Skip to main content
Culture Matters in Malden

Culture Matters in Malden

By Urban Media Arts (UMA) Staff, Interns, and Community Members

A podcast that explores culture and arts as a lens to discuss important themes relevant to Malden. Malden has a rich history and cultural mix, making it a unique community, a kind of microcosm of the world in five square miles. From this interesting community, we feature artists, performers, creatives, and cultural leaders who can offer interesting perspectives on various topics.

Https://urbanmediaarts.org

This podcast is supported in part by a grant from the Malden Cultural Council, an agency of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. massculturalcouncil.org/
Available on
Google Podcasts Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

ShiJie Weng | Filmmaking as a Way to Help Others Fulfill Dreams

Culture Matters in MaldenJan 25, 2023

00:00
14:32
Laura Sánchez | A Journey of Resilience Through Flamenco Dance
Mar 08, 202443:47
Fern Remedi-Brown | Repairing the World through Sowing Opportunities

Fern Remedi-Brown | Repairing the World through Sowing Opportunities

Fern Remedi-Brown dives into how and why she founded the Malden-based nonprofit Sowing Opportunities Inc., an organization dedicated to helping remote indigenous communities in rural Guatemala gain access to clean water and build life-saving agricultural infrastructure through greenhouse farming programs.

In this conversation, Fern weaves a web of deeply personal narratives about family, faith, ancestry, and generational trauma - starting with the infant adoption of her Guatemalan-born daughter from the village of Chajmaic over a decade ago. These stories continue as Fern and the rest of the Sowing Opportunities team expand their assistance beyond Chajmaic to help more and more communities in need.

CREDITS

Ose Schwab - Host & Producer

Meredith Rumore - Editor

Jahzzar - Music

Feb 06, 202327:50
ShiJie Weng | Filmmaking as a Way to Help Others Fulfill Dreams
Jan 25, 202314:32
Mikaela Bartels | Reclaiming Creativity

Mikaela Bartels | Reclaiming Creativity

Mikaela Bartels, a Child Life Specialist at Boston Children's Hospital, started Yarnbug Hand-knits as a way to reclaim her creativity. Mikaela began knitting at the age of ten. It has always been a part of her life and a source of joy. When the pandemic hit, she stopped. Work rendered her exhausted and unable to create. Though the stress at work only continued, a few small changes allowed Mikaela to start knitting again. She now facilitates various knitting gatherings and workshops. She also sells her whimsical creatures and other knitted items that she describes as "warm knits to warm hearts." 

Yarnbug Hand-Knits

Etsy

Instagram

CREDITS

Ose Schwab - Host & Producer

Meredith Rumore - Editor

Mikaela Bartels - Photos

Dec 09, 202228:07
Looking Up - Episode 3: Chris Burgan
Jul 21, 202241:23
Looking Up - Episode 2: Josephine Royal

Looking Up - Episode 2: Josephine Royal

Second of three episodes in a series entitled LOOKING UP, hosted by Gillian Hodgden

Ep.2 Josephine Royal, podcaster and office manager at Urban Media Arts, is a member of Calvary Christian Church.
Faith is at the center of Royal’s life–through all moments, she has felt God by her side. Royal takes us through the struggles and triumphs of her
life, and how all of it circled back to her faith. 

Listen to Josephine’s podcast Let Me Tell You Something.

Jul 13, 202250:50
Looking Up - Episode 1: Dave Weigert
Jul 07, 202237:47
Julio Salado | On the border distributing food to Ukrainians

Julio Salado | On the border distributing food to Ukrainians

At a time when so many people in the the world are in crisis, it is hard to know what to do and how to help. Malden resident Julio Salado reflects on his week in Przemyśl, Poland as part of a ragtag team of international volunteers aiding Ukrainian refugee children and adults who crossed the border to flee the Russian invasion. Julio guides us through the steps he made to put his desire to help into action - from connecting with organizations on social media, to crowdfunding travel expenses, to the actual day-to-day labor of aiding refugees. His unique passion and energy are players in this story, but he insists that anyone can make a difference if they ask for the opportunity.

