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Stephanie Bastos is my new hero. Like me, she has a physical disability, and I found myself drawn into her piece. Moreover, I felt as though Stephanie was talking to me. Her story is compelling, and she is as engaging onstage as she is in everyday life. If pressed for an answer, most people would find it hard to define the culture of disability. Defining the disabled community, I think, would be much easier. The physically disabled community was a

I regularly see Zoë at CounterPulse. I was going to gush about Zoë's wide range of skill sets, how insanely capable she is, but that's true of everyone at CounterPulse. But having never seen Zoë perform before, never having seen what kind of work she makes, I was pretty curious. Like Stephanie, Zoë is a consummate storyteller. Drawing from circus arts and other movement sources, Zoë along with four acrobatically inclined performers, encapsulated Zoë’s life in about 30 minutes. I

Shawty what? How they do it where you from? How they do it where you from? That's how they do it where we from That how they do it where they from Shawty what? How they do it where you from? How they do it where you from? That's how they do it where we from That how they do it where they from -Missy Elliot Where you’re from matters. It shapes you and sets you on a life path.

As an independent artist, I do a lot of research to support my own work. Here are some resources I have found, that support the independent, self-organized work of artists and small groups that play a critical and significant role within the San Francisco Bay Area communities. None of these require a fiscal agent or 501c3 status. Go out and make some art. -Rick Darnell, CounterPulse Community Engagement Fellow Have anything to share or comments? engagefellow@counterpulse.org   Calling Artists for

Do I trust what I see? Do I trust myself? Am I perfect? Am I disabled or mislabeled? VULNERABILITY/ STRENGTH poem by Valerie Burton STRONG Resilience is better than strength Vulnerability is the portal to liberation and enlightenment STOP and notice the fear in the body. STOP and PAUSE Notes on vulnerability and resiliency as metaphor: FLAGS of Dragon scales- Armour style Habits of denying vulnerability- (Physical) TUMBLING is my way out and through Pressing Down, push under- DE pression

As I continue to embark on the adventure of being human and making art, I am always considering where and what are my value's. I use this curiosity as a measure for being fully human and present in body, mind and spirit. So I decided to embark in the art making process based on my life to illuminate theme's of resiliency and strength I'm a good case study in the sense that I am very strong physically, mentally and spiritually

I have been reading a few books that inspire me to create dance about my adoption experience.  It has been really helpful to free write in rehearsals in order to generate images that I can translate into my group work.  I have been reading these books in particular: “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier “Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption” edited by Jane Jeong Trenka, Julia Chinyere Oparah and Sun Yung Shin. “Parenting as Adoptees” edited by Adam Chau

I think a lot about the detrimental effects of colonization through an international adoption perspective.  For me, international adoption in the U.S. sometimes mimics an historical pattern of cultural domination.  There are unstated power dynamics between 1st world and 3rd world countries that get glazed over by the pressures to solve poverty or to solve 1st world country desperation for a nuclear family.  I think that international and transracial adoption (where family members are of different races) is an issue

Catching up with former Community Engagement Fellow, Ali Maricich For the month of May, we’re catching up with some of our past fellows and highlighting what they’ve been up to since their time at CounterPulse. Sound like something you're interested in? We're currently accepting fellowship applications for the Fall 2016 session, learn more >> Ali during her time at CounterPulse Fellowship: Community Engagement Fellowship, Fall 2015 School and major: Cornish College of the Arts, BFA in Dance What are you

Catching up with former Development & Special Events Fellow, Melissa Lewis For the month of May, we’re catching up with some of our past fellows and highlighting what they’ve been up to since their time at CounterPulse. Sound like something you're interested in? We're currently accepting fellowship applications for the Fall 2016 session, learn more >> Melissa Lewis - [detour dance] 2014 Fellowship: Development & Special Events, Fall 2014 School and major: University of San Francisco, BA in Performing Arts &