festival directors
rachel flood
founder
Rachel Flood is a Vancouver poet and art administrator who has been performing at and producing events since 1998. As the Executive Director of the Working Arts Society and the owner and creator of Flood Productions she has been instrumental in the creation of many local events and programs including the annual Sista'Hood Celebration, The Momentum Youth Project and the New Forms Festival. Rachel has performed locally at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Vancouver Poetry Slam and Under the Volcano; and internationally at the Berkley, Brooklyn, Denver and San Diego Slam as well as poetry venues in Boston, Portland Maine, and Chicago. She has shared the stage with the likes of Medusa, Michael Franti, K-OS and Siren's Echo to name but a few. Rachel has a chapbook called I Always Thought It Could Never Happen To Me, and two CDs: Dirty Beautiful City (2000) and Superheroes (2005). She has also been included in the Coastal Tongue Anthology-Westcoast Women in Rhyme and the Westcoast Poetry Festival Compilation.
"""
founder
Rachel Flood is a Vancouver poet and art administrator who has been performing at and producing events since 1998. As the Executive Director of the Working Arts Society and the owner and creator of Flood Productions she has been instrumental in the creation of many local events and programs including the annual Sista'Hood Celebration, The Momentum Youth Project and the New Forms Festival. Rachel has performed locally at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Vancouver Poetry Slam and Under the Volcano; and internationally at the Berkley, Brooklyn, Denver and San Diego Slam as well as poetry venues in Boston, Portland Maine, and Chicago. She has shared the stage with the likes of Medusa, Michael Franti, K-OS and Siren's Echo to name but a few. Rachel has a chapbook called I Always Thought It Could Never Happen To Me, and two CDs: Dirty Beautiful City (2000) and Superheroes (2005). She has also been included in the Coastal Tongue Anthology-Westcoast Women in Rhyme and the Westcoast Poetry Festival Compilation.
"""
anna hilliar
Artistic Festival Director
Anna has had a life-long involvement in theatre, music and social change. Anna is passionate about provoking ideas and change through art and music. In addition to her position with Sistahood Celebration, Anna programs at Lime (on the Drive). She has coordinated exciting projects such as Get your Vote On, Under the Volcano, Hip hop Hope, Public Dreams events and other community initiatives. Anna is constantly inspired by the creativity that our community of artists brings to Vancouver.
"""
Artistic Festival Director
Anna has had a life-long involvement in theatre, music and social change. Anna is passionate about provoking ideas and change through art and music. In addition to her position with Sistahood Celebration, Anna programs at Lime (on the Drive). She has coordinated exciting projects such as Get your Vote On, Under the Volcano, Hip hop Hope, Public Dreams events and other community initiatives. Anna is constantly inspired by the creativity that our community of artists brings to Vancouver.
"""
sara kendall
Community Development Director
Sara Kendall is a Vancouver-based girl. Her current work as a practicing artist and facilitator in communities throughout the Salish Sea area (BC, Washington and Oregon) is grown out of her experiences in grassroots community projects, anti-corporate globalization activism throughout the Americas, and multidisciplinary performance. From Indymedia videography and street-based dance/circus in mobilizations in Ecuador, Mexico, Miami, Venezuela and Canada, to creativity-based approaches to child rights monitoring, to free all ages hip-hop shows as community forums on violence, Sara is focused on work that fuses arts practice, heart-centered spaces of interpersonal connection, and political action. Sara is a lead facilitator with the youth arts empowerment organization Power of Hope (www.powerofhope.org), a member of Metaphor (youth empowerment through Hip Hop www.beatboard.org), the founder of a community choir called the Cultural Medicine Cabinet, one of the circus-theater motley crew Nucleus (www.thenucleus.ca), one half of the female acapella Hip Hop duo In.Stead, and a ready-to-learn community-activist at large. (www.how-is-that-for-hyphenated.oops). She is dedicated to convergence across lines of separation – in community, in public, in joy, and in all seriousness.
