Programming Overview
Clowns Without Borders creates moments of connection for people experiencing crisis. Until the pandemic, that had always meant in-person, international tours. CWB – USA never considered online programming before COVID-19, but the pandemic forced us to push the boundaries of what we thought was possible.
We pivoted from live programming to a virtual conversation series by April 2020, or a month after most of the U.S. went into lockdown. Clowns In Conversation provided a respite and form of connection during a frightening and confusing time.
Programming Context
Part of CWB’s mission is restorative narrative and raising awareness about the Right to Play, the role of clowns, and the lives of displaced people. Clowns In Conversation Season 1 used live panel discussions and film screenings to address cultural humility, why laughing matters, and the early years of Clowns Without Borders. Our overarching theme was Laughter As Resistance.
CWB is proud of its ongoing relationship with partners in Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico, and we remain committed to learning about the reality of forced displacement. Clowns In Conversation Season 2 narrowed its focus to the lived experiences and context of South-to-North migration in the Americas. The overarching theme was Migration As Resilience. We interviewed migrant leaders, community organizers, prison abolitionists, and borderlands experts to better understand the critical situation our audience members face during their harrowing migrant journeys.
Programming Team
Adam Auslander, Andrew Horton, Ania Upstill, Arturo Gaskins, Calvin Kai Ku, Cynthia Choucair, David Argüello, David Lichtenstein, Dustin Allen, Eric Rubin, Erin Leigh Crites, Erwan Gronier, Ilana Levy, Jan Damm, Johnny Holder, Jonas Sjogren, Josie Mae, Kolleen Kintz, Leah Abel, Leora Sapon-Shevin, Melissa Aston, Meredith Gordon, Moshe Cohen, Naomi Shafer, Paúl Gomex, Rebecca Ann Hill, Rudi Galindo, Sabine Choucair, Susie Wimmer, Tamara Palmer, Yomara Rodriguez, California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, Borderlands Fund, Heidy Sarabia, Maria Vargas
Watch the entire series here:
