Surviving The City

Have you ever chatted with someone who pushed you to consider what it means to go after your creative projects day in and day while staying true to yourself and your values? Is that even possible? And, what does it really look like to grow and evolve your craft with integrity especially in the comedy scene? In this episode, we hear from Gabe Pacheco, a thought-provoking storyteller, performer, podcaster and comic with over a decade of experience performing comedy all over the city and country. As you’ll come to understand through this conversation, Gabe has a strong sense of values and we often felt like we were chatting with a local philosopher. Topics in this episode include: The origins of Gabe’s podcast “Halal Cartels” with co-hostSameer NaseemWhat it means to be in his “third childhood” and on “the bleeding edge of progress”The importance of incorporating “grace” into your philosophy as a creativeThe hustle in comedy and how part of showing up consistently is surrounding yourself with others who aspire to be betterHow Gabe landed the gig co-hosting a weekly comedy show at Pete’s Candy StoreHaving an ideology before you start to put yourself out there and knowing the boundaries you won’t crossThe emergence of transphobia on the comedy sceneWhy it’s important not to hold performers to their past selves and leaving space open for self-critique and growthReflecting on mistakes Gabe has made on stageWillingness to abandon a fan base to speak your truthUnderstanding who the gatekeepers are and whether or not your message aligns with theirs as a metric for whether or not you should keep your day jobTraversing anti-capitalist topics on stage with audiences outside of BrooklynWhy it’s important to build, invite and create your community vs waiting for your community to appear Psychedelics and personal growthWhat he loves about living in the city and the connection to peopleHow he hates the struggle required for so many to live and stay hereWhat utopia of a living situation looks like and means to GabeWhy the movie Blade Runner helped shape his world view Keep up with Gabe’s work here or by connecting with him on Instagram or Twitter. You can also follow his weekly comedy show on IG Funhouse Comedy. And finally, definitely check out his podcast Halal Cartels! Listen to more Surviving The City podcast episodes by following this link. And don’t forget to connect with us on Instagram.

Have you ever sat with someone who made you feel like going after your creative dreams wasn’t “crazy”? Like a bigger life for you was more possible? How does a licensed psychotherapist and transformational life coach really get you to change your life and follow your big creative dreams? And what would someone like this say to the critical thinker in all of us that gawks at the idea of following our dreams when considering all of the real pain and oppression that exists in our world? In this episode, we hear from therapist, life coach and healer Cynthia Santiago-Borbón with over two decades of practice in the field. As you’ll come to understand through this conversation, Cynthia is not a pie in the sky ungrounded dreamer. No, her work is deeply rooted in anti-oppression, equity and liberation. Topics in this episode include: How transformation happens with clients that Cynthia has worked withSustaining long term changeShifting from “what’s wrong with you” to “what’s right with you”Tapping into your gifts and “purpose” and the clues along the wayUnderstanding where choice is at play in our livesThe power of the supportive morning routineWhy self-work is essential to connecting to your joyWhy connecting to your joy is important for creating the world we want to live in and not the privileged perspective we might think it isWhat brings Cynthia to healing workPutting manifestation in context and understanding both its power and limitations Keep up with Cynthia’s work here or by connecting with her on Instagram or Facebook. Listen to more Surviving The City podcast episodes by following this link. And connect with us on Instagram.

Many of us clock in and clock out when it comes to working on our creative projects. However, in episode 27 Vicky and Key chat with Chiquita Brujita, a third generation Nuyorican bruja and magic maker, who embodies her art day in and day out as a performance artist. Chiquita’s life has led her down a path of performance and nurturing the souls of those around her. She uses dance and the energy of community to bring people together in a celebration of the once taboo culture of brujería. In this episode, Chiquita shares her exciting but unplanned career path that features tarot readings, building altars in the club, and founding the Brooklyn Brujería Festival in 2018. You’ll also hear why you should consider letting life lead you, the power of manifestation, and using joy as medicine. Tune in for a magical conversation on cultivating a life and community through your art! Topics discussed in this episode: Chiquita on having a multi-faceted careerWhat being a performance artist means“Magic is fucking real”Fostering communityBeing a creative and working a 9-5The evolution to the Brooklyn Brujería FestivalBuilding altars and dance floors as sacred spaces Follow Chiquita Brujita on Instagram and check out her website for all this magic! http://www.chiquitabrujita.com Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram.