"""
Community Development Director
Sara Kendall is a Vancouver-based girl. Her current work as a practicing artist and facilitator in communities throughout the Salish Sea area (BC, Washington and Oregon) is grown out of her experiences in grassroots community projects, anti-corporate globalization activism throughout the Americas, and multidisciplinary performance. From Indymedia videography and street-based dance/circus in mobilizations in Ecuador, Mexico, Miami, Venezuela and Canada, to creativity-based approaches to child rights monitoring, to free all ages hip-hop shows as community forums on violence, Sara is focused on work that fuses arts practice, heart-centered spaces of interpersonal connection, and political action. Sara is a lead facilitator with the youth arts empowerment organization Power of Hope (www.powerofhope.org), a member of Metaphor (youth empowerment through Hip Hop www.beatboard.org), the founder of a community choir called the Cultural Medicine Cabinet, one of the circus-theater motley crew Nucleus (www.thenucleus.ca), one half of the female acapella Hip Hop duo In.Stead, and a ready-to-learn community-activist at large. (www.how-is-that-for-hyphenated.oops). She is dedicated to convergence across lines of separation – in community, in public, in joy, and in all seriousness.
"""
sarah murray
Sistahood Media and Publicity Director
Sarah has worked in different facets of the fashion and journalism industries since 1996. When she relocated to Vancouver in 2002 she managed a clothing store until the world of freelance writing unfolded. Then Girl Fabulous jewelery asked for a press release and working with the media took on a whole new meaning. Eventually enough word of mouth spread to justify quitting that retail job and starting The Honey Mustard Fashion and Media Services in 2004. As a social entrepreneur Sarah works for herself yet tries to help people along the way; whether it is writing a press release for the not-for-profit Fashion High or the designer for whom she spent five hours brainstorming about an upcoming event. It’s the social aspects of The Honey Mustard that frequently leaves her feeling inspired and informed, and that passion finds its way into her work. At heart she is a fashion girl. Her closet is jammed packed with clothes. Thank you David Suzuki for pointing out that clothes are a necessity. So even though it doesn’t look like she’ll be making it to the Grammy’s any time soon she’ll still hold on to the dress. It is fun for Sarah to get dressed up and play make-believe, all the while knowing exactly who she is.
"""
Sistahood Media and Publicity Director
Sarah has worked in different facets of the fashion and journalism industries since 1996. When she relocated to Vancouver in 2002 she managed a clothing store until the world of freelance writing unfolded. Then Girl Fabulous jewelery asked for a press release and working with the media took on a whole new meaning. Eventually enough word of mouth spread to justify quitting that retail job and starting The Honey Mustard Fashion and Media Services in 2004. As a social entrepreneur Sarah works for herself yet tries to help people along the way; whether it is writing a press release for the not-for-profit Fashion High or the designer for whom she spent five hours brainstorming about an upcoming event. It’s the social aspects of The Honey Mustard that frequently leaves her feeling inspired and informed, and that passion finds its way into her work. At heart she is a fashion girl. Her closet is jammed packed with clothes. Thank you David Suzuki for pointing out that clothes are a necessity. So even though it doesn’t look like she’ll be making it to the Grammy’s any time soon she’ll still hold on to the dress. It is fun for Sarah to get dressed up and play make-believe, all the while knowing exactly who she is.
"""
steve rio
resident design nerd
Steve is a designer, musician, and artist born and raised in Vancouver. Along with his co-owner Kelly Walker and the team at 604media, Steve designed & created the new online presence for Sistahood. 604media is excited to be a part of this empowering, exciting event.
"fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions"
http://www.steverio.ca
resident design nerd
Steve is a designer, musician, and artist born and raised in Vancouver. Along with his co-owner Kelly Walker and the team at 604media, Steve designed & created the new online presence for Sistahood. 604media is excited to be a part of this empowering, exciting event.
"fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions"
http://www.steverio.ca
helen haig-brown
Sistahood Film Festival Director
Helen is a Tsilhqot’in director/editor/DOP and teacher who is in love with experimental documentary filmmaking. She resides in Vancouver but is beginning the transition home to her traditional lands in the interior of British Columbia. Helen has taught media at the Gulf Islands Film and Television School, the Enowk’in Centre and Capilano College’s Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking Program. Helen’s short films have traveled world wide, with her latest, Su Naa winning the best experimental award at Toronto’s ImagineNative. She is now working on her first feature film titled Legacy.
"""
Sistahood Film Festival Director
Helen is a Tsilhqot’in director/editor/DOP and teacher who is in love with experimental documentary filmmaking. She resides in Vancouver but is beginning the transition home to her traditional lands in the interior of British Columbia. Helen has taught media at the Gulf Islands Film and Television School, the Enowk’in Centre and Capilano College’s Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking Program. Helen’s short films have traveled world wide, with her latest, Su Naa winning the best experimental award at Toronto’s ImagineNative. She is now working on her first feature film titled Legacy.
