CWB – USA Executive Director Naomi Shafer interviewed Dustin Allen, Melissa Aston, and Ania Upstill on May 1 2020. In American circus, “First of May” is a nickname for somebody who is in the circus for the first time. These … Continue reading
Tag: Clowns Without Borders
CWB Welcomes Two New Board Members!
“We clowns are well positioned to respond to the unexpected with imagination, creativity, joy, and a sense of expansive possibility.” – Marisol Rosa-Shapiro, Board of Directors Clowns Without Borders USA is delighted to welcome Meredith Gordon and Marisol Rosa-Shapiro to … Continue reading
Honoring Sarah Liane Foster and Selena McMahan
“If either Selena or Sarah called me at, say, 3:00am on a Wednesday night and said something like, ‘Hey Tim, could you send me your left leg?’ I would wake up, start sawing, and head to the post office.” – … Continue reading
Clowning and Coronavirus: CWB’s online adaptations
I used to know what my job was. I produced clown tours and workshops for displaced people, migrants, and communities in crisis. Amidst all of the unknowns and intangibles of that work, I knew what I was doing. Since the … Continue reading
The Zoom Room
Zoom used to be a word I used exclusively with the toddler in my life. We zoomed in the stroller. We zoomed as we animated a spoonful of peas into an airplane. We shrieked, “Zoom zoom!” while racing to put … Continue reading
Know Nonsense: Funny Faces
Know Nonsense is our new program of DIY Clown Activities. CWB can’t come to you, but we still want to clown with you. Clowns live in a world that celebrates everything it is to be human, where anything is possible, and … Continue reading
What Does “Internally Displaced Person” Mean?
Internally Displaced Person, or IDP, refers to someone who is forced to flee their home but remains within their country of origin. Refugees may cross national boundaries to seek safety, but IDPs are unable, or choose not, to do so. … Continue reading
Empathy, Humanity, and Advocacy Are Not Cancelled
A letter from CWB – USA Executive Director Naomi Shafer: Dear Community, I hope you are well. I know many of you are experiencing job insecurity, restlessness, anxiety, and travel restrictions. You may not be able to see your family. … Continue reading
Coloring Without Borders
Like everyone, CWB – USA is still adjusting to the rapid changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we made the difficult decision to cancel our tour to Colombia, we’ve worked to set up online and social media resources … Continue reading
COVID-19 & CWB : Program Cancellation
Dear Supporters, Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 we cancelled our tour to Colombia (scheduled to depart March 12th). We are cancelling all programs through the end of April, after which time we will reevaluate. Cancelling the … Continue reading
Listen In: CWB On the Air
Progressive Radio Network featured Clowns Without Borders in conversation with host Eleanor LeCain. Executive Director Naomi Shafer, CWB Board Vice President Erin Leigh Crites, and Board Member Sayda Trujillo describe CWB’s work, how clowning can serve the needs of a … Continue reading
Strategic Partnerships
“In Spanish we say resignificar, which I guess you could translate as ‘redefine.’ I wanted to redefine the role of the clown. To really make a transformation or push a button in society, we need professional clowns.” – Ilana Levy, … Continue reading
Audience of One
Six months ago, CWB – USA wrapped our last performance in Myanmar. Over the course of the tour we spent 60 hours on planes, six hours a day in the car, and performed for over 9,000 people. Amidst all those … Continue reading
Did CWB – USA Meet Its 2018 Goals?
Laughing Matters! This is the core of our work at Clowns Without Borders – USA. Our artists see and experience laughter’s impact on an audience. You’ve probably glimpsed this in our photos. You’ve read our final statistics from a tour. … Continue reading
