Sandi Klein's Conversations With Creative Women

Min Jung Kim's passion for and commitment to the art world is a rich and rewarding one. She happens to be the Director and CEO of Connecticut's 118 year old New Britain Museum of American Art, the oldest such museum in the country. Min has developed a series of exhibitions aimed at expanding the definition of American Art while reaching and engaging a broad and diverse audience.  You'll want to listen as Min takes us on both her personal and professional journeys.

You are about to meet and get to know Yilian Canizares, a truly fascinating, unique, multi-talented violinist, vocalist and composer who makes beautiful music by artfully blending jazz, classical and her Afro-Cuban roots with her unique voice. Yilian's songs range from the poignant to the exuberant. Her warmth, enthusiasm and honesty are palpable and....contagious. You'll be hooked!

Breanna Sinclaire's life is the stuff operas are written about. She happens to be the only operatic soprano in the world who is transgender. Born in Baltimore, Breanna made her way west - graduating from the California Institute of the Arts where she earned a BFA and where her transition began. There were some very dark days following graduation and her acceptance to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she earned an MFA. Breanna was the first transwoman in the opera program. She made her debut with the San Francisco Symphony on New Year's Eve. 3 years earlier, Breanna sang the National Anthem at an Oakland A's baseball game before a crowd of 30,000. There's no way you won't be impacted by Breanna's extraordinary journey to find her true, authentic self.

Until relatively recently, the profession of intimacy coordinator in film and theater was virtually non-existent. But in the years since #MeToo, it's become much more in demand. You're about to meet and get to know intimacy choreographer Chelsea Pace, who is also a movement specialist, co-founder and head faculty of Theatrical Intimacy Education and Assistant Professor of Movement at the University of Maryland - Baltimore. For the past ten years, Chelsea has been working to develop ethical efficient and effective ways to stage intimacy, nudity and sexual violence. This is undoubtedly a conversation you won't want to miss!

Meet Dawn Saito, accomplished actress, writer, director, dancer, educator.  She also happens to be a Butoh performer, which in case you aren't aware, is a form of Japanese dance theater that encompasses a diverse range of activities, techniques and motivation. In her rich and varied career, Dawn has collaborated with major artists performing her work and theirs in the U.S., Europe, Asia, South America.  We're excited for you get to know this passionate, engaging, multi-talented woman.

Rotem Reshef, is a process-based action and installation artist who calls both New York and Tel Aviv home.  Her work includes a range of techniques - peeling, pouring, combining natural and artificial sources and materials that shape various compositions on different canvases.  Rotem's art deals with traces of human presence versus the appearance and disappearance of nature: seasonal changes, the impact and influence of color, tone and shade on our emotions and perceptions.  Join us for fascinating conversation with this very talented and creative artist. 

Dancer, educator, activist, all describe Denise Roberts Hurlin.  Part of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Denise is a founding member of Parsons Dance.  She's also taught at Julliard in Manhattan, New Hampshire's Keene State College and her alma mater, Purchase College.  Denise also happens to be the founding director of Dancers Responding to Aids, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.   Under her leadership DRA has produced more than 150 events including the annual Fire Island Dance Festival and together, they've raised more than $300 million to provide lifesaving medication, healthy meals and other social services for people living with HIV.

Heather Booth is a force to be reckoned with and that's a very good thing! She is one of the country's  leading strategists when it comes to progressive issue campaigns and driving issues in elections. Heather's organizing and commitment to social justice began during the civil rights, anti-Vietnam War and women's movements of the 1960s. She also started JANE, an underground abortion service in 1965 before Roe v Wade became law. We cover a lot of territory in this open, honest, impactful conversation with a compassionate, committed woman.

You're about to meet and get to know "Dr. Wang" Newton, a Taiwanese-born American performance artist, who specializes in the art of drag or 'drag king' performance. Assigned female at birth, Dr. Wang is gender-fluid and offers social commentary on culture and politics with comedic jabs. This is one open, honest conversation with a truly fascinating guest.

Melissa Iwai has wanted to be a children's book author and illustrator as far back as she can remember. She has illustrated more than 30 picture books, beginning with Night Shift Daddy published in 2000. Melissa also wrote and illustrated Soup Day and Pizza Day. And speaking of soup and pizza - when she's not creating visual art, Melissa can be found in her kitchen, cooking, baking and developing new recipes. In fact, she was a 2010 Cooking Light Reader Recipe winner. We're so glad Melissa took a break from creating visual and culinary art to have a conversation with us!