Julio is an award-winning fitness professional founder of Fitness Foundry in Malden. He is also a licensed EMT, an author, and an educator. As an active member of the community, he volunteers at several mutual aid and civic engagement groups both locally and beyond. You can get in contact with him via Twitter or through the Fitness Foundry website.

Support Ukraine:

https://razomforukraine.org

https://www.comebackalive.in.ua

https://blue-yellow.lt/en

CREDITS

Ose Schwab - Host & Producer

Meredith Rumore - Editor

Neringa Rekasiute - Music

Julio Salado - Photos

May 27, 202227:05
Nathaniel Burks & Clint Baclawski I The Art of Remix

Nathaniel Burks & Clint Baclawski I The Art of Remix

This interview was originally recorded in May 2021.

Local artists Nathaniel Burks and Clint Baclawski talk about their process, inspiration, and innovative approaches to creating beyond traditional medium and expectation. This conversation explores the subjects of artistic authenticity and the role of light and space in how we create or present art. Although their artwork is very different, they share desire to get people to reconsider what art is, how it is valued, and its role in our lives.

Nathaniel Burks is a digital pop and remix artist, heavily influenced by collage, graphic design, simulacra, and animation. He primarily prints on large format wheat pastes and skateboard decks. He’s interested in concepts of brand exploitation, ephemerality as an economic driver in the art industry, and the arbitrary lines we draw between “fine” art and “low” art. Visit Nate’s studio profile for his digital portfolio and social media pages. 

Clint Baclawski is a photographic and light installation artist who works with larger-scale exhibitions inspired by the Light and Space Movement. He describes his work as an ode to and deconstruction of lightbox photography. His exhibits are spaces where light, rhythm, and landscape are reconfigured to evoke strong reactions and dialogues. Check out Clint’s website for photographs of his exhibits and further information on his work.

CREDITS

Ose Schwab - Host & Producer

Meredith Rumore - Editor

Mar 01, 202227:07
Gabe Toribio I Sneaker Culture at La Tienda

Gabe Toribio I Sneaker Culture at La Tienda

Sneaker culture, the allure of drip, is Gabe Toribio's language. His small business, Laa Tiendaa, a street-style minded haunt on Lebanon Street in the heart of Maplewood Square, is the culmination of a years-long journey of studying, appraising, reselling and selling sneakers that began with the first pair of kicks Toribio bought at a premium from his brother. 

What began as an amateur website has flourished into a vibrant and welcoming shop with a booming clientele and a unique vision of arts and culture in Malden. 

Find Laa Tiendaa on Instagram at @laatiendaashop. 


Aug 06, 202135:55
Natalja & Gene Sticco | Requiem for Malden

Natalja & Gene Sticco | Requiem for Malden

By way of Latvia, Natalja Sticco brings to Malden her beautiful executed and rare craft: opera singing. Natalja has managed to bridge her musical artistry with a career in information technology, or IT, and she is continuously bridging cultures and languages in both her marriage and her residence in one of the most diverse cities in the state of Massachusetts. Her husband Gene joins us to discuss the business of the stage and finding purpose in service. 

Jul 23, 202150:11
Souad Akib I Community in a Foreign Land

Souad Akib I Community in a Foreign Land

Formerly recorded as part of the Inside Malden Ideas and Stories that Inspire series produced as a video and podcast show, this conversation is pertinent to our ongoing challenge to be united though we are different. 

In a day of troubling reports of terrorist attacks around the world, refugee crisis in Europe and the US, war, and the trends of racial and ethnic profiling, Souad Akib, a native of Morocco and a vibrant and well-loved presence in Malden, offers a concerned but optimistic voice of reason and hope to us all in Malden and beyond. 

In 2010, Souad Akib founded the American Association for Arab Women (AAAW). In collaboration with other organizations in Malden, this non-profit organization helps women from Arab countries access the resources needed to navigate the systems, culture, and language of their new home. By this empowering support of women, the AAAW helps families to thrive in Malden. Malden benefits by this service as immigrant families become engaged residents. 

In addition, the AAAW sponsors events that invite all of Malden to workshops that raise awareness about important topics or to celebrations that build community - like a public Iftar during Ramadan or the AAAW flagship offering, International Women's Day. Enabling connection is at the heart of these occasions. The urge for this togetherness is a hospitality that for Souad goes through culture, tradition, language, country of origin, race, or religion. For as Souad says, "we are all human. We should be one." 

