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Artists form a collaborative on a Black/queer living & cultural experience in an RV while following their acting, writing and filmmaking dreams.

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About the Artists

A collaborative on a Black/queer living & cultural experience in an RV exploring sustainable and unique ways of living and traveling while following their acting, writing and filmmaking dreams. The artists’ journey will be documented through video and photos.

Adja Gildersleve (pronoun: Adja) is a filmmaker, photographer and educator based in Minneapolis. Adja spent years as an organizer and agitator on the frontlines and is currently centering their passion and using media as a tool for liberation. Adja is committed to fighting oppression by any means necessary and including practices that lead to becoming a healthy elder.

Ashembaga Jaafaru (she/her) is a first generation Nigerian with credits that include various plays at Hamline University, Making Waves: Hamline University Social Justice Theatre Troupe, Penumbra Theatre (Summer Institute), Eugene O’Neill Center (National Theatre Institute), and MN Fringe Festival productions. Her favorite methodologies for theatre stem from the techniques/practices of Augusto Boal and Paulo Freire with pedagogy and theatre of the oppressed. She strongly believes in art for social change.

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Art In This Present Moment

This project is part of Art in This Present Moment, an initiative of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, with funding from the McKnight Foundation. We provided grants to 12 Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations to fund work by over 50 BIPOC artists who are changing and challenging dominant narratives through their craft.

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