Artist, educator, and Afro Charities Executive Director Savannah Wood joins to reflect on legacy, growth, and leading one of Baltimore’s most ambitious cultural preservation efforts.

Savannah has overseen major milestones—most notably, the $16M redevelopment of the historic Upton Mansion, future home of the Afro-American Newspaper (AFRO) archives. We talk about curiosity as a compass, how archives become creative tools, and why joy, movement, and cultural memory drive her work forward.

Topics Covered:

• Activating history through artist commissions and intergenerational programs
• Transforming the Upton Mansion into a public anchor for Black archives
• The role of tennis and joy in creating grounding spaces
• Understanding cultural stewardship as an inherited and intentional act
• Collaborating across generations to develop meaningful public programming

🎧 Explore more conversations like this in our archive.

📸 Photo by Schaun Champion

Resources:

• Silent Auction
• Wildest Dreams Benefit for Afro Charities – June 7 Tickets
• Afro Charities Website
• Instagram: @afrocharities, @savannahinpublic

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

Support the podcast

• The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.org
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.social
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=en
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble

Artist Lewinale Havette returns for a conversation on art, spirit, and shedding constraints.

Recorded at Palo Gallery during NYC Art Week, Lewinale reflects on her evolution since 2022—from early paintings shaped by language and migration to her latest abstract works rooted in instinct, spirituality, and ancestral memory. We discuss authenticity, pushing limits, and why she’s letting go of surface-level meaning in favor of deeper emotional truth.

• Why she’s moved from narrative-driven art to intuitive abstraction
• Using linen, ink, and ancestral symbols to honor West African water deities
• Her take on the performative nature of art culture
• The emotional reactions her work sparks—from awe to fear
• What it means to create art for everyone, including herself

🎧 Be sure to listen to Lewinale’s first episode from 2022 to hear the full arc of her artistic growth.

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

Support the podcast

• The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.org
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.social
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=en
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble

Director and choreographer Sam Landa joins for his first appearance on the podcast to talk about reimagining what circus can be—and how LIQUID uses punk aesthetics, narrative, and high-stakes performance to deliver something unforgettable.

As co-founder of New York Circus Project, Sam blends circus, theater, and dance to push creative boundaries. We recorded this at Union Market District in DC just after the premiere of LIQUID. Sam shares how his training as an aerialist, studies in computer science, and passion for problem-solving come together to shape a bold vision for contemporary circus.

• Why he launched New York Circus Project to elevate circus beyond novelty
• What Hamlet taught him about fusing acrobatics with theatrical canon
• How punk, aerial work, and cocktail menus collided in LIQUID
• Thoughts on audience risk, narrative grounding, and creative leadership
• The role of stakes and structure in multidisciplinary productions

🎧 Experience the energy and vision behind LIQUID, now running at Union Market District through June 7. Tickets and info at newyorkcircusproject.org.

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

Support the podcast

• The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.org
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.social
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=en
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble