RACHEL PHOTO BY JAMES NWOBU
EGBORO
Finding the intersection of arts and culture Rachel Egboro directs traffic at the intersection of arts and culture, where she helps people make connections. There’s quite a story behind that.
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Egboro is the creator, curator and cultivator of The Whole Story, a storytelling series at Phoenix Art Museum that elevates and celebrates the black experience. The quarterly show began its third year this month. FROM HASHTAGS The Whole Story is Egboro’s bold response to a popular narrative about the black experience that was reduced to hashtags – #TrayvonMartin, #SandraBland. It was a conversation going nowhere but to the crowded and confining spaces of fear and anger. As is her habit, Egboro put a lot of thought into how she could make things better. Sparking conversations with less yelling and more listening through the art of storytelling was her answer. TO DIALOGUE Egboro, a Phoenix native and first-generation NigerianAmerican, produces a show featuring black Arizonans who have profound experiences and messages. Whether the stories ring familiar or are entirely
new, they open doors to discovery and authentic human connections. “In a sense, we’re all storytellers,” Egboro says. “I’m just extra curious about people’s journeys.” Curiosity and uncommon imagination helped Egboro land the museum venue. Nikki DeLeon Martin, the museum’s director of external affairs, says Egboro’s keen intellect propels ideas and solutions to another level, and her magnetic personality makes her an extraordinary convener. “She’s lovely in every possible way,” DeLeon Martin says. “Every time I meet her I’m like, ‘You’re so smart and funny and kind and beautiful.’ Every positive thing a person can be, that’s Rachel. … Amazing at every turn.”
Do you know an Arts Hero? Someone who works tirelessly to strengthen, improve and enhance the arts in our community Nominate him or her at onmediaaz.com
3/27/19 10:20 AM