Video recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7yHkYe9b2E

Jul 14, 202132:49
Lisa Tiemann | Healing the Split of Inside and Outside Nature
Jan 16, 202151:25
Eli & Hudson | Voices for a Better Now

Eli & Hudson | Voices for a Better Now

Eli and Hudson are two middle schoolers with sharp minds and a deep concern about what is happening around them. They care about society, global warming, energy efficiency, and equity for all. It matters to them how we handle systemic racism and crime or how much fossil fuel we use for even things like solar panels. They want to be challenged in the classroom and have ideas on how to make things better. What if we listened more to children like Eli and Hudson? Could giving them a voice help us address problems and help them feel hope and agency for now and the future?

Its a time we are all grappling with. And for educators, parents, and students there are challenges. But with challenges come opportunities. In a conversation held over zoom, middle schoolers Eli and Hudson share their observations about what is going on in school. They also have opinions about broader more global issues. They would like to have a voice in these matters and hope that leaders would take time to listen to their concerns, ideas, and what they are experiencing - especially now.

In followup to this interview, Eli and Hudson met with the Mayor of Malden, Gary Christenson one week after the interview. The boys asked questions about where the city gets energy; how energy efficient are we being; are we considering reducing use of fossil fuel? They also asked about the status of domestic violence and how the city is dealing with systemic racism. They shared their thoughts about school and what could make it better as well as ideas for what might help the community be more connected.

For details and pictures, visit http://matv.org/culturematters/elandhudson

Oct 08, 202029:09
The Gallery@57 | The Power of "YES"

The Gallery@57 | The Power of "YES"

What is possible when a team of  artists running a community enterprise let "YES" be the dominant force in navigating challenges? Leaders from The Gallery@57, an artist-run community enterprise in Malden, talk about the challenges of closing down during the COVID-19 pandemic. They share some of the key elements of their persistence and why they believe that YES, they will succeed!

The Gallery@57, an artist-led shop that sells high quality handmade products, was born of a resolve that artists and their work are vital to any community. As the entire world deals with Covid-19, the US addresses sytemic racism, and small businesses must find ways to stay afloat, how and why The Gallery@57 succeeds is a good story for us all. That story began with a simple question and will continue with a persistent “YES.”

When an empty commercial space in the center of Malden, MA stimulated the imagination of one artist who asked, “what if that empty space could be an art gallery that showcases local artists’ work,” several artists answered with an 11-day popup holiday local artist marketplace known as Malden Pops Up. Excited by the success, Malden Pops Up returned the following year and became known as The Gallery, a long term popup gift shop, gallery, and cultural hub, lasting over one year.

When The Gallery concluded its term at the end of 2018, many people were saddened. But a few knew that the foundation of generosity, creativity, and power of community through arts would prevail and sustain a longer term, more permanent version of The Gallery. In July 2019, the opportunity became reality, as a lease was signed for the space at 57 Pleasant Street, right in the heart of the major transformation that Malden Center is undergoing. The Gallery @57 opened its doors on October 25, 2019, and launched its online shop on April 23, 2020.

After a successful holiday season and a quiet start of 2020 with many events and campaigns planned, The Gallery@57, like other non essential businesses all over, had to close to prevent spread of the COVID-19. Though the pandemic thwarted the momentum of startup and marketing, it spurred on an intense dive into the online world of retail. Resolved to pivot and figure out how to move online, leaders The Gallery@57 opened up an online shop late April.

Michelle Trammel, Sandy Felder, Grace Julian Murthy, and Marcel Schwab, members of the leadership team, share what they've learned, what keeps them going and what they hope for. They give clues into what a successful group-led enterprise looks like and how it learns. This conversation shows that a mission empowers a group to say "YES" to try, "YES" to learn, and "YES" to create new things. And a growing appreciation, respect, and care for one another keeps the "YES" going through challenges.

For more information about The Gallery@57, visit http://galleryat57.com

_____

A Culture Matters in Malden Episode, a podcast that offers culture as a lens to explore themes relevant to the Malden community.

