During this first episode of Why Change? you’ll meet one of our co-hosts, Karla Estela Rivera. Karla is a writer, performer, activist, and arts advocate who uses storytelling to uplift folks in underserved communities in Chicago.
In this episode, you will learn:
The ways storytelling have connected Karla to her communities in Puerto Rico and Chicago;
The creative impacts Karla has made within her community to help combat COVID-19; and
How Karla keeps her focus from the shiny things in life.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
Free Street Theatre, the organization which Karla leads
2nd Story, the program where Karla performs her storytelling
An article about the advocacy for the Illinois Fine Arts Indicator, which Karla co-lead
ABOUT KARLA ESTELA RIVERA
Karla Estela Rivera is a writer, performer, activist, and arts advocate that has leveraged her gift of storytelling to uplift and create opportunities for, with, and in underserved communities. She is the Executive Director of the historic Free Street Theater and a company member of 2nd Story in Chicago. In addition to her artistic work, Karla has served in non-profit organizations for over a decade, beginning as a teaching artist and youth worker, to systems-level leadership in public affairs. Most recently she served as the co-chair of the Illinois Fine Arts Indicator work group which developed the nation’s first weighted accountability measure for the arts as part of the Illinois Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan. Karla continues to perform in venues and zoom rooms across the country, and actively teaches storytelling and consults on advocacy initiatives. She is a native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, and holds a BA from Columbia College Chicago’s Department of Film & Video, with graduate studies at New York University.
You can find Karla Rivera on Instagram and Twitter @kestelarivera and on Linkedin @karlaerivera.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. It was produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. Artwork by Bridget Woodbury. Music by Distant Cousins.
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Jeff M. Poulin
This is Why Change? The Podcast for Creative Generation. We are your hosts. I'm Jeff.
Karla Estela Rivera
Hola. Hola, soy Karla Estela.
Rachael Jacobs
It's Rachael here.
Ashraf Hasham
What's good, y'all. I'm Ashraf.
Madeline McGirk
And I'm Madeline.
Jeff M. Poulin
Why change is a podcast that brings listeners around the globe to learn how arts, culture and creativity, especially as applied by young people can change the world, one community at a time. You're invited each week to learn and laugh while exploring the question, why change? Alright, let's get started. Welcome, everyone to this first episode of The why change podcast. I'm Jeff M. Poulin, the managing director of Creative Generation and host of this podcast. I'm so thrilled to have you join us today for this first in a four part series, meeting my wonderful co hosts. These first four episodes are a little different than a typical why change podcast. In a moment, I'll introduce an interview, my co host, Karla Estela Estella Rivera. This conversation will end with a series of questions that will be part of every interview that we do. Thinking about the who, what, where, when, and why of her work. In every episode, after a few co hosts will come together to learn and laugh about our work, current events and more before introducing our interview for the week. These interviews, much like the one that you'll hear today, will feature a creative Changemaker and explore the how and the so what of what they do in their community. So now without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Karla Estela Estella Rivera, who's coming to us from the city of Chicago in the United States. Karla Estela is a writer, performer, activist and arts advocate who uses storytelling to uplift folks and underserved communities in Chicago. Currently, she's the executive director of free street theatre, which she will share more about in the interview. When I first met Karla Estela, she was working as an arts education advocate pursuing policy driven solutions to increase equity of access to arts education through Chicago's public schools, and state policies of Illinois. She's a native of Puerto Rico. She's been a teaching artists all over the US. She just got a new puppy. And she has the greatest little family who I'm sure will make an appearance in future episode. Who knows? All right, let's get to the interview. Welcome, Karla Estela, I am thrilled to introduce you on the why change podcasts, I will always remember meeting you first in Washington, DC, and then again, in your hometown in your own neighborhood in Chicago. And from both of those times, I just took away so much of your passion and your energy and the attitude that you brought to your work. And then I learned that you were a storyteller, which is the perfect addition for this podcast, in my opinion. So right now you split your time as a storyteller as a facilitator, as an activist. And as an executive director, tell us a little bit about what it is that you do with your time and with your talents. Just do a couple two, three things, right.