"""
claudia medina
Sistahood Film Festival Director
Claudia is a filmmaker, writer, and educator from the west coast of BC. Her filmmaking deals with the stories and influences of her tri-national background (Mexico, Italy, Canada) and how they are transposed onto the Canadian cultural landscape. Claudia has worked as a social justice organizer and educator and currently dedicates herself to filmmaking and facilitating youth to tell their own stories through this medium.
"""
Sistahood Film Festival Director
Claudia is a filmmaker, writer, and educator from the west coast of BC. Her filmmaking deals with the stories and influences of her tri-national background (Mexico, Italy, Canada) and how they are transposed onto the Canadian cultural landscape. Claudia has worked as a social justice organizer and educator and currently dedicates herself to filmmaking and facilitating youth to tell their own stories through this medium.
"""
rebecca christofferson
Sistahood Cabaret Director
A potpourri of punk, performance creation and politics produced Your Little Pony. Her versatile style is an appetizing mixture of sultry, witty and fun. The Medusa of Vancouver burlesque has been turning audiences to gold for almost two years. A member of Sweet Soul Burlesque, she also freelances fire dancing, and stiltwalking. Her own Hot Saucy Productions has brought four years of Vancouver’s Sistahood Celebration's Cabarets, Vancouver Fringe Festival's The Party, Not Starring Peter Sellers, not to mention many sultry evenings at her underground venue, 7 Studios.
"""
http://www.myspace.com/yourlittleponyburlesque
Sistahood Cabaret Director
A potpourri of punk, performance creation and politics produced Your Little Pony. Her versatile style is an appetizing mixture of sultry, witty and fun. The Medusa of Vancouver burlesque has been turning audiences to gold for almost two years. A member of Sweet Soul Burlesque, she also freelances fire dancing, and stiltwalking. Her own Hot Saucy Productions has brought four years of Vancouver’s Sistahood Celebration's Cabarets, Vancouver Fringe Festival's The Party, Not Starring Peter Sellers, not to mention many sultry evenings at her underground venue, 7 Studios.
"""
http://www.myspace.com/yourlittleponyburlesque
amber dawn
Sistahood Cabaret Director
Amber Dawn (a.k.a. Trala La) is a feminist smut purveyor. She’s toured three times with the notorious Sex Workers’ Art Show, edited an anthology of femme porn “With A Rough Tongue”, and co-organizes East Van most outrageous dance party – the Odd Ball. She has been a GLBT events organizer for nearly a decade, focusing on fundraising and conscious community building. She is the founder and curator of the annual transgender fundraiser, For the Boys/For the Girls.
"""
Sistahood Cabaret Director
Amber Dawn (a.k.a. Trala La) is a feminist smut purveyor. She’s toured three times with the notorious Sex Workers’ Art Show, edited an anthology of femme porn “With A Rough Tongue”, and co-organizes East Van most outrageous dance party – the Odd Ball. She has been a GLBT events organizer for nearly a decade, focusing on fundraising and conscious community building. She is the founder and curator of the annual transgender fundraiser, For the Boys/For the Girls.
"""
zena sharman
Sistahood Cabaret Director
Zena Sharman is working on her PhD at the University of British Columbia. She's been involved with many events and cabarets as a host and/or co-producer, including The Odd Ball, the Sistahood Cabaret, and For the Boys. She's also a radio host on CiTR and CBC Radio 3.
"""
Sistahood Cabaret Director
Zena Sharman is working on her PhD at the University of British Columbia. She's been involved with many events and cabarets as a host and/or co-producer, including The Odd Ball, the Sistahood Cabaret, and For the Boys. She's also a radio host on CiTR and CBC Radio 3.
"""
working arts society
Board of Directors
Vanessa Richards, MPhil -Chair;
Vanessa Richards joined the Board after performing in Sistahood 2004. She is an artist and facilitator exploring interdisciplinary practices with a foundation in writing, performance, music and collaboration. Her related interests include participatory process and leading edge practices related to community-based arts and urban regeneration. As an advocate, her strategic challenge is to enhance the capacity for arts and creative culture as a pillar from which to support Vancouver as a truly livable region. Other volunteer commitments include, Director- Performing Arts Lodge (PAL), Advisory Member for the Oct. 2007 conference, Live In Public, the Art of Engagement, and Mobile MUSE Innovation Council. Richards is a Big Sister.