Creative Projects & Non-Attachment Episode 26 What happens when your passion for a creative project turns into an obsession over the outcome? How can we practice non-attachment to our creative goals while still maintaining our drive and focus? Luckily, this doesn’t mean giving up all your worldly possessions and moving to a cave off the grid. Despite the image it conjures, practicing non-attachment is a whole lot less New Age-y than you might think! Today, on Surviving the City, we explore the practical side of non-attachment as it relates to goal setting in your creative projects and how you can benefit from finding fulfillment at every stage of your creative journey, instead of fixating on the outcomes of your creative endeavors. Join us as we reflect on our own journeys of tying our self-worth to our artistic output, the identity crisis sparked in each of us, and some of the ways that we have learned to separate affirmation from achievement and allow our creative projects to nourish us rather than stress us out. To learn how you can practice ‘passionate non-attachment’ to give you a better quality of life and a sense of peace as you pursue your creative goals, tune in today! Topics discussed in this episode: Why practicing non-attachment is less woo-woo than it seemsCorrelations between attachment, fixation, and social mediaThe pitfalls of allowing your creative goals to define youHow childhood goal-setting influences your creative identity as an adultThe need to separate your self-worth from your creative outputCreating a balance between feedback and validationHow overcommitting can impact your mental and physical healthThe importance of grounding your goals in realityWhat it looks like to be nourished by your creative projectsNavigating the tension between non-attachment and passionFinding fulfillment in each stage of your creative journeyA visualization technique to help you practice non-attachment Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram.

In this episode of Surviving the City, we ask: how did a New Yorker and fifth-generation Curandera go on a mission to share the power of plant medicine, then go on to open up a modern-day apothecary, botánica, and community space? Our guest is Lynsey Ayala, a spiritual herbalist, artist, and the owner of BreadxButta, a Brooklyn-based brand fusing wellness, art, and Sacred Earth Medicine education. As you’ll come to understand from today’s conversation, Lynsey’s work is deeply rooted in her Puerto Rican heritage and her upbringing in the Bronx. Having found her calling in decolonizing Sacred Earth Medicines, she uses a variety of modalities to ignite healing, including psychedelics and other medicinal plants. Listen in as we break down what it means to Lynsey to decolonize this space, how she stays true to her mission to build and educate her community, while also facilitating personal growth, and how you can begin to cultivate a personal relationship with plant medicine. Join us today as we learn about what it means to be a ‘healer’ using the power of community (with a side of plant medicine)! Topics discussed in this episode: What inspired Lynsey’s contemporary apothecary and community spaceHer personal connection with Sacred Earth MedicinesBuilding a community around your art and businessTranslating word of mouth into a digital followingDemystifying cannabis, one mom at a time!Maintaining community while also facilitating personal growthUsing astrology to chart a course for your businessWhat it means to decolonize Sacred Earth MedicineTips for grounding yourself, even in the middle of the cityHow plants remind us of seasons in our own livesMoments of remembrance in Lynsey’s journey as a curanderaViewing psychedelics as portals to potentialUnderstanding that some of these medicines are not for everybodyPsychedelics as powerful creative toolsThe power of music to enhance creative energyInsight into cymatics and sound healingWays in which art has had a tangible impact on Lynsey Keep up with Lynsey by checking out her website, connecting with her on Instagram, or following this link to access her events, online shop, free resources, and more! Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram.

