Our podcasts are for those in recovery, survivors, and the everyday people who wish to be inspired by local/traditional artists who reveal their art, how they came to be, challenges (including those of intersectionality), and their current community outreach. Twitter @BRainbowCenter This work is funded by TAASA on behalf of the Department of Justice.
“For one thing, I personally have an issue withhyper-intellectualizing my feelings.” Same Gus, same.
“You know I just kind of describe myself as like a spark plug, youknow where I'm just igniting energy.” That's just the kind of person you wantas a friend for exploring a new place and for learning about the healing powerof journaling. J'Hana explains in her irreverent and firecracker way howjournaling has helped her overcome and address profound traumas in her life.
Avery once told me that sports are not art. Leave it to Curtis Clay to challenge Avery on this – Curtis said he wanted to “have a conversation with Avery” about this. A former college football player with a brief period with Dallas Cowboys, Curtis has used his love and knowledge of sports to be a mentor for men and boys, encouraging them not to get stuck in the “man box” of masculinity
See a public art project in El Paso? Chances are Ben Fyffe hashelped foster its development. Fresh off the triumph of the years-long in theplanning opening of the Mexican American Center in downtown El Paso, Bendiscusses his work on behalf of the city in fostering art projects. He's theart connoisseur and munipal patron of the arts we all want to be when we growup.
Ryan Rox has found her stride. Fresh off the film festival circuitafter the debut of her most recent movie, Hidden Flora, this Borderlandfilm-maker and actor talks about (finally) finding her place. “A lot ofwhat we do at Femme Frontera [is] helping women and gender expansive, people ofcolor, from our region who don't have even the idea that they can do the thingsthat they can do.”
A self-described tough bird – or did she say broad? – Jan coinedthe term “theatrician” to describe her test of Jacqueline-of-all-tradesapproach to the theater. “For me it was walking into another world – theability to leave behind that which I was dealing with and walk into a wholeother world. I needed that validation – that audience validation – I needed thereinforcement of the community that was being built.”
Turning up the star power wattage, Courtney Santana lights upevery stage she ascends. Her evoluton as a singer / songwriter springs from alove for expressing herself through song. “I don't trust anybody that says theydon't like music. That's weird.” And her activism for survivors of intimatepartner violence comes from her lived experience. “Every day that you get outof the hands of your abusive situation is another day to grow – another day tomake a change for yourself for the better.”
Patrick Gabaldon was born and raised in the Sun City of El Paso, Texas. His passion in art began after returning home to the vibrant color and vast expanse of the desert sky. His time away gave him a new perspective on the often forgotten west Texas desert.
Fearless Puertoriqueno and actor, Christian's path from theCarribean to the Mesilla Valley helps inform his growth as a community theateractor. “[Acting] is like role play and exposure therapy all in one. Andthis is coming from somebody, who as you know…I was appearing in my underwearon stage in front of people.”
Bodybuilder and survivor and resilience expert, Davina Licon impresses and inspires with her journey of recovery after experiencing violence. She uses physical exercise and the art of body building and an amazing attitude. “I think that if you have the discipline to stick with something so challenging, it will show in other areas of your life.”
Infectious, charming and all around cool lady, Marina Monsisvais doles out thoughtful and funny truth bombs in discussing her love of music, spinning records and throwing pottery. And find out how she uses funky and cool hair to support her own and others' healing: “The universe responds beautifully to things that are authentic.”
Noted and awarded podcaster, story teller and all around sensitive smarty, Stephanie Valle has made a career of reporting on some of the Borderland's most intense traumas. She shares wisdom on working through these traumas while also finding a path to self-care. “As much as the Border is a different place, it's also like everywhere else.”
Singer, songwriter, and former El Pasoan living in Nashville, Blu Sanders' throws out plenty of quotable wisdom in discussing his arts and how they have helped him and others heal. “Art is how you describe the world” – sounds like a line in a song.
Cruncle Aaron and Nephew Avery get together to talk about our plan for the re-booted Season 1 of Healing Arts from the Borderland Podcast. What does art mean to Avery? What are the three questions? What the heck is a “Cruncle”?
Join us with healer and yogi Karessa, creator of the Wholistic Mercado, as she explains the lessons in her life; evolving her acceptance and understanding through facing the truth and having faith. Karessa demonstrates a kindness towards her being, her lessons, and her faith in the community she serves doing the same with a little bit of guidance.
Join us with Celia Aguilar storyteller through writing, poetry, music, and acting, as she reviews her journey of connection, strength, and reconnecting to her indigenous heritage despite stigma. Celia continues to grow her stories pending a manuscript and by connecting to additional organizations that uplift through music.
Join us with Ome Tlatoc tattoos and agriculturalist as he describes the healing he does towards the stigma of tattooing, his active decolonization journey, and how his culture influenced his art of tattooing.
Meet Maria R Perez, activist and wordsmith as she describes her life as a Mexican-American woman with disabilities and how it has given her many opportunities to empower people through language and connection.
Join us with artist, activist, and essayist KB Brookins through their journey of discovering themselves in literature and poetry as they deconstruct the gender binary, societal expectation and stereotypes. Experience their empowerment in their identity of being a queer, Black, non-binary, transmasculine person who actively seeks to helps others speak their truths, write themselves into history, and take on their own strength in their identity and wounds. #cw: sexual trauma
Valerie Rivas discusses the lessons in her life and how her intuition protected her, introspection allowed her to heal and start an incredible journey of utilizing herbs to help her community. She has gentleness in her approach, and in caring for plants, she honors lessons in every type of situation and not take on the weight of expectation. She speaks of medicine being everywhere in both plants and experiences.
