converse extra about that have when head and physique will get disconnected? How does that find yourself occurring? How have you learnt that it is occurring and what sorts of issues are you able to do?
Kelundra: Mm-hmm. The manner I do know it is occurring, it is often I’m overanalyzing one thing which suggests I’m afraid of one thing, proper? That means I’m often excited about what I’m afraid of dropping versus what the acquire is or what I might study or what have you ever. And so the best way that I’ve discovered helps me get out of that house is to consider what’s it that I’m studying right here? What is it I’m seeing right here in another way? What is it I stand to realize by taking this threat or what am I giving by doing this factor that is unknown to me? Did I betray myself ultimately? Is that why I’m feeling uneasy? Really asking these interior questions.
You know, they are saying that shortage is an phantasm. If I get out of the shortage, that often helps me to get again linked and sleep. I’m very protecting of my sleep. I’m unapologetically unabashedly protecting of my sleep. I sleep for so long as I would like, at any time when I would like, as a lot as I can, particularly on the weekends. And I’ve discovered that for me, when I’m effectively rested it, I present up higher in each manner and I understand how a lot sleep I want at this age to have the ability to operate. I’m not a six hours of sleep and I’m okay individual. I want a powerful eight to 9, ideally 9.
Yura Sapi: Sleep for me has been essential. Thinking concerning the goals, this different world I’m capable of entry, be part of, pondering as an artist and our creations are inspiration, our instinct. There’s actually a variety of thrilling issues that may occur in that point of sleep. My thoughts is perhaps resting, my thoughts on this world that we’re in. And then my physique’s additionally resting, however it’s additionally working prefer it’s repairing itself, it is respiration. There’s nonetheless issues occurring whereas I’m sleeping, and my thoughts can be working as a result of there’s goals which might be occurring and there is tales being advised these two sides, so honor that and be in tune with that. It’s additionally this power of the solar and the moon, the day and the night time. These choices from our photo voltaic system, our world can encourage us to observe these patterns as a result of each day is sort of a mini life, each day by way of with the ability to get up and begin new after which fall asleep and begin once more
Kelundra: Yeah, each new day. It’s a brand new alternative. It’s a brand new probability to do one thing totally different, to take a step. One of the issues that may be very tempting, particularly proper now, is to neglect that life takes a lifetime. It appears like should you’re not making leaps, then you definately’re not doing something, however that’s not true. That’s simply ego speaking, and so it is actually, actually essential to have grace with ourselves each day. The hardest factor I’ll say for me is to have grace with your self when you have not had grace with your self, so that you simply’re not beating your self up about beating your self up. Oh, that is the true trick.
Yura Sapi: A cycle, a paradox. Yeah, there was one thing superb you stated about worry of the unknown, noticing when that comes up for you, worry of the unknown that we really feel is going on, experiences occurring for the theatre world, microcosm, macrocosms for the entire world, techniques of hurt, overcoming the worry of unknown as we glance to alter, remodel these techniques into one thing else. All this stuff that we’re naming, that we’re working by means of in ourselves, realizing that it is also one thing that we’re seeking to invite the remainder of the world to do as a collective.
Kelundra: Right. Yes. I imply, you are completely proper. Theatre as an business proper now’s fully in an area of the unknowns. No theatre producer, whether or not you are speaking about on Broadway or within the areas, anticipated that fifty p.c of the viewers was not going to return or that the viewers had drastically reworked the best way that they need to have interaction within the theatre over the course of the final two years. There’s an actual alternative right here to do all the pieces in another way and group engagement and viewers engagement standpoint, that begins on the person degree as all issues do. When we get into the collaborative group group dynamic that’s theatre, the hierarchal constructions have to alter. I would like at any time when I work on one thing to have the ability to say on the finish of it, “No individuals have been harmed within the making of this artwork.” So that needs to be the collective intention each time.
