The need for this discussion arose from ALMA’s response to the April 7, 2017 Star Tribune article, West Side Story Ordway Center decided to grow local Latino talents.

Within our current Twin Cities arts community, there are artists wrestling with institutionalized methods of community development in an attempt to dismantle previous exclusionary practices.  

While welcoming new artists to “the room where it happens”, How do we ensure respectful working conditions?  How do we intersect, develop language, and establish theater that both represents and celebrates a community of artists?

Panelists will share experiences, challenges, and goals while working to foster a climate where conversation and inclusion can bring about a more vibrant theater scene in the Twin Cities.  

Panel Members 

Moderator: Kurt Kwan (Artistic Associate, Pillsbury House Theatre)

Hector Chavarria (Freelance Artist & Writer)

Jamie Grant (President and CEO, The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts)

H. Adam Harris (Professional Actor and Teaching Artist, Penumbra Theatre)

Michelle Hensley (Artistic Director, Ten Thousand Things)

Raúl Ramos (Resident Artist, Mixed Blood Theatre)

Beliza Torres Narvaez (Associate Theatre Professor, Augsburg College)

*Any additional changes will be updated.