Karla Estela Rivera
Oh, man, so yeah, I am the Executive Director of the historic free street theater. It's a social justice focused theatre company where for over 50 years we have been creating work by for in about and with Chicago's diverse communities. We have two locations, one that is within Chicago Park District Fieldhouse in Pulaski park on Chicago's north side. And we also have the story front, which is our hyperlocal location in on the south side in the back of the arts community. In both of those locations, we house to youth ensembles to multi generational ensembles. We run an in house program where we provide marketing and administrative and production support for largely bipoc artists. And we also have our for hire wing, which is free street talks where we take our devising process, which is what the bulk of our work really is, and we take the process that we use to devise plays. And we actually utilize that to work with corporations, educational institutions, and other entities to help them have meaningful conversations about different topics and issues that they're going through so that they can devise plans within their own organizations to really amplify and fortify their work. We also have an element of direct service which started in the COVID times, which is a 24 hour accessible pantry at our back of the yards location and so forth. We have fed over 2000 families in a grabbing bow pantry that we have going on. And that's something that we will continue to do over time. Outside of free Street. I'm also a playwright, a screenwriter, and as you mentioned, the storyteller. I've been writing since childhood, I wrote my first play at the age of 15. I'm a company member at second story, which is a theatre company and storytelling organization that is dedicated to building empathy and connection through the stories that we tell. And I also have been commissioned as a writer. Outside of that, those two elements, I'm also a consultant and speaker. So I speak a lot about arts education, its impact and the work that I did in policy, advocacy, a consult on leadership, and also how artistic practices and artists can be centered in critical conversations, and decision making tables, which we're often not necessarily always invited to, which we'll get into a little bit later. And I'm also a parent. So I have a nine year old named Frida, and she is a proud CPS students, Chicago public schools. And so yeah, you know, my work over the years, it's evolved. And it's rooted in ensuring that voices that are traditionally that have traditionally been left out of the collective narrative in this country, or have traditionally not been included, have a place and are provided with the space to create work that affirms and lifts our communities in ways that we don't traditionally see.
Jeff M. Poulin
I love everything about that. And I think back to that very first time that we met, which was in a role that you held before going into the work at free Street, like you described. And I found it so fascinating, because we nerd it out over public policy stuff over advocacy and activism work over our mutual love of, you know, walking the halls of Congress and seeing the legislative process in action, whether that was in Washington, DC, in Chicago, or in the state capitol of Springfield, Illinois. Yet I found it so fascinating because one of the tremendous assets that you brought to that public policy and advocacy work was the ability to interweave that storytelling aspect, like you were just describing. So I'm really curious about that connection between artist and administrator that you were just talking about. So let's start with the artists part. What's the origin story of artist Karla Estela?