The factor is, till one thing turns into acquainted, and it turns into behavior and it turns into second nature, you must always deliver consciousness to it. If you are making an attempt to say you need to eat extra vegetables and fruit each day, till you get that behavior shaped of consuming these vegetables and fruit three to 4 instances a day, you have to suppose actually each time. So it is the identical factor if you find yourself making an attempt to usher in a paradigm shift basically. It’s like you must be bringing consciousness to it within the mind, in breath and physique, each single day on a regular basis, as a result of should you do not, you may simply fall again to what you realize.
Chorus: [sings “Time is Not Linear”]
Yura Sapi: Time isn’t linear. You should not alone. You are by no means alone. We’ve been by means of this cycle earlier than. We’re working from the facility of our previous fighters from earlier than, and time isn’t linear. Connections occur for a purpose. There’s a purpose I’m right here the place I’m, so bask, indulge, refuge within the happenings of now the happenings of previous which can information to the longer term, which can be actually the previous.
Kelundra: I used to be raised Christian, shocker rising up within the South, and my mom used to usually repeat the Bible verse, “Our gifts come without repentance,” that your items will make room for you. Often as artistic individuals and as we’re constructing our personal tables, the largest hurdle is to belief the reward.
Yura Sapi: Believe in ourselves. Just like Tinkerbell, it is to have the ability to imagine that what you need is feasible as a result of after we do not imagine it is attainable, that turns into the truth.
Kelundra: And it may be very difficult typically to imagine it is attainable when you do not have examples or when there are exterior obstacles that make it more durable.
Yura Sapi: When the examples have not been documented, such as you stated.
Kelundra: That’s the factor. It’s not that it hasn’t been executed, it is that the instance hasn’t been documented.
Yura Sapi: For you as a result of perhaps individuals do get one thing and it is by means of oral traditions, however yeah, I imply there’s a variety of issues which have occurred. We do not essentially all have that entry to get data in all types of the way.
Kelundra: Exactly. My hope is that the extra the storytelling panorama expands…. If the web can do any quantity of excellent on this century, hopefully it is that it’s a distributor and a disseminator of tales of those that triumphed, tales of those that overcame, tales of those that have been afraid and did it anyway. That’s the hope.
Yura Sapi: Yeah, I feel the important thing for utilizing the web and never letting it use you, for me, has been in that cellular phone break kind of power that you simply shared. Being intentional about what I’m doing when I’m plugging in to one thing that connects me throughout time and house. The web is magic in a manner when I’m intentional about saying, “Okay, I’m going to go in and I need to do that. I’m on the lookout for this.” I say my intention out loud or I’ve written it down. It’ll be there for me once I open up the web too. Yeah, I imply, typically it may be this kind of understanding of I do know what I’m on the lookout for, and so once I see it, I’m capable of reply. And I additionally do suppose there’s this power that I nflowing with earth and nature and all the pieces when we’ve one thing already that we’re working in the direction of, it is coming nearer as effectively in that non secular manner.
Kelundra: Absolutely. That is one other shift that occurs within the constructing of our personal desk. So many individuals I’ve heard since I realized that I might say no, realized that I did not need to say sure to all the pieces out of worry that if I did not say sure, this chance or this factor would not come. One of my favourite quotes is from the author, Michelle Walgreen. She says, “The finish of it’s our lives might be stripped very near the bone and we will start once more.” There’s a visible artist, Annie Gordon, he says, “You have to have the ability to…” they create one thing that is like a masterpiece and destroy it, so to talk. All of it’s getting at this concept of not getting so hooked up to the chase or the pursuit of the factor, as a result of actually what’s occurring is that by means of creating, we turn into extra of who we’re and our lives are the instance. Our lives are the sunshine that we radiate and the creative product is simply the proof, so to talk.
Yura Sapi: Wow. Yeah. Important recommendation to middle self, particularly one centered on making a venture or with this imaginative and prescient in thoughts, know that the present second, the present place is what we’ve. The current is actually the place we’re at.
Kelundra: And I’m not all the time good at it. At all.
Yura Sapi: Yeah, no. That’s the significance of the journey as effectively.
