Podcast Interview:
The Role of Artists and Cultural workers in Social Movements
Elizabeth Rivera and Yassnonymous of Soulidarity Wave and Jessward Docena organizers of Anakbayan East Bay - The National Chapter of Filipino Youth & Students for National Democracy in The Philippines shared on the Free Lunch for Actors Podcast hosted by Netflix actor Ed Moreno. They talked about their mission as Activists and Artists and finished off with a Soulidarity Wave performance set on the podcast!
Documentary: Artivism in the Bay Area
Aiming to explore the intersection of art and social justice, myself and fellow UC Berkeley students have conducted a series of interviews of artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. The purpose of this research project was to analyze how artivists’(artist and activist) who identify as a person of color, use their work as a form of resistance and its impact on their targeted communities. We aimed to discover why people choose art as their tool for activism and the role their work plays in current social movements.
featured artists: Jarivs Subia, Sammay Dizon. Mel Sukurada Nicholas Jimenez
Teaching and Facilitation
Through Elizabeth’s organizing and coordinating experience, she has educated youth, and the broader community about indigenous history about indigenous issues through art.
In 2019-2020, Elizabeth taught Filiipinx Dance education at AYPAL (Asian Pacific Youth Promoting Advocacy and Leadership), a leadership development, community organizing and coalition building organization that seeks to create healthy, safe, and thriving communities. AYPAL’s mission is to empower Oakland’s low-income Asian & Pacific Islander immigrant and refugee families to be leaders for school reform and neighborhood change
These dances were showcased in front of audiences at the annual May Arts Festival held in Chinatown, Oakland.
Since 2012, Elizabeth has consecutively performed in the annual production show Pilipinx Cultural Night (PCN). PCN is a annual tradition in many colleges and high schools across the nation that celebrate and showcase Pilipinx culture and history. I performed in PCN from my freshman year of high school, til my last year of undergraduate school at UC Berkeley.
She learned from cultural bearers and teachers with direct connections from the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Philippines, honoring the Manobo, Tausug, and Cordillera indigenous tribes.
From 2017-2019, Elizabeth served as Cultural Director and organized student dancers and professional instrumentalists. She coordinated with 5 different Bay Area Filipinx dance organizations to ensure 70+ performers showcased culturally accurate clothing, music and dance on stage.
