Photo: Andrew Zeiter
Andrina Wekontash Smith, Shinnecock Storyteller and performer, explores the intersection of race and class on the East End. Part one-woman show, part panel discussion, East End Native will dive into the complicated history through the unique lens of her personal narrative. Spoken word, monologues, and storytelling will comprise of the first half, and in the second she will moderate a conversation with influential leaders fighting for representation for all of the East End’s residents. Panelists include Minerva Perez, Executive Director OLA of Eastern Long Island, Dyashwa Sylvester, Director, Shinnecock Youth Clubhouse, and London Bess, Shinnecock High School Student.
East End Native is a benefit performance for the Shinnecock Youth Clubhouse and Guild Hall Learning & Public Engagement initiatives. The Shinnecock Youth Clubhouse provides an open space where cultural and educational programming are introduced as alternatives to drug and alcohol use. The clubhouse enhances and provides support for the physical, social, emotional, mental, spiritual, and financial wellbeing of the Shinnecock Youth.
This program is the culminating showcase of Andrina Wekontash Smith’s 2021 Community Artist-in-Residence.
The eAT Coffee Bar will be open for drinks and refreshments!
Guests attending programs indoors in the John Drew Theater must show proof of full vaccination. Click HERE for full COVID-19 protocol for guests.
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Andrina Wekontash Smith
Andrina Wekontash Smith is a Shinnecock storyteller, writer, performer, and educator whose work explores the complexity of racial and indigenous identity. Currently, she is working on a series with ABC Signature, produced under Kerry Washington's Simpson Street banner. She recently wrote the script for an immersive VR collaboration between TIME Studios and the Martin Luther King Foundation, which examines the racial disparities in policing, housing, and voting in society today. The VR experience will be showcased at SXSW 2023.
In 2021, Andrina was a NAMA fellow and recipient of the Netflix accelerator grant. Her collaboration with the Facebook app, "The Darker Red Road," received over three million views. Her piece, "Women of Herstory," was highly praised. As a sketch performer, director, and performance artist, Andrina has received residencies at Guild Hall and The Watermill Center.
Her written work and essays have been featured in publications such as Edible's East End, Native Max Magazine, and WildSam's East End Edition. Overall, Andrina's work seeks to bring attention to the nuances of identity and elevate the voices of underrepresented communities.
Photo: Lindsay Morris
Sponsors
Education Programming is supported by The Patti Kenner Arts Education Fellowship, Lucy and Steven Cookson, The Hearthland Foundation, Stephen Meringoff, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Susan and Stephen Scherr, and funding from the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Endowment Fund, and The Melville Straus Family Endowment.
Guild House Artist-in-Residence/ Community Artist-in-Residence:
Principal Sponsors: Lucy and Steven Cookson, and The Hearthland Foundation
Lead Sponsor: Bobbie Braun-The Neuwirth Foundation, Christina and Alan MacDonald, and Lynn and Bruce Surry
Co-Sponsor: Diamonstein-SpielvogelFoundation/Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, and Judith Hope
Additional Support: Nina Gillman and Mary Heilmann