Her poetry and critical works are anthologised in the UK, Holland, the United States and Canada. In 2007 Richards was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Theatre Award and she is currently in rehearsals for the upcoming production of The Violet Hour at the Belfry Theatre, April/May 2008.
Helena Cynamon
For the past twenty years Helena Cynamon has creatively been involved with the film and TV industry. She has executive produced projects including a feature film with Genevieve Bijold. In addition, she has been the Chair and a founding partner of Forefront Entertainment International, which enjoyed commercial success through the creation, production, distribution and rights management of quality dramatic products. Forefront Entertainment produced 115 hours of programming, sold to 105 countries and received more than 30 international industry awards.
In particular, Helena won an International Emmy for “The Magician’s House”, a BBC/CTV family series and was awarded the Banff TV festival CTV award of excellence. Prior to Forefront, Helena also wrote and directed award winning documentaries including the NFB production “Balancing Act”. In related activities, Helena has sat on industry forum panels, film script juries, and served on the Vancouver Trade Forum, the Four Corners Bank, and the national boards of the CFTPA and CAFDE.
Maureen Kelleher
Formally trained in educational media, Maureen Kelleher began writing and directing for the educational market before branching out into television and drama. Her first documentary, To Return: The John Walkus Story, broadcast nationally on CTV, VISION, and APTN, and won "Best Public Service" at the American Indian Film Festival in New York. Trouble, a feature film she co-wrote for ZDF television about Berlin’s turbulent post-wall period, played in numerous festivals and won Best Film at both the Magdeburg Film Festival and Montreal Women’s Film Festival. Maureen is committed to making inspiring television with an emphasis on history, human interest and social issues. She wrote and directed five episodes of History Television's series, Ghost Towns of Canada, created a pilot for a half-hour series on emotional intelligence and most recently completed development on The Truth Is Out There, an exciting conspiracy series for Global Television. Currently, Maureen is finishing Return To Reichenbach, a one-hour documentary that weaves the stories of a Holocaust survivor and a German women she believes was the Nazi guard who was kind to her.
Darrell Stables
For over twenty years Darrell Stables has been involved with the Music industry. He has played music professionally, produced concerts, festivals and also tour managed and managed artists.
In particular, Darrell has been stage-managing one of the main venues for The Vancouver International Jazz festival for 15 years. He has also spent the last 8 years producing concerts for House of Blues Concerts (now Live Nation) and 4 years stage-managing Power to the Peaceful for Michael Franti in San Francisco.
In other music related activities, Darrell has adjudicated for The Juno Awards. He has also trained others in the field of concert production and event management.
Sarah Carr-Locke
Sarah Carr-Locke is a new addition to the Working Arts Society Board. She holds an interdisciplinary Master's degree on the topic of community-based archaeology and Aboriginal Peoples. She is currently employed by UBC's Museum of Anthropology where she is able to put these interests of social justice and community-based work into practice.
Sarah's lifelong passion for music and culture has manifested in co-founding OldSOFA Music in 2002 with her partner Shawn Hall. A great networker and promoter, Sarah is committed to helping develop a vibrant music scene in Vancouver that can act as an agent for positive social change.
Tara Nicole Donald
A working musician for 15 years, Tara Nicole Donald (aka GreenTaRA) is a professional touring and recording artist and Sistahood alumna. She is owner of her own label Easy Bake Records and proprietor of GreenTaRA Music, facilitating tour bookings, CD production, music publishing and grant-writing for herself and other independent artists.
She has performed extensively in Canada, the US, Europe and Australia, having released three albums in North America and one in Japan. An advocate of women in music, Tara has had repeat invitations to perform at United Nations headquarters in NYC for the Commission on the Status of Women, and was awarded “Best of the Fest” in music at the 2007 Austin Woman’s Film, Music & Literary Festival.
A graduate in Creative & Performing Arts from the University of British Columbia, Tara is a certified Grant Communications & Program Development specialist and a lead representative for the Urban Music Association of Canada.
"."
