Building Our Own Tables Podcast — Season 3

Season 3 of Building Our Own Tables offered medicinal media experiences, co-produced by HowlRound Theatre Commons and Advancing Arts Forward, a project of LiberArte. Hosted by creator and producer Yura Sapi, the season featured artists, leaders, organizers, and above all, creators who've built their own table, each valuing the importance of community.

Throughout the season, listeners heard a combination of words, music, poetry, breathing practices, meditations and visualizations, story sharing, science, history, and ritual — learning from visionaries who have built their own tables and receiving gems of wisdom.

Guests included casting director Victor Vazquez, playwright Kelundra Smith, arts critic Jose Solís, Tierra Allen, Mica Rose, and Abundance Zaddy with interviews of community members in Cause Reign, alongside Nandani Devi, an artist and healing arts practitioner sharing practices for the decolonizing, anti-racist healing journey.

Season 3 was released on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, with transcripts available on HowlRound.com.

"Season 3 of Building Our Own Tables is a must-listen for anyone interested in the theatre industry and the experiences of artists and arts professionals of color," says Yura Sapi, CEO of LiberArte. "We're thrilled to have such an amazing lineup of guests this season and we're grateful for the support of our listeners and donors. With your help, we can continue to create high-quality content that uplifts and empowers artists and arts professionals of color."

Season Three Episodes

Episode 1 — Welcome to Season Three with Yura Sapi (January 11, 2023): Yura Sapi opens the space with a gratitude ritual and shares about what's to come on the new season. Topics include evolutionary times, the four elements, and sounds of nature.

Episode 2 — Fill Your Cup with Abundance Zaddy (January 18, 2023): Abundance Zaddy joins Yura Sapi to talk about creating Cause Reign, an oral history project that connects Black people — with a focus on Black trans and queer folks — to their histories through dreamwork. Topics include prioritizing love and sweetness, transcending time, and asking for consent.

Episode 3 — Use Your Voice with Jose Solís (January 25, 2023): Jose Solís discusses creating the BIPOC Critics Lab and co-creating the Token Theatre Friends podcast-webseries. Topics include finding beauty in the internet, how a metaphorical grain of sand can change the world, and a tarot reading for the first three months of 2023.

Episode 4 — Blessings with Brittani Samuel (February 1, 2023): Edward Medina Prize winner Brittani Samuel shares her experience building her own table as a theatre critic. Topics include choosing joy every day, being a child of immigrants, and a shared meditation practice.

Episode 5 — Imagining with Victor Vazquez (February 8, 2023): Victor Vazquez shares his experience creating X Casting, a casting company spanning theatre and film through a shared purpose of collective liberation and anti-racism. Topics include our role in the political landscape, globalism, and a curiosity for generous solutions.

Episode 6 — Find Your Dream Team with Christiamilda Correa (February 23, 2023): Christiamilda Correa discusses creating LiberArte, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to racial, social, and climate justice worldwide; the Strategic Planning Institute; and NYU Latinx Alumni. Topics include writing prompts, seeking out spaces to find community, and transforming challenges.

Episode 7 — Trust Your Gifts with Kelundra Smith (March 1, 2023): Kelundra Smith discusses building her own table as a playwright and shares the process and inspiration behind some of her latest works. Topics include affirmations, changing hierarchical structures, and moving beyond a sense of urgency.

Episode 8 — Transform Yourself with Tierra Allen (March 8, 2023): Tierra Allen shares about creating The Real Work, a podcast about theatre culture and transformative justice co-produced with We Rise Production. Topics include learning from non-humans, sharing poems and songs, and being the change.

Episode 9 — Full of Wonder with Mica Rose (March 15, 2023): Theatremaker Mica Rose shares about co-creating Asian American Theatre Artists of Boston. Topics include moving from morning routine to waking ritual, the power of circles and cycles, and a grounding meditation.