How did a successful, born-and-bred Brooklyn artist use manifestation to get her film featured on Showtime? For those of you who tend to be turned off by woo-woo topics like manifestation and visualizing your dream life, this episode is definitely for you! Tuning in today, you’ll hear from Sakinah Iman, an award-winning Caribbean-American filmmaker, singer-songwriter, actress, spoken word artist, and educator. For over a decade, Sakinah has devoted her artistic abilities to creating art that engages audiences in sociopolitical change. As an independent singer-songwriter, Sakinah has showcased her original music at numerous venues in NYC. Sakinah’s most popular single to date, ‘Waiting Tables’, climbed to number 35 on the Top 40 charts on Bandcamp, and one of her most recent film projects, He Wants to Know My Number, is currently available for streaming on the major television network, Showtime. In this episode of Surviving the City, Sakinah shares some insight into the production and distribution of He Wants to Know My Number—a powerful, provocative, and entertaining spoken word piece that expresses her take on sex and promiscuity—and how she actively relinquished the narrative that she would never be able to make a decent living as an artist. We also take a look at the role that an abundance mindset plays in creating the life that you want to live in real-time, debunk some common misconceptions about manifestation, and unpack the Law of Attraction, plus so much more! Regardless of your opinions on manifestation, we hope that this conversation will inspire you to be more, show up, and live up and love up on the life you want. Topics discussed in this episode: How Sakinah wrote, directed, produced, and starred inHe Wants to Know My NumberShifting the limiting beliefs that tend to keep artists brokeWhat Sakinah learned from the ‘pay to play’ film festival circuitA look at her upcoming film:Running StarHow to use astrology in your creative processA candid account of self-imposed roadblocks on Sakinah’s journey Defining manifestation and what it means to SakinahTips for activating a euphoric state of being rooted in abundance and loveUsing visualization to reprogram your subconsciousHow Sakinah manifested her dream jobThe importance of detaching from a desired outcomeDebunking the misconception that manifestation is an infallible lawHow Law of Attraction worksHow your ego might be getting in your wayThe unexpected 90s television show that had a big impact on Sakinah You can connect with Sakinah and keep up with all of her projects by following this link. Check out her short film, ​​He Wants to Know My Number, on ShowTime and watch the official trailer for Running Star on YouTube. You can also stream ‘Waiting Tables’ and more on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you get your music. Resources mentioned: Abraham-Hicks and the Law of Attraction Joseph Rodrigues Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram!

The legacy we leave through art and interaction is just as important as the footprint we leave on this planet through our consumption. In our highly capitalist society with consumerism skyrocketing higher than ever, with no end in sight, especially living in the city, it feels impossible to stray away from the comforts of efficiency. Living outside of this paradigm is of course considered alternative, so in order to create a new paradigm, it is up to smaller groups of like-minded people creating solidarity economies all over the world, using trading as a means of purchasing items. Our guest on today’s episode is living this truth and has joined us to let us in on how she does it. Christina Freeman, is a teacher at Hunter College, a practicing artist and curator, creating conceptual art using photography, video, artist books, multimedia installation, and participatory performance. Christina has shaped her life to be one that is true to what she believes, and that is to operate in an economy that makes sense to her, and is living by example inspiring others to do the same. Christina is a talented artist with beautiful insight that you don’t want to miss! Topics discussed in this episode: How efficiency culture manifests in our livesHow the project ‘Plums for Trash’ was createdSolidarity economies around the worldPersonal insights on selling for money vs. tradingThe psychological and emotional power of exchanging itemsWhat economy means to ChristinaWhy Christina isn’t interested in efficiencyRecommendations on how to participate in alternative economiesThe Amazon trapWhy must artists take what they can't get?The disparity of cost of living and artist income in NYCA piece of art that has changed Christina’s outlook or behaviorArt life crossoverChristina’s response to critique and pushback of conceptual artWhy Christina moved out of NYC To get in touch with Christina head to her Instagram page or her website! Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram!

