What does it mean to encounter a tradition that lives at the boundary between the seen and the unseen? In this episode of In Conversation, Victoria embarks on a journey into Lucumí, the Afro-Cuban religious and cultural tradition rooted in Yoruba heritage, guided by the scholars, practitioners, and artists who know it intimately. Along the way, she speaks with a multidisciplinary artist whose work channels Caribbean mythology and mysticism through wax, metal, and photographic chemicals, a leading scholar of Afro-Latin American and Caribbean cultural thought and the culture-bearers of Clave Y Cuba, whose Afro-Cuban ancestral lineage stretches back more than 500 years. Together, they open a window onto a living tradition of its music, its histories, and the ways it continues to shape identity and community across the Caribbean diaspora and beyond. Credits: Yesica Gispert is a multidisciplinary artist based in Miami, FL, exploring Caribbean identity, mythology, and mysticism, layering personal and collective histories in her work to investigate the boundaries between reality and the unseen through materials such as wax, metal, and photographic chemicals. She earned a BFA from Florida International University, an MFA from NYU Steinhardt in 2012, and a postgraduate degree in Media Art from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne in 2020. She is currently a Visiting Associate Professor in Photography at Florida International University https://www.jessicagispert.com/ Odette Casamayor-Cisneros is a Cuban-born scholar and Associate Professor of Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Cultural Studies in the department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Pennsylvania (2019-present). Her current scholarship is centered on Afro-Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx cultural production and epistemologies. https://upenn.academia.edu/OdetteCasamayorCisneros https://upenn.academia.edu/OdetteCasamayorCisneros Clave Y Cuba’s Mission: “preserve Cuban folkloric music, history, and traditions. Through expert-led workshops, special events, and cultural programs led by musicians with Afro-Cuban ancestral lineage passed down for over 500 years, Clave Y Cuba serves as a bridge, connecting diverse communities with authentic sights and sounds.” https://www.claveycuba.org/team Programs they offer: https://www.claveycuba.org/programs-experiences Producer: Armando ZamoraScript writer, interviewer: Victoria RaveloCo-Producers: Corbin Graves, Janessa Melendez, Michaela BlancOriginal Music: Ruben Espinoza, Christian Cummings, Armando Zamora