Karla Estela Rivera
Well, I am the child of storytellers. Chief among them was my grandmother, who I spent most of my childhood with, she was a writer, and a poet. And I have one of my earliest photos as a baby is of me and her sitting at her writing table. And so I've always, I always remember being next to her within her vicinity, just watching her write stories and poems, on legal pads with a felt tip pen. And I even still have some of those with me. And so I very early on, witnessed what artistic practice was. And she died before she could see her autobiography on bookstore shelves, which is really sad. And I, you know, really feel a responsibility to honor her legacy through my own work. And my uncle as well. He built his career as a consultant sharing his story, in education as an afro about equine Jim Crow America. And so this notion of leveraging your story, to be able to affect change, and to be able to land with folks who may not always be receptive to hearing your message was something that was embedded in me from a very young age, as a child as well, like representation was an issue. You know, I didn't see a lot of people who look like me, who came from where I came from. And that was an early motivator, I really wanted to be somebody that was adding to the can of work that represented Puerto Ricans in this country. And my mother prioritized arts and culture as a gateway to upward or upward mobility. So, you know, on her, you know, 1980 something, you know, throughout those years her on her social workers salary as a single parent, you know, we were poor. But she prioritized going to Broadway caliber shows, took me to see international films and really wanted to make sure that I was exposed to things that, you know, those within her generation weren't necessarily exposed to and really valued that. I'm also what I call a direct result of philanthropic and municipal investments in arts education programs. I'm among the first teens to take part in the gallery 37 program in Chicago, which was a program where students from across the city were brought downtown and were paid to be artists, apprentice, artists, apprentices. And so I started out in playwriting. And that is where I wrote my first play, which was really a vehicle for me to kind of process the death of my grandmother who died who had died the year before. So I wrote my first play, I became a youth journalist, where I was featured in the nation magazine as one of the North side's most prolific writers. And so those very early years, and I think, the city's prioritization, and the value that they placed on artists' apprenticeships really lit a light bulb in me that this is something that we can do. You know, and so, performance came later, as an adult. And you know, there's this really fun story, because I had really just written a ton over the years. And often people say, I have a wonderful voice, I have a radio voice, I have a performance voice. Cool. And I remember being at a show for the Manhattan Theatre Club when I was at NYU, and a lady came up to me and she said, Are you an actress? And I was like, No, I'm a writer. And she said, Well, your voice is being wasted on the silence of the written word, you know. And so, you know, I am, I didn't start performing really until later in my adulthood. And that was when I started telling my stories at Second Story. And also when I started working, doing work with free street in 2012, where I was in a couple of shows there. And so that's really, those are really kind of the seeds that have been planted over the years and have really sustained me over time.
Jeff M. Poulin
And I know that you've really been all over from New York, I know you did a stint up in Vermont and very rural communities. And of course, you have your roots in Chicago. But one of my favorite facts about you, which we discussed a lot over whiskies and wines and lots of social camaraderie is this fascination that you have with public policy as well, and being able to influence that using sort of all of those artistic skills to influence that, and I truly did watch you. And it was a real joy to do. So influencing the public policies that created the systems which would deliver equitable access to arts education within the city of Chicago within the state of Illinois. And, you know, seeing you bring those two passions of public policy and the arts together. So can you tell us a little bit about that big Pinnacle moment that you had making some big shifts in the public policies of Illinois?
Karla Estela Rivera
Absolutely. And so, and I really loved that time, that that time when you met me, I think, was a real turning point and a real affirmation for me, like I have always been really passionate about policy and you know, I love a good Aaron Sorkin moment. It's It's, it's, I truly believe that if I was not an artist, I truly believe that I would have definitely been in politics in some way because I do really think that that the Act and the the, the work of creating policies and ways that that directly affect how people move about the world and can fully live their lives is incredibly important work. And I don't think but had it not been for the work that I was doing. As a Director of Public Affairs at ingenuity, I don't think I would have ever had a window into had I not had that particular position, I don't think that I would have I think the runway would have been much longer for me to get to a place like that, and to be able to affect it in the way that I had, that I have in the past and that I will continue to do today. And, you know, within