Kelundra: When we speak concerning the business round creating, there’s additionally this sense of urgency. I’ve no extra allowance for individuals placing a way of urgency on one thing that is not pressing. I’m the primary to say now that we’ve lived by means of a worldwide pandemic, we all know what an precise emergency is. Anything that doesn’t rise to that degree now not will get handled with a way of emergency. And that is simply what it’s for me, and that additionally helps, particularly when there are deadlines piling up typically as a result of that may be very paralyzing. I’m part of a program in Atlanta, it is known as Black Women Speak. It’s a nationwide new play community program that is in partnership with Horizon Theatre, and they’re growing 9 new performs by Black girls playwrights from the South. You know, that deadline is like staring me down. I completely, as knowledgeable, need to meet my deadline, however on the identical time, I am unable to make the deadline an emergency.
Yura Sapi: I imply, yeah, submitting one thing as an emergency isn’t… the power is like, yeah. I feel the phrase deadline, I’ve shifted in my language. Sometimes I say life date, birthdate, due date additionally works. This power of dying when it is one thing that has a lot life and it is so thrilling.
Kelundra: Absolutely. Because it’s, you are bringing one thing to life and we name it a deadline. We surprise why that power sort of follows the method, proper?
Yura Sapi: Being on the facet of giving one thing on a due date, a life date, after which additionally after we’re within the place of giving that date to another person. So when it is one thing that we’re commissioning or working with somebody, particularly after we’re constructing our personal tables, we find yourself bringing individuals to this desk. And so being on the opposite facet, making these acutely aware choices of what we’re asking of others, not placing issues on others as emergencies once they’re not, that is additionally one thing I’m reflecting on, that give and obtain and being on each side.
Kelundra: As a producer or midwife, nevertheless you time period it, or doula, I’ve gotten extra acutely aware about saying, “I belief you and I would really like so that you can belief you to do that as a result of I imagine you possibly can, and I would like you to imagine you possibly can.” I additionally, I’ll say, “Okay, that is what I’m pondering, however is that lifelike? Is that cheap? Is it possible?” And it is creating an environment the place individuals can ask for what they want, and a variety of that comes from being daring sufficient and courageous sufficient to ask for what I want, and that’s one other behavior. That’s a muscle that needs to be constructed. Ask for what you want, perceive that individuals could inform you no, after which resolve whether or not you continue to need to take part. And know that should you resolve that you simply now not need to take part, that the chance that you will have perceived it as being will come round once more in a manner that will not stress you.
Yura Sapi: Yeah, completely. Being open to what we do need and graciously passing alongside what isn’t serving us.
Kelundra: We’re all determining a brand new manner of being, and I feel that it will be loads simpler if we be part of arms and do it collectively versus turning our backs, and I feel that is what artists are for. Theatre artists are brokers of empathy. Theatre, to me, is among the strongest instruments we’ve in society for spreading empathy to the plenty. I imagine that the brand new work we’re seeing in varied areas actually is reflective of people who find themselves aiming to try this. I hope that we get to see extra of it and that there is a fearlessness that our tradition round theatre is ready to inhabit, that we embrace the experiment. That’s what I’m doing is simply embracing the experiment. I’m writing my very own work. What does a trilogy about Reconstruction period Georgia appear to be? I do not know. Working it out.
Yura Sapi: Yeah. And there’s that future model of you that does know.
Kelundra: Absolutely. Trust the reward.
Yura Sapi: Thank you a lot, Kelundra.
Kelundra: Thank you.
Yura Sapi: This podcast is produced as a contribution to HowlRound Theatre Commons. You can discover extra episodes of this sequence and different HowlRound podcasts on iTunes, Google Podcast, Spotify, and wherever you discover podcasts. Be positive to go looking and subscribe to obtain new episodes. If you’re keen on this podcast, put up a ranking and write a evaluate on these platforms. This helps different individuals discover us. You also can discover a transcript for this episode together with a variety of different progressive and disruptive content material on howlround.com. Have an concept for an thrilling podcast, essay, or TV occasion the theatre group wants to listen to? Visit howlround.com and submit your concepts to the commons.
This is is Yura Sapi. You can discover out extra about me at yurasapi.com or observe me on Instagram or LinkedIn @YuraSapi. Thanks for becoming a member of us.