#1: Moving From Theory to Praxis with Mariella Saba, Sandra de la Loza, and Walela Nahenda
[This event was broadcast on Tuesday, April 12, 2022]
While many of us don't want this current world setup and dream of other worlds–(re)imagining and creating new worlds takes practice, time, and respect.
Through questioning current health-care, youth-education, parks & rec, rivers and other colonial/domination infrastructures–Tuesday’s guests play with cultural organizing strategies and tools as they work to create the worlds of care we want to see now, and onwards.
For first installment of ASSEMBLIES: Art Into Action Public Programs’ launch, we hear from local artists, organizers, and cultural workers share how they move from meaning-making and inspiration into action.
Mariella Saba, Healing Justice Organizer
Mariella Saba (she/they) is grounded and moved by her roots from Palestine to Mexico. Born and raised in occupied Tongva land in Los Angeles, where they dedicate life to healing and organizing with and for freedom, joy, love, dignity, justice, liberation y más. Co-founder and abolition community organizer with various organizations including Stop LAPD Spying Coalition and Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement. She practices popular education, healing justice, cultural work, and transformative justice processes with communities and organizations working to dismantle harmful systems and build the world we want to live in now and onward. Currently learning and growing in the frontlines of motherhood.
Sandra de la Loza, Artist
Sandra de la Loza (she/her) is a Los Angeles based artist, educator and community organizer who approaches archival work as researcher, artist, documentarian, and dreamer. Through immersive installations, video, photography, and public artworks, her work investigates the under layers of our present environmental and social landscapes as a means to decolonize, heal from historic and systemic violence and create circles that enable liberated social relationships to happen. She has co-created collectively run community centers, pedagogical spaces, and multi-disciplinary events such as the Aztlan Cultural Arts Foundation (1993-1998), the October Surprise (2004), Arts in Action LA2000-2004), Decolonize LA (2016-2017) and at land’s edge (2016-2018). From 2010 to 2019 she has been active in anti-gentrification struggles in Northeast Los Angeles where she grew up and still resides.
Walela Nehanda, Cultural Worker
Walela Nehanda (they/them) is a Black non binary, demisexual, queer, writer, cultural worker, cancer & stem cell transplant survivor, & mental health advocate. Over the years, Walela has been featured publications: named in Out 100 List of 2021, Teen Vogue, The Guardian, Nylon, Vice i-D, SELF Magazine. Through Walela’s time organizing, Walela has learned their poetry must act in service to the movement as a means to shift consciousness and communicate nuance in an accessible Manner.