SAFTA Member Spotlight
Naniette is a part of the External Affairs team in our student organization, Student Ambassadors for the Arts (SAFTA). She is a fourth-year Sociology PhD student studying culture and organizations. Originally from Long Island, NY, Naniette also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Buffalo, as well as a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. A non-traditional student, Naniette’s prior employers include Federal and State government, two international organizations, and a University. Read on to learn more about Naniette and her connection to the arts!
Q: How were you introduced to the arts?
A: My Mom and Dad were both educators as well as a poet/photographer and an industrial designer with perfect pitch. Growing up I danced, tried playing a few instruments (unsuccessfully, but with passion), and wrote poetry and stories alongside participating in competitive soccer. As an adult I’ve become a patron of the arts. The arts are my happy place, where I find peace. Whatever’s going on in my life, I can take an hour to give myself to whatever’s happening on the stage. It’s a way to get out of my mind. At every academic institution I’ve been affiliated with, I have found my way back to the arts. Here at Berkeley, that’s through SAFTA.
Q: What is your goal for SAFTA and Cal Performances?
A: I joined SAFTA hoping to make Cal Performances a more inviting place for students of color. Often I find myself the only person of color among the audience, and also the only young person. Last year, I founded Night Out/Night Off with SAFTA, Cal Performances, and the Office of Graduate Diversity to work towards changing that. The first two events last year (Afropop Spectacular and Balé Folclórico da Bahia) brought in close to 200 students. We created an environment for students to see the show, as well as discuss the performance in each other’s company over great food. This year we will host students for The Korean National Gugak Center Creative Traditional Orchestra and Alvin Ailey.
Q: What is a misconception about students of color and the performing arts?
A: That students of color are first time patrons of the arts. Many of us make art, many of us live art, and the way that we walk, talk, adorn, and carry ourselves is art. We have engaged with a wide array of experiences under the large umbrella of the arts. Just like our white counterparts we grew up with YouTube. It’s not hard to find great performances by known and unknown artists. I think it’s a misconception that the task at hand is just first exposure, especially when it comes to college students and graduate students. We are savvier than people give us credit for. I think [the arts are] about creating a welcoming environment and an inclusive space, as well as expanding all of our artistic education. For Everyone.
Q: Where do you hope to see your involvement in the arts headed in the future?
A: I would count my time at Berkeley successful if alongside getting an exceptional education (and finding a great job as a professor) that I am able to help expand access to the arts. In addition to continuing to grow Night Out/Night Off I would love to be a part of planning a week-long University-wide Celebration of the Arts, as well as helping to grant students access to the arts like they have access to athletics. As a former Division One soccer player, I strongly believe that there is a symbiosis between sports and the arts. Your body, mind, soul, and spirit need them both. I wholeheartedly believe in the trans-formative power of both the arts and athletics. Finally looking ahead to the future, alongside being a Sociology Professor, I want to be on the board of a major arts institution, seeding and growing programs like Night Out/Night Off permanently, and providing access to the arts to an even larger number of underrepresented people. I want to see an arts world where underrepresented people permeate every facet of the artistic experience from filling seats to directing. I want to be a part of building that future.
Interviewed and written by Priscilla O Ng, SAFTA ‘17