Today we will hear from Rachel Elizabeth Harding, a mentorship Resident at Indigo Arts Alliance in April 2025. Rachel takes on many roles as a poet, historian, and scholar of religions of the Afro-Atlantic diaspora. Rachel writes about religion, creativity, and social justice within communities of African descent in the US and Brazil. Coming from a family of writers and activists, her poetry conveys her spiritual leadership and social justice. Rachel is the author of numerous essays, poems, and scholarly articles. Particularly two books: A Refuge in Thunder, a History of the Afro-Brazilian Religion, Candomblé; and recently, Remnants: A Memoir of Spirit, Activism and Mothering. Please enjoy.

In this episode we welcome Anna Tsouhlarkis & Shane Perley-Dutcher, both artists in residence at Indigo Arts Alliance in July 2024, were commissioned to produce a permanent sculpture on the grounds of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG), and that was unveiled during our second symposia entitled, Deconstructing the Boundaries: The Land Fights Back. The first of its kind at the Gardens, this program brings together community members of all backgrounds to ground ourselves in difficult conversations, creative expression and the power of being together. Please enjoy their words, recorded by Nolan Atvater.

Today we will meet Minoo Emami, who was an artist in residence at Indigo Arts Alliance in June of 2024. Emami is an Iranian multidisciplinary artist and brings over three decades of experience to her rich artistic journey and is deeply committed to art practice, teaching, and exhibition. In this interview, Emami talks about her current project while at Indigo Arts Alliance, which is related to Persian domestic culture and how the materials she uses are all from home spaces.