Join us for a panel discussion that will look closer at how BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists can move beyond grants to more sustainable, regenerative and community-driven options such as crowdfunding, micro-finance and earned income strategies.
Moderator: Candida Gonzalez (they/them)
Panelists: MaLLy (he/him), Ifrah Mansour (she/her), Sun Yung Shin (she/her) and Moira “Miri” Villiard (she/her)
Panelist: MaLLy (he/him)
Bio: MaLLy is an independent Hip-hop artist, educator and entrepreneur born and raised in south Minneapolis. MaLLy has released four critically acclaimed albums, received the McKnight Foundation Fellowship, has toured nationally and internationally with legendary rap acts Atmosphere and Brother Ali. MaLLy currently works for TruArtSpeaks as the Host for the Re-Verb Open Mic at Flava Cafe in St. Paul. MaLLy desires to connect, uplift and transform the lives of those who might listen to his work and recently dropped a brand new album entitled, The Sweetest of It All. Visit his website at https://www.mallympls.com/
Panelist: Ifrah Mansour (she/her)
Bio: Ifrah Mansour is a Somali, refugee, Muslim, multimedia artist and an educator. Her artwork explores trauma through the eyes of children to uncover the resiliencies of blacks, muslims, and refugees. She interweaves poetry, puppetry, films, and installations. She’s been featured in BBC, Vice, OkayAfrica, Star Tribune, and City Pages. Her critically-acclaimed, “How to Have Fun in a Civil War” premiered at Guthrie Theatre and toured to cities in greater Minnesota. Visit her Facebook page https://m.facebook.com/ifrahmansourart.
Panelist: Sun Yung Shin (she/her)
Bio: Sun Yung Shin (she/they) is a Korean-born poet, writer, and cultural worker. She is the author, or editor, of 11 published books and has been awarded fellowships and grants from the Bush Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Regional Arts Council, & MacDowell. Her work has received regional, national, and international recognition including a Minnesota Book Award, Society of Midland Authors Award, & others. She is the co-founder of Poetry Asylum with Su Hwang. Learn more at https://www.sunyungshin.com/.
Panelist: Moira “Miri” Villiard (she/her)
Bio: Moira “Miri” Villiard grew up on the Fond du Lac Reservation in Cloquet, MN and is a Fond du Lac direct descendent. Through public art collaborations across Minnesota, Villiard is a multidisciplinary artist who uses art to uplift underrepresented narratives, explore the nuance of society’s historical community intersections, and promote community healing spaces. She is proficient in a variety of artistic genres, but considers her primary medium to be space and people’s interactions with it. www.artbymoira.com
Moderator: Candida Gonzalez (they/them)
Bio: A Puerto Rican native of South Minneapolis, Candida Gonzalez is passionate about arts education, community engagement through the arts and equitable arts access. They have worked as an arts program coordinator, curator, arts integration educator, co-founded a national public art business in 2016 and now works as an arts consultant and independent artist. They enjoy helping artists visualize and reach for the next steps in their careers.
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