This year was a year of beautiful collaborations, of deepening relationships, and of collective envisioning. One of the highlights for me this year were the three different collaborations that were supported via the Culver City Grant we received this year. As programming director I was tasked and challenged with driving forward and producing three events with of course the support of our whole incredible CONTRA-TIEMPO team and in partnership with Teapot L.A/ Folktales and Fire, Self-Help Graphics, and Project Knucklehead/Afro-Unidad. These projects challenged me and deepened my growth within my programming role. As I look back to what we all made happen, how we worked and supported each other in the process, and what it took for an idea to come to full fruition... I can't help but smile a big smile!! We created magic together!

From an evening of storytelling, tea, and dancing as the sun came down at Veteran's Park with Teapot L.A./Folktales and Fire in June, to a morning/afternoon with a site specific performance offering followed by creating visual art with Self-Help Graphics in the beautiful garden of The Wende Museum in September, to a night that felt like a tiny desk concert with the incredible musician artists of Project Knucklehead/Afro Unidad followed by a community conversation about anti-blackness in latinidad that was then wrapped up with more dancing/singing and a call to action offering by the Mayor of Culver City in November.

As I reminisce about these three events and how special each one was and the seed they have planted and the community they brought together - it excites me to know and feel how in alignment all of the collaborators, artists, organizations, community and venues that made this all happen are to each other and the possibilities for us all to continue deepening our relationships and creating more magic and meaningful projects together in the future.

🌻🌻🌻,

Jannet