.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Funding for Miami-Dade's art community is under attack from all fronts
But it also means something else. 'Full out' is what we've learned when survival becomes choreography, and when the body is both archive and advocate — moving with precision and purpose because there is no other choice.
In Florida, survival through art is becoming harder to sustain.
Last year's $32 million gubernatorial veto gutted state arts funding and eliminated support for nearly 700 organizations — including mine, the Pioneer Winter Collective, a dance theater company I've grown here in Miami to hold queer brilliance and bodies that refuse to be erased.
The dancers in my company span generations, from their 20s into their 70s. Some live with HIV. Some navigate disability. Some are reclaiming their lives in recovery. We rehearse in spaces where the truth of our bodies can unfold. We perform wherever that truth needs to be witnessed — museums, sidewalks, theaters, parks. Our choreography is shaped by who's in the room. Movement becomes evidence of life. A record.
After Florida's funding cuts, a major federal grant was withheld — even after it had been fully executed. That grant was intended to bring performances centering elders and intergenerational mentorship to new audiences across South Florida, along with workshops exploring memory and recovery. It was likely caught in the crosshairs of the broader assault on DEI initiatives, given the work's explicit focus on queer legacy and LGBTQ+ elder visibility.
Arts are too often the first thing on the chopping block — treated as optional or disposable — while massive public dollars are funneled into stadium deals and tourism sports spectacles like FIFA. It sends a clear message about whose stories matter and what kind of legacy is worth investing in. Our cultural ecosystem can't thrive when artists and organizations are forced to beg for scraps.
Further, the county mayor's dismantling of the Department of Cultural Affairs and burying it under libraries and social services strips the arts of autonomy, silences its advocacy power and makes it easier to defund in the name of 'streamlining' during budget cuts.
The centerpiece of my company's recent work, ' Apollo,' was honored with a proclamation from Miami-Dade on the night of its premiere at the Miami Theater Center, naming April 25 'Pioneer Winter Collective Day.' But being celebrated locally while denied state and federal support — and now facing local threats — reveals the hollowness of recognition without resources.
This is about more than one company's survival. It's about the right for anyone outside the mainstream to see themselves reflected. It's about the kind of work that has kept so many of us alive.
Dance has saved my life — more than once. It held me when I lost my mother, and in moments when I couldn't see a way forward. It moved what had nowhere else to go. It gave me a way to be brave when nothing else felt solid. And when words fail completely, as they often do, dance is still there. Because we are always in our bodies.
I've seen what happens when a body begins to move from its own truth. When a dancer — queer, disabled, Black or brown, system-impacted — stops translating their lived experience for someone else's comfort. I choreograph to let that truth be seen at full volume. To let it be what it is — without justification or compromise.
Beyond 'Pride' month, when so many celebrate queer joy and resilience, it's important to remember that those things require support. If this work moves you, pour into it. Make a donation, attend a performance, sponsor a workshop. Help keep queer bodies visible, moving and held in the light.
'One more time' is another phrase dancers learn early. Dancers always know the phrase is a promise to keep showing up, no matter the conditions: we go again, full out. This movement is how we keep each other alive.
Pioneer Winter heads the Pioneer Winter Collective, a queer dance theater company in Miami.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
The Apollo Theater, called a 'shrine to Black artistic genius' awarded preservation grant
The preservation grants are significant for the money, 'but also as a recognition of the ongoing efforts to preserve history and culture.' WASHINGTON ‒ The legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, which has long been the stage for some of the nation's top Black artists, will restore its signature marquee, thanks in part to a recent grant. Two dozen other historic landmarks of Black America, including theaters, museums and cemeteries, will also receive $50,000 to $150,000 each for preservation and restoration projects. The nearly $3 million in grants were announced recently by the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private nonprofit. More: 'It's an answered prayer': Historic Black churches get grants for needed repairs The money is particularly significant, not just for the dollars it provides, 'but also as a recognition of the ongoing efforts to preserve history and culture," said Michelle Ebanks, the Apollo's president and CEO. 'Black historic places often face underfunding or lack of visibility, making it all the more critical to protect and celebrate them." Funding for such projects has become harder to come by in recent months, historians and community activists have said, as the Trump administration and others push to scale back the teaching of some Black history. 'As institutions divest from their responsibility, we remain committed to this never-ending work of telling the full history,'' said Brent Leggs, executive director of the fund and senior vice president of the National Trust. The action fund aims to help preserve places of American significance like the Apollo, which was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2024. 'The Apollo Theater is more than a stage. It's a shrine to Black artistic genius," Leggs said. 