Soyoung L Kim’s work blends several practices, including painting, sculpture, writing, stop motion animation, and performance. Her background as 교포 Gyopo, as part of the Korean diaspora, allows her to move freely across artistic disciplines to create new works that blend those disciplines and to break those boundaries. Her work is influenced by her own childhood of many moves and displacements and the many stories she has gathered over the three continents she has called home at various times in her life. As a young Korean girl growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, she listened to her parents tell her Korean folktales, as well as stories about the struggles of the Korean people, in their fight for independence from Japanese colonization, in the Korean War, and in the struggle to build a country after the devastation of the Korean War that divided the country. She was shaped by the harsh beauty of the Kenyan landscape and the stories of the British colonization and the struggles of the Kenyan people for independence. All of these experiences and stories inform Kim’s work that aims to transport us to a place of liberation, where we are free from colonization and the burdens of racism, fear and hate.   Follow Soyoung (@soyounglkim) for more information about her work and upcoming showcases.

Too Fat for China follows Phoebe Potts, comic storyteller and professional Jew, as she tries, fails and eventually succeeds to adopt a baby.  After a US adoption goes horribly wrong, Potts finds herself surprised, disgusted and ultimately resigned to the role she plays as a middle class white lady in the business of adopting babies in the US and internationally. Potts’ tragicomic journey is about looking for more, more love, more life and more family and will do anything to get it, including having her morals and values fold in on themselves. A native of Brooklyn, where everyone was indignant before breakfast, Potts learned to tell stories to get her family to like her and to understand thorny issues. In Too Fat for China, Potts uses humor and honesty to tell the irreverent story of the terrible things she did for love. Her comedic theater performance debuted on National Adoption Day, Nov. 23, 2019 and is a sequel to Potts’ graphic memoir, Good Eggs (Harper, 2010), which charts her travails with infertility and the endless rounds of treatments and miscarriages she and her husband endured. Roz Chast, the New Yorker cartoonist, called Potts’ memoir “sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but always honest, intelligent, and completely involving.” Potts’ day job is teaching and learning Torah with children and adults through “Visual Midrash.” Potts designed this class to help students who come from families who identify as Jewish to find a connection to the ancient texts for themselves by asking lotsa questions, and making art about the answers.   Potts lives with her family in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

In addition to being the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE), Jean Appolon is a successful choreographer and master teacher based in Boston and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Beginning in 2006, Appolon conceived and has since directed a free annual summer dance course in Port-au-Prince that serves young, aspiring Haitian dancers who do not have regular access to dance training. Appolon’s Boston-based Haitian Contemporary dance company has performed at major venues in Boston and has toured to Washington, DC and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. During our conversation with Jean, we talked about his serendipitous and full circle start with dancing, the emotional depths he mines with his company, the way women, in particular, inspire his artistry, education horror stories, and of course, his LAB funded project (Cultural Connections in Haitian Creole and Spanish) a collaborative dance project with Gerardina Halloran that highlights and celebrates the deep connections between Haitian and Dominican cultures. Dexter’s LAB is made possible by a partnership between the Boston Foundation and Dunamis.  To learn more about The Boston Foundation, visit www.tbf.org, follow on Instagram @bostonfdn and on Facebook at The Boston Foundation. You can follow Dunamis on all platforms @dunamisboston. or visit us at www.dunamisboston.org.

