Intersectional Arts and Culture-Work
My practice of culture-work or bridge-work, was born out of my cultural legacies and identities emerging as a tool to connect with a greater sense of wholeness, creativity, and community. I facilitate community building and transformation through a practice of radical empathy, imagination, dharma, and free artistic expression. Central to my facilitations and practice is the belief that every being can contribute meaningfully to the cessation of suffering for all beings everywhere, including themselves.
Featured in Lilith Magazine as "Black Jewish Women Artists you should know," my art, ritual-leading, teaching and facilitation work has been featured at Drexel University, Kripalu Retreat Center, Jewish Theological Seminary, National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE), The Spirit of Humanity Festival, LAB/Shul, The Braid Theater, Jewish Voice for Peace, Project Shema--Black Jewish storytelling workshop, Reboot, Jews for reproductive rights, Exploring the Narrative, The Make Good Project, in schools, synagogues, theaters, and many other hubs for arts, culture, and social change.
In the last 3 years I have been touring, traveling and facilitating with groups and projects (some of which are positioned as oppositional), to add deeper complexity to the landscape of my work and it's potential for healing across divides and in a time of deep crisis.
Member of the Black Jewish Liberation Collective. Fellowships include New Jewish Culture Fellowship, LABA NY, The Workshop, B'Yachad Educator, and Rabbinic Arts fellowship. Recipient of a Covenant grant through "Exploring Black Narratives" for co-designing and teaching an educational unit with a program that brings Black narrative plays to Jewish day schools on "Fires in the Mirror".
Highlights of Story Doula work with Fearless Communicators:
"Vision into Power" cohort of change-making non-profits created by Kerry Washington, CNN Heroes storytelling,
"Daughters" film on Netflix press tour, "If These Scars Could Talk" book launch, Philanthropic storytelling with Maverick Collective, and working with many individuals on their books, brands, thought leadership, TED Talks and other public speaking events.
This "sound sculpture" weaves personal loss and collective grief in the fight for racial justice after the murder of George Floyd.
Text: Rebecca S'manga Frank
Original sound and music: Avi Amon
Rabbinic dramaturgy: Rabbi Kendell Pinkney.
(it is recommended that people wear headphones)
Culture- Working Writing and Performing : (select credits)
Grief Peace (monologue) "Force of Habit" (2024) at The Braid theatre, and many other spaces
Guest Artist Residency w/ Avi Amon USDAN camp for the arts (installation and musical storytelling project)
Written in Stone (art installation) Naming the Lost Covid Memorial Project NYC at Greenwood Cemetery
The Non Monog-ologues (documentary theater) The 14th st Y, Jewish Theological Seminary, and CBE (solo show)
The Blewish Dybbuk Project (play/film) The Workshop salon at the JCC Manhattan, Reboot screening
3 Questions (film) LABA LIVE
The Great Mother (culture play) Rosh Hashanah 2023, LAB/Shul Maven
Where is the Goat? (culture play) Yom Kippur 2021, LAB/Shul Maven
not all at once (audio monologue) music by Avi Amon. JTS, LAB/Shul, Avodah, Ammud, USCJ, JCC, UJA
Shakespeare than Fiction (play) NYU Tisch Freeplay. Development at Alter Theatre
A Psalm for Racial Justice (spiritual poem) Hillel International, various publications
A Psalm for Juneteenth (spiritual poem) Be’chol Lashon, various publications
I Know Nothing About Tisha B’av (essay) Lilith Magazine
Beyond Exodus (essay) Lilith Magazine
Shakespeare than Fiction (play) Alter Theatre, Freeplay Festival
Havdalah Ritual Leading Reboot, and upcoming feature in exhibition by Ella Cooper
Coaching:
Storytelling workshops and facilitations designed by me-
(some past workshops): Personal Storytelling, Black Jewish Storytelling, The Written Breath, Writing into our Dissent, Jewish Bridgework around Anti-Semitism and Racism, Stories of Legacy, Intersectional Storytelling and Weaving,
Grief and Storytelling (with New York Theatre Workshop)
Fearless Communicators Story Doula, Public Speaking Coach and workshop facilitator, 2020 - present.
Acting Coach (auditions, grad school auditions, scene work, Shakespeare).
Corporate Coaching and Role Play with Bi-Jingo 2022-present.
Teaching:
Kriplau Retreat Center Fall Writing Series- Creative writing instructor 2023, 2024, 2025
Make Good Project- Facilitating creative writing in Killivipen Black Women's writing retreat in Massachusetts 2023, at Kripalu 2024, "Do the Write Thing" Sunday writing at the Harlem Dream Center 2025
Exploring Black Narratives- Teaching Black plays in Jewish Day schools all over New York, and lesson planning, 2021 - current
*Recipient of a Covenant Grant
Putney Student Travel creative writing instructor, Dublin, Ireland 2022 and Castleton College, Vermont 2021
Teaching Creative Writing "Improv and Imagination" at USDAN Adult Camp 2023.
Teen Theatre Monologue Camp JCC Global, monologue writing, acting and performance, Spring 2021
Shakespeare Workshop Contra Costa School of the Performing Arts.
Directing and Assistant Directing:
A Moving Picture (29 hour reading) The Jewish Play Project
Romeo and Juliet (full production) Queen Mab Productions / Brooklyn Preserve Artspace Church, Oakland, CA
Bloom by Marco Antonio Rodriguez Quicksilver Theatre Company, Citizen One Reading Series
The Only One by Christina Nieves QTC's Playwrights of Color Retreat and “Go to the River Festival” at EST
Shakespeare than Fiction (Writer & Director) Freeplay Festival Grad Acting, NYU Tisch
Nat Turner in Jerusalem by Nathan Alan Davis New York Theatre Workshop / AD for Megan Sandberg-Zakian
Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston California Shakespeare Company / AD for Patricia McGregor
Fellowships:
The Rabbinic Arts Fellowship (current)
The Workshop inaugural cohort and alumni cohort 2002, 2024/25
B’Yachad Educator Fellow, 2021-2022
LABA Fellow at the 14th St. Y 2021-2022
New Jewish Culture Fellow with Brooklyn Jews 2021-2022