Today we’d like to introduce you to Camila Sanchez.
Hi Camila, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in South Central Wisconsin I was drawn to the arts and culture scene in the Twin Cities in high school and when looking for colleges I focused a lot of my applications in this area. As a St. Thomas student I was able to explore St. Paul to a fair degree and Minneapolis became my home shortly after I graduated. In the years since I’ve built a career in arts and culture based community development work: from project management, to curation, to writing and performing. I still must love to juggle as I now teach English and Literature at Century College, work with practicum students in the U of M – Twin Cities Arts and Cultural Leadership Program and juggle my own interdisciplinary creative projects and small business 66 Wands Consulting, LLC alongside my role with Queer Voices.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I worked for a decade in the service industry after graduating into the recession, and for a long time it really worked with my creative projects – the calendar was flexible, I could stack cash, and I loved meeting new people. I’m not so much in my extrovert era any longer. In fact, it was when I was starting to grow out of it I was also becoming increasingly political in my art and was seeing the world around me in greater relief that I found project management and it suddenly felt like I could contribute to something to my communities other than building a wealthy table’s bar tab on their night out. It was hard to balance my own material needs with creative and political urgency that I felt.
I was also coming out as first bi then lesbian then queer. And I was getting my feet wet in artistic community. In the mid 2010s I felt this energy shifting from “I” to “We” and many of us were learning the contours of frontline organizing and arts-based advocacy and finding a sort of lock-step or conversation. As a transracial adoptee that conversation was popping off in both the family group chat and at the dinner table, and as an arts administrator it was happening at the board and staff levels, impacting mission statements and strategic plans. It carries through to now – because we’ve been about “More Than Marriage” for LGBTQ+ rights, we’ve been about Black livingness and our livelihoods not just Stop shooting us. We’ve been about that for a while in this Century alone and look where we are now. I’d say that’s a challenge, Freedom is a constant struggle. I’m proud to be a part of an artist community that is not new to it but true to it.
The struggle is and always will be in the room with us from cultural dynamics to funding. Certainly, the past 20 years have not been smooth or stagnant. Even if we are in a backlash now, a culture war where artistic, creative and community-driven spaces are at risk and shuttering up. Where we may feel pressure to clam up and get along to get through. It reminds me of past cycles of this or something like it where spaces I’ve invested in have closed their doors: Patrick’s Cabaret, Bedlam Theatre, Intermedia Arts, etc. The thing is the people are still here – building on new spaces, connections and futures. Nothing lasts forever, of course, but it always comes down to what are you going to do next. It’s like when you are ready there might be a new person next to you – or you might be the new person- and then see how you all can shape something new.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
When I’m not teaching composition and analytical skills I work as an interdisciplinary artist as I work in poetry, essay and in devised and scripted theater settings. In the past I had a wild improvisational thing called high society – the whole idea is that we weren’t ‘high society’, we were intentionally improvisational and collaborative. We were more jazz driven, not about competition. That was how I shared my spoken word poetry, was alongside musicians and we had great shows at The Black Dog Cafe back when, and places like Midtown Global Market, Icehouse, Pillsbury Theatre, Intermedia Arts, Juxtaposition Arts, Aster Cafe and so on. In that time there were a lot of collaborative stages that used to showcase improvisational collaborations and a scene that was so fun to be a part of. I was able to explore that space between narrative and sound and I think that still carries through in my poetry now that I’m working on the page. I’ve never been good at being good, sitting still, or hitting conventional marks. For better and worse. I notice I’m sometimes called a ‘weird’ or ‘experimental’ poet. I kind of love it. I am weird! It might also be I’m just bad at understanding the actual rules. I think I’m most proud of high society for that reason – we did it together. I was part of a team. I didn’t have to be a lone-wolf. We enjoyed, listened and helped each other reach for things. We held space for voices in community and shared the mic. I still want to share the mic.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m just finishing up my first year as a tenure track English Professor. I’m surprised to even share that news. That, along with recently moving to another side of Minneapolis- have been the big recent changes in my life. I’m looking forward to enjoying summer and doing some reading, writing and recharging. My first book of poems Imagined Child got picked up by Kelsey Street Press, an indie experimental feminist press out of the Bay Area and I’m so excited to have that project out in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lisamariebrimmer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leesuhmaroon/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmbrimmer
Image Credits
Blue sweater and last two images are photos from Word Musinguzi.
Bathtub benches Anna Shepherd.
Others personal.