Naseem Alatrash is a Palestinian cellist, composer and educator, whose performances include a mix of improvisation and traditional Arabic music, jazz, and contemporary classical music influence. During our conversation, we talk about Naseem's cultural approach to music, the powerful and subversive work he does with his students, the transcendence that artists must strive towards, and the difficulties of discovering his artistic gifts while growing up in Palestine. We promise you'll be moved by this conversation.   Learn more about Naseem and his music here: https://www.alatrashmusic.com/ Follow Naseem on social media: - Twitter: @naseemalatrash - Facebook: @naseemalatrashcellist - Instagram: @naseemalatrash.cellist Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston

In what was arguably our most contemplative and philosophical episode yet, we spoke with Wendy Jehlen, founder and artistic director of Anikaya, about the artist as a storyteller, how her intercultural education and experiences shaped her artistry, and the inextricable interconnectedness of humanity.    Learn more about Anikaya Dance Theater at https://anikaya.org/. Follow Wendy/Anikaya Dance Theater on social media: - Twitter: @ANIKAYADance / @wendyjehlen - Instagram: @wendyjehlen / @anikaya.dance.theater - Facebook: @anikayadance   Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston

Karen Young and Taiko drums are the perfect pairing. Aside from the obvious cultural connection and celebration, Karen has made a practice of tackling issues much larger than herself while using all of herself. An inaugural Boston Artist in Residence, founder and director of the Genki Spark, Karen is a cultural artist, educator and organizer, who has - lucky for us - decided to call Boston home. In our conversation, we discussed culture, identity, community, creativity and better ways of going about our work.    Learn more about Karen and her work here: https://karensusanyoung.com/ Follow Genki Spark on social media: - Facebook: @thegenkispark - Instagram: @thegenkispark   Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston

Salsa dancer, artist, serial entrepreneur, advocate and so much more Ana Masacote's work is rooted in bringing cross cultural communities together and sparking conversations through the arts. During our conversation together, we discussed her project Queer Bodies in Motion, as well as reconciling multiple passions in order to build your own constellations, when to lean in versus when to pivot, Doug from the movie "Up", ownership versus delegation, and how creativity is really nothing more than intuition.   Learn more about Ana and her work at https://www.anamasacote.com/. Follow her on social media: - Twitter: @AnaMasacote - Instagram: @anamasacote - Facebook: @anamasacote   Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston

A poet, writer, advocate and activist, Yvette Modestin is someone you should know, if only because she's been listed as one of the 30 Afro Latinas You Should Know. Internationally respected for her powerful voice and unshakable authenticity, I had the privilege to sit with Yvette as we discussed purpose, missions based in love, Blackness, and of course, hair.   Follow Yvette on social media: Instagram: @soulfulafro / @thehairstoryproject Twitter: @soulfulafro / #TheHairStoryProject   Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston

Percussionist, composer, public artist, educator and arts entrepreneur, Maria Finkelmeier has spent her whole life asking questions she's only now getting the answers to. A chronic disruptor, Maria's work is about reaching unusual audiences and unusual spaces in unusual ways - all while asking why any of this is unusual to begin with. During our conversation with Maria, we discuss rules, who makes them and the joy of breaking them, sexism in the industry, artificial intelligence and the role it can play in storytelling, and so much more. Follow Maria on social media: - Twitter: @mariafinkperc - Instagram: @mariafinkperc - Facebook: @MFDynamics   Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston

The National Museum of American History describes the cuatro as a five double string guitar-like instrument used to play música jíbara, Puerto Rican country music. On this episode of Dexter's L.A.B, J. Cottle speaks with Fabiola Méndez, an amazing musician whose primary instrument also happens to be the national instrument of Puerto Rico. They discuss Fabiola's culture and identity, her process and perspective as a Cuatrista, composer and educator. They also talk about adapting other works for the musical medium and embracing tradition, while also moving it forward.   Learn more about Fabiola Méndez and her music at https://www.fabiolamendezmusic.com/.   Follow Fabiola on social media: - Facebook: @FabiolaMendezMusic - Instagram: @fabiolamari20 - Explore her music on Spotify!   Learn more about Live Arts Boston at www.tbf.org/LAB. Learn more about the Boston Foundation at www.tbf/org. Learn more about Dunamis at www.dunamisboston.org.    Follow us! - Twitter: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Instagram: @bostonfdn / @dunamisboston - Facebook: @TheBostonFoundation / @dunamisboston - LinkedIn: The Boston Foundation / Dunamis Boston