Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandy Agustin
Hi Sandy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I don’t usually like to talk about myself, but here goes; I grew up in South Minneapolis, the youngest of 7 children to a Filipino immigrant father and white mother. Because of the number of children in my family, the large age span and older age of my parents, I have been a caregiver my entire life. Movement, also I say, was my first language.
I majored in Dance Therapy at the U of Wisc, Madison, hoping to work with autistic children or adults through movement. I grew up with an autistic niece and movement was a way ‘in’. However, after college, I ended up working with a professional choreographer, who I toured with throughout the US with an invitation to work at the Ballet Folklorico in Mexico City.
My professional dance/arts engagement led me to generate my own work, crafting my choreographic voice and also inviting other artists to join me to share the spotlight.
In the early ’90’s, several Asian American arts organizations were forming and blossoming; Asian American Renaissance and Theater Mu. I was fortunate to be a part of both of these organizations and started really exploring my Asian roots. I created work that told my father’s immigrant story, and work that addressed many incidents in my life of racism.
In 1993 I began working with Intermedia Arts, a socially conscious, community based arts center in the Lyn-Lake area of Minneapolis. The mission; we use art as a catalyst to build understanding among people and we did just that. I curated and managed several programs that addressed immigrant issues and status, the addressed civil war and genocide and helped launch the first-ever Arab American film festival, among others. I had great mentors of all ages who helped shape my perspective and collaborative working style.
All along the way, and as loved ones succumbed to mental health challenges and health issues, many people died. In 2021, approximately 21 people died in my “circle”, including my sister. COVID, car crashes, cancer, suicide, manslaughter, accidental death…and these loved ones ranged in age from 20 – 75 years of age. It was during this time that I was invited to meet a curandera from Mexico and met someone who called herself a ‘death doula’ and my world opened. The universe was speaking and I was definitely listening to this calling. I thought to add this to my arts-based facilitator practice and life-long caregiving toolbox.
I started exploring what a death or end-of-life doula was/is and decided to become certified and to continue to bring comfort and care to those around me. I was also introduced to the work of Day Schildkret, the originator of Morning Altars a nature-based, and creative way to process grief. I became certified and now a mentor in the Morning Altars practice.
I’ve become a Firekeeper (board member) for Maji ya chai Land Sanctuary in Two Harbors, MN, a black-led/created, land-based sanctuary for BIPOC folks to find respite and regeneration from trauma. I’m proud to say we have 40 acres and a small, but mighty group of individuals dedicated to creating safe, welcoming space in Northern Mn.
I can say more – about being a teaching artist working in public schools or my ongoing choreographic work, but I’ll stop here and see if this is of [further] interest or insight.
Thanks~ Sandy
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Self-doubt both creatively and the “work-this-job-to-make x# of $$$’……
Struggles always with racism continue.
Struggles with understanding the role of art and social change, the role of art and creativity in the Western/USA environment.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I call myself a “Cre8tive Navigator’ – which, at first meant nonprofit groups and organizations I was consulting/facilitating and after becoming an end-of-life doula. I wholeheartedly say, “I help you go from where you are to where you need to be” –
so that could be someone dying and those around them, or an organization that is stuck, doesn’t understand how a nonprofit should operate or a group of friends that are at odds with each other and need to get “unstuck’.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Penelope Haru Snipper – mentor/friend who guided me through an interim executive director 16 months
Valerie Lee – co-founder of Asian American Renaissance – invited me in
David Mura – poet, activist; when I first heard his poetry in “After We Lost Our Way’ I heard my story as a bi-racial, white-Asian growing up in a predominantly white culture
Rick Shiomi – co-founder of Asian American Renaissance – encouraged me to express my world/my culture through choreography, writing, acting.
Theresa Sweetland, former intern for me. – now Executive Director at Forecast Public Art; helped me get organized and a great listener
Christin Ament; Director of The Bardo at [Come to] MEND in Inver Grove Heights – guiding me through my new role as certified End of Life Doula
Dong Tien; friend, ally, confidant and BIPOC sangha member
And countless others; artists mostly, who helped me find my voice and from whom I’ve learned
Contact Info:
- Bluesky: @cre8tive.bsky.social