We are joined today by an incredibly wise and humble guest who is an artivist (art + activist). He shares with us the stories of his passion for music and his artivist journey. His name is Y? Y?’s journey was anything but conventional, being born in a family fleeing their home country of Guyana to the US due to unrest, and having humble beginnings, his passion for art and music was always apparent, but could not be nurtured until he was in his 20s. Although Y? had dreams to go to school for art and music, these dreams never came to fruition, but he still managed to find his way to his passion and is now a successful artist with a wide array of talents. Y?’s natural ability to connect and hold space is a lost art in and of itself, but he carries this deep love for himself and others so gracefully, it can be felt through this episode. Tune in to hear some of the most inspirational content yet, and a beautiful story of Y?’s last moments with dear friend Robert Enamorado. This is a special episode you do not want to miss! Topics discussed in this episode: The story behind Y?’s nameWhat is artivism?Y?’s experience with artivismY?’s education journeyA piece of art that has impacted Y?’s lifeThe importance of community for artistsHow Y? created connection during Roberto Enamorado memorial eventThe story of Y?’s last moments with Roberto EnamoradoHow Y? stays present and positive with all the pain and suffering in the worldImportance of honing in your purpose and perspectiveWhy trying to convince others of your perspective is not beneficialHow to cultivate self love and stay in the communityRediscovering creative purpose in the midst of a tragedyThe difference between expressing perspective vs convincing CW: Please note that at 36:00-50:00 in we reference suicide as the friend that we speak about took his own life. Tap out and forward if you need to take care of yourself during that portion of the episode. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is now active across the United States by dialing 988– it is available 24/7 to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Visit https://988lifeline.org/ for more info. Connect with Y? by heading to Why Not Show Love here. You can also catch him on social media via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. You can also shoot him an email here! To learn more about Y?’s company Creative Expressions, visit his other website here. Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram!

To build authentic connections requires being authentically connected to your body first. Disassociating where connection is required can cause detrimental consequences to your mental and physical health. Especially for creatives living in or just moving to the city to work on their craft. The transition isn’t always easy and the individualistic nature of living in a big city is a breeding ground for disconnection. So how do we come back to ourselves and enjoy living in our own bodies to create space for connection? Today's guest went through major dissociation and depression when she moved to New York City many years ago. Having just broken up with her boyfriend and starting school, it was a rough start that brought out some inner demons that were locked away for a long time. She found solace in dance, a place where she could connect with herself and express herself through movement. Expression, which was next to impossible for her in any form prior to finding dance. Justina Kamiel Grayman is a dancer, artist, choreographer, and psychology professor, who has bridged the gap between dance and psychology to create a program called Raw Movement, that helps others that were in her shoes connect with their bodies through unstructured movement, dance, conversation, and much more. Raw Movement is to co-create spaces for deep connection so others can thrive by feeling comfortable in their bodies. Tune in for an authentically raw conversation about mental health, dance, art, and how we show up for ourselves and others in society. Topics discussed in this episode: How Justina discovered dance and choreographyJustina’s battle with depression after moving to New YorkHow dance helped with Justina’s mental health by expressing herselfHow Justina bridges the gap between dance and psychology to create connectionHow Justina created raw movementWhat is body safety and expressionWhy Justina dislikes the word transformationIs there a place for hierarchy in growth and liberation?Information about raw movementWhat a raw movement session looks likeHow city creatives can build more authentic connection through community Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram! To learn more about Raw Movement workshops, visit Justina’s website here. Connect with Justina on Instagram and Facebook!

