Ansanm, meaning together in Kreyol, is a cultural project that aims to bring the arts to Miami's diverse working class communities through community-based events centered around the greatest equalizer: food. The act of eating dinner with a group of people is usually a joyous occasion and allows for long conversations. My hope is that by inviting members and participants from institutions such as FANM, which focuses on the Haitian-American community, and ICA Miami, which focuses on contemporary art, to have a meal together and share their ideas for progressing the communities that they share.

Each event would happen in spaces within underserved communities and would include an activation from an artists/arts organization and activists like O Miami or the Dream Defenders to jump start the conversations amongst guests. Additionally, we would purchase food from local markets and restaurants to encourage the shared economic opportunity that exists within our city. I believe that Miami’s cultural community has been so closed off to working class communities because as cultural producers we find ourselves focussed on people we work with closely. Accessible is not always as accessible as we think and this working model aims to find a more accessible model for inviting community participation.