Board of Directors
Vanessa Richards, MPhil -Chair;
Vanessa Richards joined the Board after performing in Sistahood 2004. She is an artist and facilitator exploring interdisciplinary practices with a foundation in writing, performance, music and collaboration. Her related interests include participatory process and leading edge practices related to community-based arts and urban regeneration. As an advocate, her strategic challenge is to enhance the capacity for arts and creative culture as a pillar from which to support Vancouver as a truly livable region. Other volunteer commitments include, Director- Performing Arts Lodge (PAL), Advisory Member for the Oct. 2007 conference, Live In Public, the Art of Engagement, and Mobile MUSE Innovation Council. Richards is a Big Sister.
Her poetry and critical works are anthologised in the UK, Holland, the United States and Canada. In 2007 Richards was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Theatre Award and she is currently in rehearsals for the upcoming production of The Violet Hour at the Belfry Theatre, April/May 2008.
Helena Cynamon
For the past twenty years Helena Cynamon has creatively been involved with the film and TV industry. She has executive produced projects including a feature film with Genevieve Bijold. In addition, she has been the Chair and a founding partner of Forefront Entertainment International, which enjoyed commercial success through the creation, production, distribution and rights management of quality dramatic products. Forefront Entertainment produced 115 hours of programming, sold to 105 countries and received more than 30 international industry awards.
In particular, Helena won an International Emmy for “The Magician’s House”, a BBC/CTV family series and was awarded the Banff TV festival CTV award of excellence. Prior to Forefront, Helena also wrote and directed award winning documentaries including the NFB production “Balancing Act”. In related activities, Helena has sat on industry forum panels, film script juries, and served on the Vancouver Trade Forum, the Four Corners Bank, and the national boards of the CFTPA and CAFDE.
Maureen Kelleher
Formally trained in educational media, Maureen Kelleher began writing and directing for the educational market before branching out into television and drama. Her first documentary, To Return: The John Walkus Story, broadcast nationally on CTV, VISION, and APTN, and won "Best Public Service" at the American Indian Film Festival in New York. Trouble, a feature film she co-wrote for ZDF television about Berlin’s turbulent post-wall period, played in numerous festivals and won Best Film at both the Magdeburg Film Festival and Montreal Women’s Film Festival. Maureen is committed to making inspiring television with an emphasis on history, human interest and social issues. She wrote and directed five episodes of History Television's series, Ghost Towns of Canada, created a pilot for a half-hour series on emotional intelligence and most recently completed development on The Truth Is Out There, an exciting conspiracy series for Global Television. Currently, Maureen is finishing Return To Reichenbach, a one-hour documentary that weaves the stories of a Holocaust survivor and a German women she believes was the Nazi guard who was kind to her.
Darrell Stables
For over twenty years Darrell Stables has been involved with the Music industry. He has played music professionally, produced concerts, festivals and also tour managed and managed artists.
In particular, Darrell has been stage-managing one of the main venues for The Vancouver International Jazz festival for 15 years. He has also spent the last 8 years producing concerts for House of Blues Concerts (now Live Nation) and 4 years stage-managing Power to the Peaceful for Michael Franti in San Francisco.
In other music related activities, Darrell has adjudicated for The Juno Awards. He has also trained others in the field of concert production and event management.
Sarah Carr-Locke
Sarah Carr-Locke is a new addition to the Working Arts Society Board. She holds an interdisciplinary Master's degree on the topic of community-based archaeology and Aboriginal Peoples. She is currently employed by UBC's Museum of Anthropology where she is able to put these interests of social justice and community-based work into practice.
Sarah's lifelong passion for music and culture has manifested in co-founding OldSOFA Music in 2002 with her partner Shawn Hall. A great networker and promoter, Sarah is committed to helping develop a vibrant music scene in Vancouver that can act as an agent for positive social change.
Tara Nicole Donald
A working musician for 15 years, Tara Nicole Donald (aka GreenTaRA) is a professional touring and recording artist and Sistahood alumna. She is owner of her own label Easy Bake Records and proprietor of GreenTaRA Music, facilitating tour bookings, CD production, music publishing and grant-writing for herself and other independent artists.
She has performed extensively in Canada, the US, Europe and Australia, having released three albums in North America and one in Japan. An advocate of women in music, Tara has had repeat invitations to perform at United Nations headquarters in NYC for the Commission on the Status of Women, and was awarded “Best of the Fest” in music at the 2007 Austin Woman’s Film, Music & Literary Festival.
A graduate in Creative & Performing Arts from the University of British Columbia, Tara is a certified Grant Communications & Program Development specialist and a lead representative for the Urban Music Association of Canada.
"."