that year that you and I met, I mean, I made history twice. And I'll explain that a little bit. One was through Essa, which is the Every Student Succeeds Act, and the fine arts indicator in the state of Illinois, where I served as the co chair of the workgroup, alongside Jonathan Vander groupe vanderburgh of our clients Illinois. And as a company member and ensemble member free street prior to becoming executive director, I was a lead artist for what was called 50, and 50. And 50. And 50 was a celebration of free streets 50th anniversary, where we performed in all of Chicago's 50 wards, we did 50 plays and 50 wards in one day. And so we had groups all across the city. And it's the first time anything like that had been done. And so, what played out really beautifully during that time, both in the making and the creation of 50 and 50, and also kind of the making, and the creation, and what I like to call the devising of the fine arts indicator, in, you know, in with Essa was, you know, what
Karla Estela Rivera
played out is the civic discourse occurring on our streets at the grassroots and the discourse we were engaging in, at the grass tops. And, you know, here's a couple things that I learned is, you know, policy discussions, need artists, you know, we're often engaged in this ephemeral moment, you know, people will bring us in, you know, or bring, you know, often bring children in to sing a song, or, you know, to recite a poem, and to punctuate this moment, and then we're kind of brushed out to the side, while you know, people have the real conversations. So, I would say, you know, we're engaged in the informal moment, but not for the work often. And we've seen this play out, particularly during this time. Think about wage equity, themes of the Cares Act and 1099 employees were, our artists have really taken a hit, as well as other 1099 employees. But really, the arts community has been truly affected so deeply in this time, housing justice, health care, mental health, we should be at the table. And we often should be the ones facilitating these discussions. You know, we truly wove in the esoteric artistic practices to get to the place that we got to when we developed the recommendations that we presented to the Illinois State Board of Education. In the same way that I worked with my group of artists to develop a short play that we did five different boards that talked about kind of the irony of Chicago being a world class city, but addressing the inequities that take place within the city, when it comes to resources and education. Both of them are, I think, equally as important. But you know, what, they don't often come together in ways that I believe, would make even more impact and affect more people in a positive way. The other thing that I recognized was also a huge lack of bipoc representation. So it's black indigenous people of color representation at the tables that I was sitting at, and the credible messengers, you know, how can we effectively advocate for policies that represent communities, if you don't come from those communities? Or aren't surrounding yourself with those communities? and effectively handing them the mic? Right. So, you know, we might have a bunch of astute people that are really well versed in policy at the table. And that might lead to a particular win, but does that policy truly address the needs of the community? And so, you know, this was a couple of years ago, and so that period of time, truly for me solidified how important it is both as an artist Both as a as a Latina, as a woman of color, and as someone who champions community to make sure that I leverage my seat to to open the door even more. And you know, at free Street, I'm really able to bring in all of these things. And we live our values by creating internal policies that reflect our ethos. We pay our artists at a minimum $15 an hour, at a time where the average non equity performer makes less than two. Our entire organization is advocating through the art that we make. So our young people in our multi generational ensembles, are creating work that is reflective of the stories and the issues that are living in them right now. And they're able to directly respond to the pieces that they make. And we partner with community organizations to not only amplify the issue, but to amplify the work that they are doing on the ground. For example, the first digital play that we did, during COVID times was called wasted. It was a play that was focused on environmental justice, we partnered with a little village, environmental justice, organization and variable. And that work allows not only our young people to be able to work out this complex issue of environmental justice and injustice in the city of Chicago. But it allowed our community organization to leverage the work to further amplify what they've been trying to do and what they continue to do on the ground. And so for me,
Jeff M. Poulin
As an arts leader, and because of the seats that I've had the privilege to sit in previously, I want to continue to open the door for more of us to sit at these tables that are often aren't necessarily made for us, you mentioned your routes to Puerto Rico. And I know that you've been an advocate, particularly in the last few years of the challenges that Puerto Rico has faced as an island, the but also the challenges that face Puerto Rican folks in Chicago, and then the diaspora as an organizer, and as a fundraiser and as an advocate and wearing lots of different hats. How have those ideas intersected with your art making or your policy work?