For more info, visit http://matv.org/culturematters

Hosts: Ose Schwab

Producer: Ose Schwab

Recorded by Zoom

Date: June 13, 2020

Recorded: April 2020

Music excerpts:

"A New Puzzle" by Expendable friend

Featured image:

By Grace Julian Murthy

Jun 14, 202031:11
Jean Appolon | Dance Like Breathing

Jean Appolon | Dance Like Breathing

With the Covid-19 pandemic  still running its course in the world and protests around the US calling for an end to systemic racism, speaking with Jean Appolon is an oasis of hope and healing. In this conversation by Zoom, Appolon shares snippets from his own journey with dance, a lifesaving passion that helped him process his own trauma of his father's brutal murder.  He also speaks about his desire to share all that he knows with others: folkloric dance, Haitian culture, overcoming trauma, and really just being human.

Dance for Appolon is like oxygen. Life is not possible without it. As choreographer, master teacher, and Artistic Director of Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE), dance is his instrument of connection and healing that he lives and gives to the world.

Appolon's story began in Haiti. A son of hardworking parents and part of a close family, his father who had served Haiti 's government over 20 years was murdered in a gruesome manner, traumatizing the teen Appolon in ways that only dance could heal.

Before the life altering tragedy, Appolon had already discovered dance. He studied dance with the Viviane Gauthier Dance Company and the Folkloric Ballet of Haiti. After immigrating to the US, he studied with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Joffrey American Ballet School.

Appolon cofounded Jean Appolon Expressions, a contemporary Haitian Dance company centered in the Boston area. Well regarded, this company performs locally and offers dance classes. It also provides youth in Haiti and the United States with the chance to dance and learn life skills.

For Appolon, the journey is still rough, he misses Haiti, but he has also built a rich life here in the US, with a company of dancers who share his vision to "build caring communities through dance."

He has a gift to combine mastery with generosity. He shares everything he knows: dance, Haitian culture, and the two together. This ends up to be a bit of fusion, dance classes infused with the various Hatian dance styles that tell an important story and offer a new way to move, heal and understand.

We are fortunate to have Appolon in our midst. He bridges us not only to Haitian history and culture but to a way of being human and breathing.

For more info about Jean Appolon and this episode, visit http://matv.org/culturematters/jeanappolon

Culture Matters in Malden Episode, a podcast that offers culture as a lens to explore themes relevant to the Malden community.

Hosts: Papi Xampeux and Ose Schwab
Producer: Ose Schwab
Recorded by Zoom
Date: May 31, 2020
Recorded: April 2020

Music excerpts:

Saturn Never Sleeps,  Toto Bissainthe

Featured image:

Jean Appolon, courtesy JAE

May 31, 202035:11
Karen Krolak | Choreographing Community

Karen Krolak | Choreographing Community

A conversation with Artistic Director of Monkeyhouse, the innovative Karen Krolak, about the power of inquiry and articulate movement to help communities find more cohesiveness and compassion. In collaboration with groups and fellow artists, Krolak masterminds caring innovations that employ movement, words, and curiosity as key ingredients. She describes her creative forays, stories, and thought process with great eloquence. One could easily hang on her every word for hours.

Malden is fortunate to be home to Karen Krolak, a creative spirit who has many ideas about how to increase trust and improve communication as a community.  Krolak believes that “we could be more articulate with our bodies and use them for a better benefit if we had more intelligence about the  way we were using them.”

Krolak calls herself a “free range collaborator,” meaning she creates with a variety of people across sectors, artistic disciplines, region, space, and themes. Voraciously curious, Krolak follows her creative muse to unique projects in and around Boston and sometimes further: Korea, Morocco, England, or other parts of the globe. She is always up to something interesting; as she says, “you simply never know what will happen next around me.”

With a BA in linguistics and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts, Krolak draws from many tools, talents, and training to carry out interesting initiatives most often using dance and choreography. As Founder and Artistic Director of Monkeyhouse, she helps equip society to “move with meaning” and care through innovative applications of choreography.