How to describe Tracy Edwards? Let's start with determined, accomplished, ballsy, adventurous, passionate. In 1989, when she was in her mid-20's, Tracy and her crew of 11 females became the first-ever all-women's team to compete in the grueling, prestigious, 32,000 mile Whitbread Round the World sailing race that begins and ends in Southampton, England. How she managed to pull this off (besting male crews in their class, by the way) is the focus of the inspiring, empowering documentary, "Maiden." We are thrilled to share Tracy's story in this not-to-be-missed conversation.

For Vivian Chew it's all about music. While working at ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), she founded the "ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Awards," which is celebrating its 32nd year. She's also the founder of TimeZone International, the first and only U.S. based African-American owned company that provides recording artists with a wide array of services. Vivian and her husband, Music Director/ Producer Ray are co-owners of Chew Entertainment, a premier production company. There's also their foundation, "Power2Inspire" and their New Jersey-based RVMK Recording studio. Join us for a fascinating conversation with this music biz mover and shaker.

Cassandra Greene is a pastor, writer, director, producer, teacher, civil rights activist, domestic violence advocate...and...INSPIRATION. For more than a dozen years, she has directed the re-enactment of the infamous 1946 lynching murders of 2 black men and their wives on Georgia's Moore's Ford Bridge. Her efforts are chronicled in the film, "Always in Season."  Cassandra has also conducted workshops, retreats and seminars on domestic violence, relationships and has also written plays and skits for several non-profits about bullying, sexual abuse and human trafficking.  There's no stopping this incredible, committed, creative woman!

KT Sullivan is a woman of many talents.  The Broadway actress (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Three Penny Opera with Sting) and singer has headlined at the Oak Room of the legendary Algonquin Hotel and one of those performances, "Rhyme, Women and Song," was featured on WNET, New York City's public television station. KT's also performed at Carneige Hall, Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Birdland, The Kennedy Center in D.C. to name just a few. She also happens to be Artistic Director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation, which hosts the NY Cabaret Convention.  We're sure you'll enjoy getting to know yet another creative woman.

Put simply:  the world needs more women like Elizabeth Suda!  After two years working in the Merchandising Department of Coach, she bagged it all and headed for Laos.  Elizabeth was on a mission to understand how local, sustainable crafts made by women could become part of the global fashion industry.  It was there that she learned bout the Secret War in Laos (1963-1974), which left behind 80 million unexploded bombs.  That trip made quite an impact, because before long, Article22 was born, and with it, the Peacebomb bracelet, handmade by local Laotian artists from Vietnam War shrapnel.  Article22 has developed into a global business with an ever evolving collection of jewelry.  This is truly a conversation you can't afford to miss!

You're about to meet one amazing, accomplished, committed woman who really is making a difference in the world.  Not only is Dr. Anne Fishel a clinical psychologist, family therapist, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Family and Couple Therapy Program at Mass General, she's also the Executive Director and co-founder of The Family Dinner Project.   Its goal is to encourage and help families have more frequent and meaningful dining experiences - certainly a challenge in today's world.  Needless to say, there's plenty to take away from our latest conversation.

Did you know there are 15 million single moms living and working in the U.S? Dr. Marika Lindholm is certainly familiar with that statistic.  She raised 2 children on her own after going through a divorce. Marika, who has a doctorate in sociology and taught at Northwestern for more than 15 years, realized that single mothers from all different backgrounds lacked much needed resources, support and connections. And so...ESME.com was born - Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere, an on-line community that operates 24/7. Marika's also behind "We Got This: Solo Mom's Stories of Grit Heart and Humor." A recently published collection of 75 essays and stories from women, who come together to break the stigma around single moms. Needless to say - lots to talk about in our latest conversation.  

Violist Molly Carr and pianist Anna Petrova make beautiful music together and audiences around the world are so grateful!  Acclaimed international soloists, the two joined forces and formed the Carr-Petrova Duo. In August, 2018, they launched "Novel Voices," a year long initiative aimed at raising awareness of the lives and struggles of refugees around the world. They visited 8 camps in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East performing, holding workshops and filming the life stories of their diverse audience members. This is an important, moving conversation with 2 committed, talented and not easily intimidated women who are making a difference!

You are about to meet and get to know two extraordinary, passionate, committed women. Swiss filmmaker Barbara Miller* is the woman behind the powerful documentary #Female Pleasure. It follows five courageous women from different cultures as they struggle for justice and equality as they take charge of their own bodies. And one of those women is Leyla Hussein, a Somali-born, British psycho-therapist and social activist who was genitally mutilated at the age of seven. She has made it her mission to fight against female genital mutilation or FGM, as well as for the sexual determination of Muslim women worldwide. This is one empowering, moving, critically important conversation.