Performance artist, poet, and writer GOODW.Y.N. joins Asia this week on the podcast. 

Asia and GOODW.Y.N. begin by discussing GOODW.Y.N.'s journey to becoming a performance artist and how their practice is informed by their work as a poet and writer (01:40). The two focus the majority of their conversation on GOODW.Y.N.'s performance series Ain't I a Woman (?/!), which GOODW.Y.N. has presented in various iterations since 2017. The series shares its title with Sojourner Truth's infamous 1851 speech. However, as GOODW.Y.N. points out, the title and diction of Sojourner's speech was altered when it was recounted by the white abolitionist Frances Gage in 1863 (03:45). While participating in workshops through EMERGENYC, GOODW.Y.N. developed the performance Ain't I a Woman (?/!) to reclaim Sojourner's speech (05:48). 

GOODW.Y.N. considers what their performances of Ain't I a Woman (?/!) have taught them (07:33) and processes why some viewers respond violently to their performances (08:42). Although GOODW.Y.N. acknowledges that some people are afraid of their work because it forces them to confront the mythos of white supremacy (10:28), GOODW.Y.N. chooses to focus on those who celebrate their work and support their rebellion against the system. 

GOODW.Y.N. reveals that their upcoming performance of Ain't I a Woman (?/!) The Dinner Party II at Judson Memorial Church will conclude the series (14:05), and they share some new projects that they are developing (16:31). 

At the end of their conversation, Asia and GOODW.Y.N. reflect on the "mammification" of Black performers and review GOODW.Y.N.'s efforts to upend the traditional contract that exists between performers and audiences (18:50).

Follow GOODW.Y.N. on Instagram @goodw.y.n9

You can watch GOODW.Y.N.'s work on PerformVu! Head to https://www.performvu.com/

This podcast is produced and edited by Asia Stewart.

Find Asia online @asiastewart and @performvu