183: Paola Mendoza - What if the Most Powerful Antidote for Tyranny is an Artist with a Story?
About this episode
Paola Mendoza discusses the role of art in resisting tyranny and the importance of storytelling in building communities of care.
In this episode we're joined by filmmaker, organizer, novelist, visual artist, and self described conjurer of stories, Paola Mendoza. For more than two decades, Paola has used every tool she can get her hands on. Film, theater, public art, organizing, and literature to tell stories that expand our understanding of who counts, who belongs. The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she's dedicated her artist force of nature life to portraying America's vital immigrant communities with dignity, complexity and humanity at a time when those qualities are often under attack. In our conversation, we'll explore: the roots of Paola's story making practice, the role of art in resisting authoritarianism, what Paola's novel Sanctuary can teach us about building communities of care, dangerous times, and how artists across the country are using the 2026 World cup to create a powerful counter narrative through the no Ice in the cup campaign. This is a conversation about storytelling, solidarity, and the enduring power of imagination to help us build the world we want to inhabit. Notable Mentions People Paola Mendoza : Colombian-born filmmaker, author, artist, and cultural organizer whose work…
More episodes of ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers
- 186: Effective Community Arts Practice - Should Activist Artists Prioritize Safety or Bravery
- 185: What Makes a Healthy Art and Social Change Ecosystem?
- 184: Ariel Fristoe: -Theater as a Civic Commons
- 182: Arts Freedom Weather Report - Who Speaks - Who Belongs?
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