Culture Matters in Malden Episode

Hosts: Papi Xampeux and Ose Schwab
Producer: Ose Schwab
Recorded in the Podcast Suite at Urban Media Arts (UMA)
Date: May 6, 2020
Recorded: Winter 2019

Music excerpts:
"Toscano" | Quartet San Francisco
"Cinema Pathetic" | Blue Dot Sessions
"Humanity" | Scott Holmes

Featured image:
From I-Are Artist Spotlight interview with Karen Krolak at the Dance Complex as one of the 2018-2019 I-ARE Artists for The Dance Complex

May 07, 202050:12
Karyn Alzayer | The "Healing Hands" of Art: Virus Free

Karyn Alzayer | The "Healing Hands" of Art: Virus Free

“It’s time to pull out all the stops, time for us to do what we do with more ferocity and more purpose than ever before. Time for us to create like our lives depend on it, like someone else’s life depends on it. In times of crisis, the arts rise up out of our collective souls because they are necessary. Like the quarantined singers in Italy, I have no doubt we too will find ways to do the same.”

For Henna artist Karyn Alzayer, hands don’t carry germs, they give help, caresses, and play games. Hands are her canvas and the entry point of connection. But, in this pandemic, when there is risk of contagion and physical contact is limited, she offers new ways to connect.

One of her offerings is a "Healing Hands" project that invites the public to cut out their hand, write a message of hope on it, scan and email it to Karyn, and she will string this body of work together for a public art exhibition after the pandemic is over.

It is this kind of creativity and comfort artists are so good at believes Karyn. Like many artists in this global moment of pandemic, she is in her own words “pulling out all the stops,” and doing what she can to offer comfort in this difficult time.

Karyn Alzayer lives in Malden and is the Founder and lead artist of Henna Inspired. She also founded and directs Integral Arts Everett, a nonprofit art organization that facilitates public art projects and programs in Everett. In greater Boston Alzayer is known as the artist who caged Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. This, an admitted act of arts activism, was her way of addressing the wrongs of detaining immigrants in prison-camp conditions and pointing out how easy it is to right the wrong – as was demonstrated by the mere three hours it took before a city employee released the duck family from their cages.

Interspersed in this podcast, you will hear excerpts of music from a popular virtual orchestra and chorus recording and a growing collection of #songsofcomfort youtube posts initiated by cellist Yo Yo Ma and shared to comfort us all in our collective time of need. Links to the full video of each excerpt is below (in order of occurrence).

“Morning Meditation” piano solo written and performed by Kevin S. Foster https://youtu.be/mDAF9P6ffoc

Say Hello! The Taylor’s (Sweet Caroline parody), created and performed by a family musical group called A Side of Taylors https://youtu.be/zjgLFU9wWdk

What the World Needs Now – for Virtual Orchestra – Produced, arranged and edited by Shelbie Rassler (The Boston Conservatory at Berklee) Mix Engineer Dan Santiago (Berklee College of Music) https://youtu.be/QagzdvzzHBQ

Miumiu – I Wish You Love (with Paulo Oliveira and bangryak), Guitar/voice: Miumiu; Guitar: Paulo Oliveira, Violin: bangryak https://youtu.be/QagzdvzzHBQ

“Just a little something to brighten your day. What started as an idea on my flight home from college ended in a collaboration with some of the most incredible people. I couldn’t be more grateful. Please share to help us promote positivity and optimism while we need it most. 💜”

Edited, produced, hosted by Ose Schwab

Published April 3, 2020

Recorded on Zoom

For more info about this and other episodes visit http://matv.org/culturematters

Apr 03, 202033:58
IAMBECUZWEARE – Ubuntu, a motto to create by

IAMBECUZWEARE – Ubuntu, a motto to create by

For more than two years IamBecuzWeAre the Co11ective took Boston by storm with a mission to shift culture in Boston. Four friends connected by an interest in the arts, entrepreneurship, and making a difference in the world were influenced by various cultural origins: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Sudan. Sitting on a rooftop in their Boston neighborhood one day, they schemed an idea that would embody UBUNTU, an African philosophy that reflects a “belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.”

Founding members Papi Xampeux, Prophet aka Percussion, Radical One, and Jeremy Colon would pool their talent, connections, resources, and energy to host a string of events that drew crowds from various backgrounds. They would also directly support and encourage many artists and creators. Their work inspired many artists and performers to grow and expand their reach. People still talk about their amazing events and the generous and inclusive spirit that spread across the state and even New England.