Kaelin Li discusses her life as an international adoptee from China during the 90s and how it influenced her life experiences, art, identity, as well as recognizing the harmful impacts of stereotypes within her community. As graceful as her dancing, Kaelin inspires by knowing she will be legislator later but is making impact now through film, dance, and her being herself. #StopAsianHate
Join us with Jacqueline Recendez as she grows into herself as a Latina lesbian muralist. She describes the obstacles in her life demonstrating an art of resiliency, strength, and allowing others to know they can do the same. Despite challenges, Jackie offers confidence, pride, and beauty in this world through the murals she makes and the story she carries
Join us with Jackie Barragan an Indigenous Mexican-American who continues her ancestral ties through art, filmmaking, and ceremonial practice. Jackie discusses generation trauma experiencing sexual oppression and being inspired to heal using multiple modalities to express and bring awareness to a better tomorrow as survivors.
Join us on a journey through perspective where Lori Edwards discusses her 3 lives: as an adopted child, a young mother to a an ill child while being an EMT, her new life with her family having a transgender child, and how her experiences have allowed her to build community wherever she goes. She copes through writing, reading, and allowing herself to continue to grow from experiences that are not just her own.
Aida is an artist that host a one woman show revealing her trauma and having participants reflect. In this episode gives insight into her own life on how her journey has lead her to heal through art, heal others, as well as reconnect to how she identifies.
Angie Michelle Barraza is a painter and has used art to help her navigate through her struggles from grade school as well as an adult. She expresses her struggles in having been groomed by an older boy during her youth, being mixed-race here in the borderland (Afro-Latina and Spanish speaking) as well as reevaluating her life while she was healing from her trauma. Angie Michelle Barraza now utilizes her art to enhance other artists voices in now being a member of the Arts Association as well as putting forward an artist of the week. Check out her Healing Arts podcast coming up this week! Our podcasts are for those in recovery, survivors, and the everyday people who wish to be inspired by local/traditional artists who reveal their art, how they came to be, challenges (including those of intersectionality), and their current community outreach. #healingwithheart #recovery #sexualassaultawarenessmonth #inspiration #hope #healing #resilient #mentahealth #healingtrauma #healingtraumaintheborderlands #contentwarning borderlandrainbow.org/hstb
Listen to Sandra Ramirez's journey of how she expresses her body through dance, her struggle in gender expression as a cis-gendered woman, an eating disorder, and what it means to "have the body of a dancer".
Take a listen through a journey of resiliency in which our artist, Gabrielle Lennon, tells about her life, her mental health journey of recovery, overcoming blocks, and ultimately sharing her knowledge as a writer/actor to the community. There is mention of her suicidal ideation/tendencies as well as sexual harassment." Our podcasts are for those in recovery, survivors, and the everyday people who wish to be inspired by local/traditional artists who reveal their art, how they came to be, challenges (including those of intersectionality), and their current community outreach. #healingwithheart #recovery #sexualassaultawarenessmonth #inspiration #hope #healing #resilient #mentahealth #healingtrauma #healingtraumaintheborderlands #contentwarning
Norman grew up Black and Gay, from a Black Church family, attending Catholic Schools in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago. Bullied by family beliefs and expectations, and called a f@g in grade school when he didn't even know what it meant, Norman's journey led him to multiple unsafe situations. Now he has learned to take what has always been unique about himself and he is celebrating it, and encouraging others to find their “unicorn” power! This podcast is part of a project by the Borderland Rainbow Center in El Paso, Texas to bring non-traditional Queer, Intersectional healing arts to survivors of trauma. https://www.borderlandrainbow.org/ Facebook @borderlandrainbowcenter Instagram @borderlandrainbowcenter Twitter @BRainbowCenter YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa4GRplymPUJBnfEn9zbPJg Contact Brian@RainbowBorderland.org This work is funded by TAASA on behalf of the Department of Justice.
In his youth Joseph, like nearly all of us, absorbed harmful narratives and beliefs about himself. These beliefs that we are not worthy lead to all kinds of self-destructive behaviors. And the limitless taboos that society invents to shame and terrorize us only make it worse. Joseph found recovery from addiction, and he found his authentic self, his “superhero powers,” when he left unhelpful beliefs and narratives behind. Joseph fInds recovery from trauma, and he gains love and success. But his greatest gift is knowing himself and being proud of who he is, and the life he leads. This podcast is part of a project by the Borderland Rainbow Center in El Paso, Texas to bring non-traditional Queer, Intersectional healing arts to survivors of trauma. https://www.borderlandrainbow.org/ Facebook @borderlandrainbowcenter Instagram @borderlandrainbowcenter Twitter @BRainbowCenter YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa4GRplymPUJBnfEn9zbPJg Contact Brian@RainbowBorderland.org This work is funded by TAASA on behalf of the Department of Justice.
In his youth Joseph, like nearly all of us, absorbed harmful narratives and beliefs about himself. These beliefs that we are not worthy lead to all kinds of self-destructive behaviors. And the limitless taboos that society invents to shame and terrorize us only make it worse. Joseph found recovery from addiction, and he found his authentic self, his “superhero powers,” when he left unhelpful beliefs and narratives behind. Joseph fInds recovery from trauma, and he gains love and success. But his greatest gift is knowing himself and being proud of who he is, and the life he leads. This podcast is part of a project by the Borderland Rainbow Center in El Paso, Texas to bring non-traditional Queer, Intersectional healing arts to survivors of trauma. https://www.borderlandrainbow.org/ Facebook @borderlandrainbowcenter Instagram @borderlandrainbowcenter Twitter @BRainbowCenter YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa4GRplymPUJBnfEn9zbPJg Contact Brian@RainbowBorderland.org This work is funded by TAASA on behalf of the Department of Justice.
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