Strata

DiverseWorks

Houston, Texas

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Person standing among tall grasses in dim green light with quote bubbles that read “No place is devoid of culture. And I think it’s irresponsible for us to think like that. Even if you may not see it on a surface level, there is a culture.” Attribution reads “DiverseWorks.” NPN logo and the word "Strata" appears at bottom along with an arrow pointing to the right.
Dark purple graphic with text reading “Strata” and quote “We wanted to question who gets to identify as artists.” Three colorful stacked stone shapes appear below.
Informational poster on dark purple background. Text reads “Four decades of free, public, multidisciplinary art rooted in social change. W.A.G.E. certified since 2014, with 70%+ BIPOC and or LGBTQ+ artists. DiverseWorks commissions work that might not otherwise exist – instigative, collaborative, and built on the belief that art shapes our world.” Labels read “Founded by artists in 1982” and “Houston, Texas.”
Pink poster titled “DiverseWorks’ Values.” White stone shapes list values reading “Artistic Process,” “Justice,” “Transparency,” “Curiosity,” “Freedom of Expression,” and “Collaboration.”
Quote poster on dark purple background reading “We do not believe in censoring the artists. We really let the artists lead the conversation – whether that’s rethinking a historical riot in the city, climate, or reproductive rights.” Attribution reads “Ashley DeHoyos Sauder, Curator.”
Pink quote poster with text reading “We’ve realized that artists can bring cultural, social, intellectual capital, and it doesn’t always have to be monetary value. That has really helped us as we rethought our board and built in artists as board members – that DiverseWorks doesn’t have to be operated in a traditional way.” Attribution reads “Ashley, DW.”
Resource poster titled “Core Concepts of Civic Engagement.” Bullet points read “Political and non-political,” “Built on community service,” “Agency to shape one’s own path,” “Quality of life,” “Deliberate,” “Consistent,” and “Equitable.” Quote cites Civic Responsibility and Higher Education. Footer reads “from ConnectedLib.”
Poster with Strata logo and text reading “a cultural political conversation.” Additional text explains the project is designed to deepen engagement with culture on the road to collective liberation through conversations with artists, movement thinkers, cultural workers, administrators, and revolutionaries.
Closing poster with NPN DRJaM logo and text reading “Strata is a project of the National Performance Network’s Department of Racial Justice and Movement Building (DRJaM). Learn more at: npnweb.org/strata.” Three stacked white stone shapes appear at bottom.
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DiverseWorks

About this Episode

Strata – DiverseWorks (@diverseworks) is a contemporary arts organization based in Houston, Texas, now in its 42nd year. In this episode of Strata, Ashley DeHoyos Sauder, Curator, guides us through the conditions, climate, and culture shaping their work, what it means to lead from a justice framework, reimagining position and power, and how care functions as a curatorial practice.

“No place is devoid of culture. And I think it’s irresponsible for us to think like that…even if you may not see it on a surface level, there is a culture.”

Strata, a cultural political conversation from NPN, explores the role of cultural work on our journey to collective liberation. Through conversations with cultural workers, artists, and movement thinkers, Strata reveals how cultural organizations are engaging the political life of their communities and beyond through exploring the layers of ideas and praxis that guide us toward a world with humanity and dignity for all.

This conversation was recorded in 2024. DiverseWorks is an NPN National Partner (view their profile).

Resources

Credits

Artists works by Jeffrey Bussey, Jocelyn Cottencin, Li(sa E.) Harris, Jasmine Hearn, and Emmanuelle Huynh.

Photos by Marc Armeña, Sol Diaz-Peña, John “Juice” Harris, Paul Hester, Jakayla Monay, and Amitava Sarkar.

Courtesy of the artists and DiverseWorks.

Design and production by Big Tada.

NPN DRJaM

Strata is a project of the National Performance Network’s Department of Racial Justice and Movement Building (DRJaM).

Episodes

Strata Overview

Kelly Strayhorn Theater

Joseph Hall, Co-Executive Director of Kelly Strayhorn Theater, on stage showing off his high-heel boots to the audience, lifting one foot with a grin while holding a microphone. He wears a sheer black top and cream-colored wide-leg pants. Guitars rest on stands near a drum kit behind him, lit by dramatic magenta and deep blue stage lighting.

DiverseWorks

A performer on stage moves through a large bundle of tall dried grasses and seed heads, hands reaching into the stalks. A projection of dense green foliage fills the backdrop, creating a layered contrast between the warm brown grasses and the cool, lush green behind them.

Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (DVCAI)

Two figures in a lush green field with tall grass and tropical forest behind them. One, covered entirely in blue body paint, sits crouching with hands pressed together near their face. The other, covered in white or gray body paint, stands with a large banana leaf draped over their head and shoulders, one arm extended. Both appear to be part of a land-based performance.