Building Our Own Tables Podcast — Season 4

Season 4 of the Building Our Own Tables Podcast went live with a line-up of incredible founders of color of theatre organizations across the U.S. Hosted by LiberArte's CEO Yura Sapi and produced by HowlRound Theatre Commons, the show is a sonic journey of liberation: weaving together stories, music, and wisdom from global majority voices, as we build tables of justice, healing, and love for our collective future.

The podcast supports leaders along their journeys of creation for our collective liberation — medicine for those who are building our own, creating our own spaces that are healing, decolonizing, and leading from love. The experience is a combination of words, music, poetry, body-breath practices, meditations and visualizations, folks sharing their specific stories, science, history, and rituals.

The show centers voices of the global majority — Black, Brown, African, Indigenous, Native, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, Mestiza and dual or multi-race creators — as a solidarity and honoring of our unique cultural wisdoms as we work to build racial, social, and climate justice worldwide.

The podcast stems from Yura Sapi's experience as a multi-disciplinary theatre artist, creator and facilitator of initiatives, collectives, practices and organizations expanding beyond borders. Years ago, they were hearing about efforts for marginalized folks to "get a seat at the table" in decision making at arts organizations in the United States and decided they would rather build their own table. Knowing they were not alone, they looked to the community building and oral history recording of the podcast medium, and with the support of HowlRound, the Building Our Own Tables Podcast was born.

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Season Four Episodes

Episode 1 — Crafting a Global Table for Caribbean Voices with Magaly Colimon-Christopher (March 28, 2024): Conch Shell Productions founder Magaly Colimon-Christopher shares her journey establishing a global platform for Caribbean voices, navigating challenges and fostering collaboration to amplify underrepresented voices.

Episode 2 — Cultivating Abundance Through Community Care with Nicole C. Limón (April 4, 2024): Nicole C. Limón shares her origin story, from realizing her worth and breaking through societal invisibility in the theatre world to co-founding Movimiento Molcajete and birthing Matriarchy Theatre — a journey embodying resilience and community care.

Episode 3 — Theatre as Medicine with CJ Ochoco (April 11, 2024): CJ Ochoco traces her journey from pre-med student to theatre major and founder of Breaking Wave Theatre Company in Guam, exploring theatre as a healing space, the importance of community and accessibility, and reimagining organizations.

Episode 4 — Elevating Indigenous Perspectives with Rhiana Yazzie (April 18, 2024): Rhiana Yazzie shares her journey of founding New Native Theatre and the importance of Indigenous storytelling, reflecting on carving her own path while staying true to her cultural identity and values.

Episode 5 — Innovating Theatre with Tiffany Vega (May 2, 2024): From East Harlem to Evolution Management Consultants, Tiffany Vega highlights the power of authenticity, perseverance, and innovation in the theatre industry, challenging norms and fostering diversity.

Episode 6 — Breaking Boundaries with Jamil Khoury (May 9, 2024): Silk Road Cultural Center co-founder Jamil Khoury shares about navigating the landscape of storytelling post-9/11 — combating stereotypes, nurturing diverse voices, and evolving from live theatre to digital media.

Episode 7 — The Soul Work of Theatre with Sharia Benn (May 16, 2024): Sharia Benn, founder of Sankofa African American Theatre Company, shares her inspiring origin story and the challenges of fostering representation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's theatre scene.

Episode 8 — Redefining Success with Carla Stillwell (May 23, 2024): Carla Stillwell, founder of the Stillwell Institute for Contemporary Black Art, challenges the "starving artist" trope, offering tips to overcome scarcity mindsets and foster holistic, inclusive environments in theatre.

Episode 9 — Reclaiming Sovereignty in Theatre with Murielle Borst Tarrant (June 6, 2024): Native theatremaker and founder of Safe Harbors NYC, Murielle Borst Tarrant shares her journey and vision for supporting Indigenous performing arts, providing a creative sanctuary and advocating for cultural equity.

Episode 10 — From Perfectionism to Play with Malia'Kekia Nicolini (June 13, 2024): In the season four finale, Malia'Kekia, co-founder of B4 The Other Creations, explores how play and vulnerability drive transformational breakthroughs, emphasizing the power of releasing perfectionism and embracing the unknown.