Alcohol is such a prevalent part of our culture, especially in city life. Events, celebrations, social gatherings, even clocking out of work is commemorated with a drink. When it feels almost impossible to do any of these things without a drink, that’s when we need to re-evaluate our motivation for drinking. If you do drink alcohol, even on occasion, have you ever asked yourself why you do it? Our hosts, Vicky and Key, asked themselves this same question and the answer they found was profound enough to start their sober curious journey. In today’s podcast, Vicky and Key will be discussing how their relationship with alcohol has changed and why they decided to head toward sobriety and its impact on their lives. Along with our hosts, blogger from ‘Exploring Sobriety 365’, Candace Holmes, will be joining us to discuss her family’s history with alcohol abuse, and how staying sober year round has changed her life for the better. Of course, battling any sort of addiction has its challenges. This episode takes us through the emotions, mental processing, and lifestyle changes that inevitably take place, along with practical tips on how to get through it. Join us for a deep dive into how alcohol has woven its way into our lives, and what we can do to change that to be more present in our relationships, and harness creativity with sobriety. Topics discussed in this episode: Sobriety from alcohol and the pandemicHow drinking takes away creative powerCandace’s journey to sobrietyMental processing when wanting a drinkPractical tips on how to avoid drinkingHow living in a city gets woven into drinking cultureNon-alcoholic drink alternativesDoes alcohol make you more creative?Alcoholism in the family Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts here Check out Candace Holmes’ blog Exploring Sobriety 365 Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley Check out these podcasts mentioned in today’s episode: Sober Curious Sober Black Girls Club

In this episode, we delve into what constitutes gossip and the ways we tend to get pulled in despite our best intentions. We also talk through venting and how we can move beyond what can feel like gossiping and venting loops into either deeper ways of connecting or problem solving.

With all the things to be angry about, in episode 18 we discuss anger. What it is, what it can do for us and what it can do to us. We explore cultural and gendered expressions of anger and we ultimately get into how identifying and connecting with our personal anger can have a collective positive impact.

Join us for conversation with storyteller, artist, and multi passionate creative from the South Bronx, Azrael Encarnacion. We talk what it means to identify as an artist and to pursue play and presence and how that connects to creativity. We also delve into the varying ways he and we juggle multiple passions sometimes because we are compelled to contribute our work to a greater collective and other times to satisfy our internal worlds.

Join us for this relationship retrospective! We review different stages of our relationship from the moment we sent our first okcupid messages to each other in 2012 until now. Who were we right before we met and who are we now? We of course share how we found each other and later outline various stages of long term relationship exploration and growing pain development. Bonus Vicky rant in the intro to hear about Neptune entering Pisces in 2011 and how it aligns with our personal spiritual evolution and perhaps that of the collective.

Join us as we explore joy and share our attempts to cultivate it even amidst times of grief and despair. First we examine the distinctions between joy, happiness and pleasure and later discuss Jung’s infamous shadow work theory and how getting in touch with and integrating the painful and “ugly”parts of ourselves may unlock access to a brighter and deeper joy.

Join us as we talk through surviving the family and how we aim to cultivate more awareness and presence while navigating family dynamics. We reflect on our personal journeys and specifically how we have drawn, pushed and loosened boundaries throughout the years with respect to time, shared activities and rituals, and conversation with our families. We also talk about the following in connection to family: communication styles, being bored, alcohol, and digging for family gold.

In this episode, we talk time scarcity. We explain what time scarcity means to us and how the concept of “never enough time” can sometimes foster structure and groundedness that can make way for creativity and presence, while other times the real feeling of “time slipping away” can overtake our day to day life with an unrelenting appointment-like rigidity.

In this episode, we talk through how grief and loss have shown up for us in their many, sometimes highly felt, sometimes highly disconnected, iterations: the collective kind, the end of relationship kind, the close but distant kind, the abstract forever in denial kind, the bearing witness kind, the intergenerational kind, the heart and soul breaking kind. Join us.

Join us as we sit down with oral historian, socially-engaged artist, and native New Yorker Bridget Bartolini to learn more about the intersection of storytelling and community building. Bridget talks us through how stories can foster conscious community connection and even pride for where we come from and live. We also get to hear about what these ideas look like on the ground through her community projects. Learn more about Bridget's projects here: http://www.fiveborostoryproject.org/ https://34aveoralhistory.org/

Tune into this densely packed episode to get some clarity on WTF body work is. Body worker & artist Chloé Cofresí shares with us what embodiment practices are and how life-changing they can be. We learn how the body functions as a living memory system and how we can create holding patterns from even the smallest moments of stress. She also talks us through how bodily traumas don’t fully emerge until we are ready and safe to heal them. Learn more about Chloé's practice: https://www.beamandflow.com/