Donate Now

Performance

“Other” Mixed Story told through Song

“Other,” a song by Guante & Big Cats, featuring Chastity Brown, See More Perspective & Chantz Erolin

The song “Other,” from Guante & Big Cats’ 2012 album “You Better Weaponize,” explores mixed-race and mixed-culture identities in a way that is intimate and personal while also keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Featuring Chastity Brown, See More Perspective and Chantz Erolin, the track weaves together different experiences, styles and approaches to coming to terms with what “mixed” really means. More on Guante: www.guante.info

Listen to the song now: http://guanteandbigcats.bandcamp.com/track/other-w-chastity-brown-see-more-perspective-chantz-erolin

 

Thank you Guante for sharing your story with us!

Kravitz Talks-Growing Up With White Father Black Mother

Lenny Kravitz has not been silent about his racial background. He has been known to tell his story through music.  In his recent album, Black and White America, he discusses the world in which his parents met and he was raised.

In this video he shares what it was like being called out by a student on his first day of school that his father was White and what it was like being a mixed in school.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/lenny-kravitz-race-biracial_n_3355448.html

SNAPSHOT: a true story of love interrupted by invasion

Fusing words, dance, music and film this story chronicles the quest of a mixed-race daughter from Southern Appalachia who eventually finds her homeless Vietnam Veteran father suffering in Hawaii. SNAPSHOT was nominated for BEST ACTRESS at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, special selection at: Cape Town Festival South Africa and International Women’s Festival Tornio Finland and recipient of: Brooklyn Arts Council Individual Artist Grant, and Kentucky Foundation for Women Arts Meets Activism Grant. See the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdNsYF6UJro

West Virginia PBS premiere Sunday November 10 at 8pm and Tuesday November 26 at 9pm

 

Find out more about this storyteller at: www.mitzisinnott.com

Eartha Kitt – Never Finds Her White Father

Eartha-kitt-face-sweater-eyes-light-485x728

The beautiful Eartha Kitt!

Did you know: She didn’t know her actual birthday until she was 71? She never knew who her father was?

Once she finally discovered her birth certificate she was allowed 15 minutes with it and her father’s name was blacked out.

Kitt died in 2008.  Her daughter said:  “She carried the scar of her rejection with her all her life. She was rejected for the colour of her skin ironically by both black and white.” Her daughter goes on to say: “To some extent, I think my arrival completed her because it gave her a family that she never had.”

Our mixed roots stories might have rejection, secrecy, and pain…telling and sharing our stories can provide healing.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/19/eartha-kitt-suffered-over-identity

Multi-talented Performer Alejandro T Acierto

Alejandro T. Acierto is an award winning performer.

“Alejandro T. Acierto is a musician and interdisciplinary artist whose innovative work in contemporary music, performance art, and art installation has led Time-Out New York to call him a “maverick.” He employs a multi-media aesthetic integrating music, sound, performance, and installation that explores notions of fluid identities and the slippages of cultural definitions.”

His next performance, Suspicious Package, is October 26th at 7:30pm in Brooklyn, NYC.

He will be in Saint Paul, MN November 5th and Chicago, IL  Nov 8th.

Learn more about this storyteller and his future performances at

http://alejandroacierto.com/

Aaron Samuels: Yarmulkes & Fitted Caps

from amazon.com

from amazon.com

Aaron is another performer that we got to meet at the 2012 Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival. His spoken word piece left the audience mesmerized. We are certain that this collection of poetry will have the same powerful impact on you.

From the Amazon website: Aaron Samuels, raised in Providence, Rhode Island by a Jewish mother and a Black father, is a Cave Canem Fellow and a nationally acclaimed performer. In this ground-breaking collection of poems, Samuels examines the beauty and contradictions of his own mixed identity with gut-wrenching narratives, humor, and passionate verve.

Here’s the Amazon link to purchase the book: http://www.amazon.com/Yarmulkes-Fitted-Caps-Aaron-Samuels/dp/1938912381

3rd Annual What Are You?

The Brooklyn Historical Society will be hosting the 3rd Annual What Are You? – A Discussion About Mixed Heritage event Saturday, November 9, 2013 at 2:00pm.

This year they will be discussing questions like: “How do we perform and display our identities? How does media, film, art, humor and photography shape and mediate mixed-race identity?”

Check out their great panel (including Toasted Marshmallows which we have featured on HERE‎). They will even have a special dance performance.

http://cbbg.brooklynhistory.org/blog/3rd-annual-what-are-you-discussion-about-mixed-heritage

This event is FREE! If you are on the East Coast…this is an event worth attending! It will be held at:

Great Hall, Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

August Wilson Monologue Competition – DEADLINE IS NEAR!!

This is a wonderful opportunity for high school aged storytellers (grades 10, 11, 12) in LA/Ventura/Orange/San Bernardino Counties. Students of all backgrounds and abilities are invited to apply – but the deadline is MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2013! Break a leg!

Click here for application materials: http://www.centertheatregroup.org/augustwilson?utm_source=mail2&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EmailSBOpeningNightPhotos

Mixed Roots Stories Partners with The Big Mix

 

logo-with_tm_url-01

Mixed Roots Stories is excited to be partnering with The Big Mix! (see our Partners page!)

The Big Mix (www.thebigmix.org) is a family, entertainment and education focused event featuring all forms of entertainment, celebrity appearances, media events, kids activities, mixed cultural cuisine, education platforms and public interest vehicles celebrating diversity and inclusion for all people.

The first Festival takes place August 22-24, 2014 in Richmond, VA. It will be a “major multicultural event, celebrating diversity, with a specific focus on the mixed American and blended Families. In subsequent years, more cities will be added, for a nationwide, simultaneous celebration.”

Mixed Roots Stories will be collaborating with The Big Mix and contributing to their cultural and family programming.

Spread the word, Visit their site, Plan to attend – The Big Mix!!