Karla Estela Rivera
I think as an artist, a lot of that is just embedded in the work that I create. You know, I, I tried to take issues that are either that I have either experienced or that our community has experienced. You know, I'm currently writing a piece, for example, about a young girl who was displaced by a hurricane and how she then moves to a big urban area, and now has to kind of redefine what being at what being home means, right. And so that is something that is not necessarily unique to the Puerto Rican experience, but it is rooted in that knowledge base and it is rooted in the experience that many of our kids have felt in that and, you know, in that particular space post hurricane Maria, I do think, you know, in addition to that, very similarly to how we might consider our communities in Chicago, that that have been divested who that have been, you know, that are under resourced and under amplified is that, you know, what, who, and, and, you know, and the communities in which I have worked, are often identified as communities that need saving. Whereas communities that need folks to kind of come and parachute in and help you know, fix a problem, when quite often those problems are being solved by people on the ground. And those problems are being amplified and being worked out by people on the ground. And so you've got organizations like I hate that the cultural works. Those [...] who free Street has worked with and we are trying to build a partnership with COVID literally, we were on our way to Puerto Rico to go and begin this beautiful partnership with them and then COVID hit and we just, you know made the choice to to not move forward with the trip which broke all of our hearts but I think it is for me. I believe in self determination. And that is something that often our communities, both in Puerto Rico, and the communities, which I advocate for in Chicago, are often not afforded. And as we think about how to solve our most urgent problems, we need to look to the community, the communities on the ground that are doing the work, that are the credible messengers that are the folks that that are often overlooked and underfunded, and under listen to, to be able to need to look to them, we need to lift them, and we need to give them the resources they need to be able to do the work that needs to get done to advance their communities, both from an artistic standpoint, from an advocacy standpoint, and add to the and really enhanced the progress. And that, for me, is the thing that I've been thinking a lot about, both in Puerto Rico and also with the with communities, which I connect with on a daily basis.
Jeff M. Poulin
And in that same vein, will have the opportunity to do that through this very podcast, which I think is fantastic. So for all of our listeners, as a co-host, what do you think that you'll be likely to focus on, what types of stories are you telling?
Karla Estela Rivera
Hmm, I've been really meditating a lot on this notion of reimagining. And I'll give you a little bit of context. With that. Quinoline A. Barrett? We co-produced Rewriting of the Declaration, which is her play about what it would look like, you know, which poses the question, what would the Declaration of Independence look like if it were written by black and non binary black women and non binary people of code? You know, what would that Declaration of Independence look like? through those lenses? And I think particularly during this time, COVID times and beyond, I think we really have to focus on reimagining we have to reimagine how we work, reimagining policy and policy making, reimagining career pathways, you know how our if we're talking about cultural equity, and we're talking about diversifying our workforce, in the art sector, and our gatekeepers, our you know, our conservatory schools, how are we actually building career pathways that allow folks from different communities to be able to access the knowledge base and the skill sets? And, and, and the opportunities to be able to enter the creative workforce, beyond? You know, having to go into debt, which often, you know, is not what many of our community members want to do? And same goes with policy Same goes with work, what does work look like? Now? What is art making right now look like? What does policy look like that also reflects and includes and has processes that are about reimagining how we do that work. And so that's one thing. I want to highlight and lift stories of folks that are doing that kind of work, I want to learn from them. Also, stories of folks who are challenging the notion of this is how it's always been. I don't think that that argument really works anymore. And of course, I would love to hear stories and uplift stories of folks from a Latino community in Puerto Rico. So for me, I'm really excited to dig into those issues and see what emerges.
Jeff M. Poulin
So as we get to know, folks from around your world, around the globe, and the work that they do, will also seek to understand what keeps them going in all of their work. And we'll do this by asking the same set of questions to gain just a few short answers across all of our guests. So I want to start with you. Are you ready?
Karla Estela Rivera
Yeah, let's do it.
Jeff M. Poulin
First, who inspires you?
Karla Estela Rivera
My Free Street team. You know, I am, in many respects, still a baby ED. I started my first year as executive director, with a pandemic. And, you know, not only was I learning how to become an executive director and how to be a leader within the organization, but also, you know, having to to pivot deeply. And my team truly inspires me, and, you know, really pushes me to, into this reimagining space. Because there are many organizations that, you know, close up shop and thought about all the things they can't do, for many reasons, and this is not me, judging it, you know, we every organization has its journey, but we really were inspired to honor our artists and our youth and everybody and, and, and and say, Well, what can we do? And so every single day that I wake up, they truly inspire me, as my daughter, my daughter, has really shown me what it means to adapt to new environments, and how to leverage technology in ways that that not only enhance my work, but enhance my life.
