S2 E5 with Micah & Ray

Any Other Anythings?

Episode Overview: In this episode Ray and Micah discuss: Paving your own way as an artist when doors are closed otherwise; Working as a full time artist later in your life; and accessibility and differences working as artists in the autistic and African-American communities

More about the speakers:

Ray is a performer, creative, disabled artist, and trauma informed survivor of domestic, physical, and gang violence. Partially raised in foster care, healing, culinary and performing arts was a way to escape a very tragic home life as a child, which turned into advocation and a passion as a later, medically retired adult. Education background includes child psychology, child development, alcohol and drug counseling, broadcast media relations, culinary arts, performance arts, choirs/choir directing, performance including theatrical and performing on drill/majorette dance teams as well as church praise and worship/lethargic/interpretational dance teams, abnormal psychology, criminal Justice and holistic wellness life coaching.Future plans and goals are to expand in Radio/music arts, healing arts and performance arts, including working with children from marginalized communities interested in using the arts as a form of diversion from gang violence, childhood abuse, expression, Autistic arts, working with foster children, youth in the juvenile system, youth and young adult healing, dealing with bullying and as a career.

Micah Jondel DeShazer (micahjondel.com) is a newly established artistic leader and performer in the Ottawa community. He kicked off his career over the last 15 years, working in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, Madison, and now in Canada has developed him into an accomplished actor (2018 ariZoni award - Best Actor), director (nominated for 2022 Prix Rideau award; Puzzles), artistic leader and educator. Micah is specifically drawn to bridging the unique experiences of BIPOC, Anglo-Saxon, LGBTQIA+ & religious individuals finding commonality and understanding through the forging of a passionate collective dedicated to multidisciplinary collaboration in pursuit of radical transformation throughout the artistic world.

Producing Company Bio: Grey Box Collective (GBC) devises interdisciplinary, experimental, and post-dramatic work about social and emotional wellbeing (i.e. we make weird art about tough stuff). GBC finds innovative ways of exploring, challenging, and igniting difficult conversations. This is achieved by living in the messy grey areas of life and tackling socially relevant topics such as hate, shame, sexual violence, depression, and anxiety. GBC was founded in 2016 by Molly W. Schenck. Since then, GBC has produced over 20 new works, created by nearly 100 artists, and partnered with a dozen local organizations. GBC has presented work at the Boulder Fringe Festival, the Network of Ensemble Theaters’ annual conference, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and at the Phoenix Center of the Arts while in residency with nue[BOX]. In response to the pandemic, GBC expanded it’s digital offerings by hosting virtual workshops on Trauma-Informed Creative Practices, opening an online store with devising tools, and launching a podcast. For more information, sign up for GBC’s newsletter, check out GBC’s website, and follow GBC on social media.

Links to more about Grey Box Collective:

https://www.greyboxcollective.com/

https://www.greyboxcollective.com/podcast

https://www.greyboxcollective.com/shop

https://www.greyboxcollective.com/product-page/introduction-to-trauma-informed-creative-practices

https://www.greyboxcollective.com/newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/GreyBoxCollective/

https://www.instagram.com/grey_box_collective/

https://www.instagram.com/traumainformedcreativepractice/

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