Today, Papi Xampeux (also known by the MATV community as Masio), one of the founding members works at MATV, Malden’s Media Center. By the urging of Ose Schwab, moved by the IAMBECUZWEARE Co11ective mission, he invited fellow IAMBECUZWEARE Co11ective founders for a reunion at MATV to discuss the experience and legacy of their work.

Music played on this episode provided by @radicalone – instagram, @prophet_is_percussion – instagram, and @papixampeux – instagram

Published – March 12, 2020
Host – Ose Schwab and Papi Xampeux
Producer – Ose Schwab and Papi Xampeux

For more information visit http://matv.org/culturematters
Follow Culture Matters in Malden on instagram @culturemattersmalden

Mar 13, 202038:59
Justine Rose | A Clean Pair of Shoes in Rwanda

Justine Rose | A Clean Pair of Shoes in Rwanda

A trip to Rwanda offers a Malden High alum Justine Rose joy and learning for the future. Raised by culturally curious parents and surrounded by classmates from around the world, it may be that Justine Rose’s craving for travel was born in Malden. Whatever its origin, she feeds this desire whenever she can: during vacation, college internships, and most recently as a biomedical equipment technician in Rwanda.

Immediately following graduation from Northeastern University, where she earned a Masters in Biomedical Engineering, Justine Rose spent two summer months in Rwanda working with a team of engineers at two different hospitals. The trip did more than feed her appetite for travel. During her two months there the Rwandan way of gratitude, family focus, resourcefulness, and resilience affected her. She also found great joy in working together with others to help medical staff and patients in meaningful ways. She hopes to return to Rwanda some day and looks forward to combining her interests in culture, people, and medical technology to offer impact in places that will benefit.

Music heard on this episode is the song Dear Mashuka performed by Rwandan musician Igor Mabano, composed by I.K. Clement and recorded on the Araje album released on the Kina Music label in 2019. This was one of the popular tunes in Rwanda Justine and her colleagues listened to. The story about this musician is also rather touching. He gained a scholarship to a local music school and now teaches there – paying it forward. Follow Igor Mabano on Twitter and Instagram @igormabano

Published – February 17, 2020
Host – Ose Schwab
Producer – Ose Schwab


Feb 21, 202035:53
David Arteaga | The Jazz of Honest Living

David Arteaga | The Jazz of Honest Living

This (updated) version of a podcast conversation with David Arteaga includes more of his music. The conversation winds through Arteaga's thoughts and feelings about music, arts, and humanity in between excerpts of his original compositions.

Arteaga is well versed in philosophy, classical music, jazz, and art of all kinds. He plays and composes music the way he lives – with generosity, integrity, honesty, and a sense of purpose. He believes “art has a central role in bringing people back to a recollection of why we are even here sharing this tiny little planet.”

Saxophonist, composer, and arranger David Arteaga leads the David Arteaga Quartet and runs the Sunday-Nite Jazz Jam Sessions that he founded in 2014. In 2017 David Arteaga recorded “Picture,” a CD of original jazz compositions he performs with Max Ridley, Plamen Karadonev, and Dave Fox, members of his David Arteaga Quartet.

Published – February 3, 2020 (updated version March 20, 2020
Co-hosts – Papi Xampeux and Ose Schwab
Producer – Papi Xampeux and Ose Schwab

All music excerpts in this podcast are from the David Arteaga Quartet CD "Picture" performed by Max Ridley - bass, Plamen Karadonev - piano, and Dave Fox- drums, and David Arteaga-saxophone. The CD is available for purchase at store.cdbaby.com/cd/davidarteagaquartet

For more information about David Arteaga, visit davidarteagamusic.com

Published – February 3, 2020, with revision March 20, 2020
Co-hosts – Papi Xampeux and Ose Schwab
Producer – Papi Xampeux and Ose Schwab

Recorded in the Podcast Suite at MATV studios, 145 Pleasant Street, Malden MA 02148. matv.org

This project is supported in part by Malden Cultural Council, an agency that is part of Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Feb 05, 202047:16