Jeff M. Poulin
And what keeps you motivated?
Karla Estela Rivera
You know, I think it really is, for me, the fact that, as you've mentioned before, and as I've talked about, you know, I've led a really extraordinary path. And I have sat at tables, and I have had opportunities that that many folks have not had. And for me, I think what motivates me the most is that I don't want to squander those opportunities, or those seats, or, or the doors that are open to me. And so if I'm able to advance the needs of our communities and advance the needs of our artists, and our young people, now is not the time to, to stop. We certainly need to engage in self care and rest and all of those things. I'm a huge proponent of that. But, you know, it really is that I have the mic in many situations. And if I'm going to have it, I really definitely want to use it to do good.
Jeff M. Poulin
And where are you most grounded?
Karla Estela Rivera
You know, this is a really tough one. You know, from my heart, I'm most grounded amongst my community, my people, my friends, my you know, there is nothing better than sitting at a large table with an incredible meal. And the wine is flowing and the laughter is flowing. And the conversation is wonderful. And there's just uproarious laughter and music and joy. And clearly for the last year, that has not been something that I have been able to do. And, but that is really truly where I'm most grounded. I'm also most grounded in, in the act of service. And we've been able to do a little bit of that through the pantry that we developed at the store front and back yards. And so I have really been on the search over this last year to find ways to kind of replicate my big table moment. So that I am in you know, continuously connected with the people who bring me a lot of joy. And bring me the grounding that I need.
Jeff M. Poulin
How do you stay focused?
Karla Estela Rivera
um, you know, I have been going through my own mental health journey, you know, being kind to myself, creating a community of folks to check in with engaging in my artistic practice. So really prioritizing my writing time and my knee time. Because if we do not have that right now and we get too swept up in the work I think that adds to losing focus and getting a little bit lost. And on top of that, and that self work. Truly my assistant rings me and from my shiny things moment and his To Do List bring me life. So Jay, shout out, thank you because otherwise I would see some shiny things and not really get certain things done. And
Jeff M. Poulin
Finally, why change?
Karla Estela Rivera
You know, change is always happening. We are and we are in this extraordinary moment in time, where I believe we are collectively coming to terms with the fact that it's never going to be the same pre COVID world that we knew. And we need to lean into this. And we need to listen to the needs of our people, and what they require for joy and survival and sustainability, we must change because the paradigms that existed before, don't fit. And often, they never fit even in pre COVID times. So, you know, as we think about what change looks like, this notion of reimagining, you know, it is, you know, it's certainly not easy. But I think we have a really wonderful opportunity here to build the world that we would like to see. And that to me, is the why of this work.
Jeff M. Poulin
Well, thank you, Karla Estela, for being with us for not only this episode, but as a co host for the series.
Karla Estela Rivera
I'm so excited.
Jeff M. Poulin
I'm thrilled to be working with you. Yes, it's so exciting. And I think back to our time, it wasn't a large table with a large group of people, but a small table with a small group of people and that laughter and that wine and those good times I think pizza was involved. I look forward to those moments in the future. And to continue the dialogue with you here on the podcast. So thank you for being with us.
Karla Estela Rivera
Absolutely. I'm so excited for the journey.
Jeff M. Poulin
I hope you enjoyed our first episode of why change the podcast for Creative Generation. Be sure to tune in next week to get to know our next co host, Rachael Jacobs. If you haven't already, be sure to follow us on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Also, please write to us at info at Creative-generation.org. We would love to hear your ideas, the topics you'd like to learn about and why change matters to you. This show is produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. Our music is by Distant Cousins. A special thanks to our contributors, co hosts and the team at Creative Generation for their support.