Getting booked in another country isn’t luck — it’s strategy, consistency, relationships and showing up with intention.

In this final episode of the La Raza BIPOC ACCESS Artist Development Podcast we sit down with spoken word artist + curator El Uno, plus Grow House Tampa’s Dennis Amadeus and Curtis Davis — to break down how international networking actually works, how Canadians can get booked in the U.S., and why showing up physically still matters in a digital-first world.

We discuss:

• how to build cross-border artistic relationships

• breaking into U.S. markets from Canada without “connections”

• the power of showing up — open mics, conferences, creative spaces

• why community leadership amplifies career longevity

• how grassroots artists create international demand with intention

This episode is presented by Spin El Poeta, ONE MIC EDUCATORS, and THE DOPE CONTENT.

Supported by Canada Council for the Arts

Full La Raza BIPOC ACCESS podcast episode links (listen FREE on all major platforms):

https://laraza.podbean.com/

Connect with One Mic Educators https://onemic-educators.ca and https://instagram.com/educatorsonemic

Connect with BIPOC ACCESS resources, workshops + community:

https://linktree.com/bipocaccess

In this powerful episode of the La Raza BIPOC ACCESS Artist Development Podcast, we sit down with Amani Arts — member of the One Mic Educators collective, author, spoken word poet, concept artist and storyteller based in Hamilton, Ontario. Her work explores Black identity, Somali culture, Muslim representation, self love and the narratives that often get erased in mainstream media.

Amani has been published in TRADMagazine, PITCHMagazine, Briarpatch Magazine and more, and her book Oceans Barwaaqo is her first collective publication. She also teaches workshops for emerging writers and creatives, and was awarded the 2022 GOG Award for “Innovation in a permanent collection” for Breaking The Vault: Art and Poetic Liberty (Art Gallery of Hamilton).

In this episode we discuss:

• Muslim + Somali representation in art

• Using poetry to reclaim narrative

• Refusing to shrink identity for acceptance

• Why showing nuance matters

• Centering joy, regularity + everyday life as art

• Why representation is a leadership responsibility

This is a needed conversation for people who have ever felt unseen, misrepresented or culturally flattened by media.

Watch. Listen. Share. Someone needs access to this — today.

LISTEN TO FULL PODCAST + EPISODES

https://laraza.podbean.com/

Amani Arts

IG — https://www.instagram.com/its.amani.arts

Linktree — https://linktr.ee/itsamaniarts

About the Project

The La Raza BIPOC ACCESS Artist Development Podcast is co-produced by

Spin El Poeta https://instagram.com/spinelpoeta, THE DOPE CONTENT https://instagram.com/thedopecontent

ONE MIC EDUCATORS https://instagram.com/educatorsonemic

Supported by Canada Council for the Arts.

In this powerful episode of the La Raza BIPOC ACCESS Artist Development Podcast, we sit down with Krystal Riverz, founder of River Rockz, and Immortal K (Kendall Jacobs), a young Indigenous artist and filmmaker. Together, they share how the grassroots organization based in Six Nations of the Grand River is fusing Hip-Hop culture and Indigenous traditions to empower youth, heal communities, and challenge intergenerational trauma through creativity.

We explore how River Rockz uses dance, videography, mural painting, spoken word, and community-based workshops to foster resilience, belonging, and expression. Immortal K shares his personal journey from participant to creative leader, illustrating the impact of these programs firsthand.

🎙️ Presented by SPIN El Poeta x THE DOPE CONTENT 🌐 Learn more: https://onemic-educators.ca https://linktr.ee/bipocaccess 🧡 Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts

This episode is part of the La Raza BIPOC ACCESS Artist Development Project, highlighting the work of BIPOC creatives building change through storytelling and art.