'For over a century it has launched icons and shaped culture and now with our help, it's undergoing a comprehensive restoration to ensure this historic venue thrives for another 100 years of creative brilliance.' Black theaters are anchors in communities The Apollo, which has a long history on 125th Street in Harlem and has showcased stars like Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson and Usher, is undergoing a $65 million renovation. Beyond restoring the marquee, the action fund's $100,000 grant will help expand the lobby and improve the sound system, HVAC and lighting. It will also be used to modernize the café and retail space. More: Black churches, home for prayer and politics alike, get major preservation funds 'Our goal is to stay true to the building's original character while introducing modern upgrades that reflect the needs of today's artists and audiences," Ebanks said. It's the theater's first full-scale renovation, which is slated to be completed in the fall of 2026. Meanwhile, performances will continue at the new Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theater, a few doors away. 'We're excited that our audiences won't miss a beat," Ebanks said. Theaters have often been anchors in Black communities, Leggs said. The Jewel Theater in Oklahoma City was also awarded a $100,000 grant to restore its exterior. The theater, which has been vacant for decades, served the city's Black community when most other venues were segregated, said Leggs. 'There's a sense of urgency to ensure that we don't lose this heritage site," he said. 'Telling the stories of resilience' Since 2018, the fund has awarded $45 million for 380 projects nationwide. Over the years, the fund has also awarded preservation grants to historic Black churches, recently giving $1 million to the Clayborn Temple Church in Memphis. The historic church, which was a key site in the Civil Rights Movement, was severely damaged by fire April 28. More: 'This is our history:' African American churches, museums and landmarks work to preserve Black history Under the first Descendant and Family Stewardship Initiative in July, grants were given to organizations like the Muddy Waters Mojo Museum in Chicago and the Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte, Vermont. The grants help descendants and family-led organizations run their sites. Sites awarded grants under the Conserving Black Modernism effort include McKenzie Hall at the University of Oregon and the administration building at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. The program aims to preserve the work of African American architects and designers. Ebanks said it's important to continue to fund such efforts. "These institutions are vital for telling the stories of resilience, innovation, and artistry that have shaped our nation,' she said.
New York Times
3 days ago
- New York Times
What's on Cupid's Mind at Versailles? AI Can Tell You.
Early one midsummer afternoon in the Palace of Versailles' gardens, a pigeon landed effortlessly on a masterpiece of French outdoor sculpture: a 17th-century statue of Apollo on a chariot, pulled by four horses. The statue, made of gilded lead, has stood in a vast fountain at Versailles in the three-plus centuries since Louis XIV was king of France — and it has now entered the digital age via a new feature on the historic site's app: Powered by the tech giant OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, an audio tool lets visitors (on or off site) converse with 20 outdoor statues in three languages. On that summer afternoon, I put the chatbot to the test. I asked Apollo a few obvious questions — who had put him there, what he represented — and received textbook answers, delivered in perfect English by a confident male voice. Then, spotting the pigeon still perched on Apollo's head, I opted for a bolder line of questioning: What if a pigeon took a toilet break on this peerless treasure? 'When pigeons show their affection on my chariot, it's hardly a grand moment. But the caretakers of Versailles are vigilant,' Apollo replied. 'They ensure I remain in shining condition, restoring my brilliance after such interruptions. So no lasting harm from those little birds!' Versailles receives 8.4 million visitors a year, according to France's culture ministry, more than any other French heritage site except the Louvre Museum. Yet 80 percent of them are international tourists, and their average age is 40. So the palace is engaging with OpenAI and other big tech companies with the hope of not just informing visitors, but also luring audiences that are younger and more homegrown. (The New York Times filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI for using published work without permission to train its artificial intelligence. OpenAI has denied those claims.) Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad triggers liberals. She looks good. They don't.
Sales revenue from the new 'Sydney Jean' will benefit a crisis phone line. Instead of focusing on the positive, liberals have attacked actress Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle. Actress Sydney Sweeney and I share a few things. We're both blonde (mine is natural; I'm not sure about hers). We have blue eyes. We have the same birthday. And we were born in the Pacific Northwest − she in Washington, I in Oregon. Sadly for me, that's where the similarities end. And it's why I work for a newspaper and Sweeney is on the big screen. Sweeney is beautiful in a classic girl-next-door kind of way. No wonder American Eagle recently chose the 27-year-old to star in some sexy new ads for the clothing company's jeans. The advertising campaign showcases Sweeney's 'great jeans,' with a playful reference to her 'genes.' She clearly was gifted with good ones. 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,' Sweeney says in one ad. 'My jeans are blue.' It's clever and fun. So why am I even talking about this? Because liberals have lost their minds over it, accusing both American Eagle and Sweeney of sending a racist message. Some have outright called the ads 'Nazi propaganda' and an example of 'White supremacy.' It's a ridiculous overreaction to an advertisement featuring a successful, attractive celebrity. And it's the latest example of how the left refuses to let go of their woke agenda and identity politics, which were soundly rejected in the 2024 election. Leno's right: Colbert got canned because Americans are tired of left's lectures | Opinion Is Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad 'tone-deaf'? Not at all. After American Eagle announced its collaboration with Sweeney on July 23, its stock jumped, signaling the market understood this was a smart move. 'Sweeney's girl next door charm and main character energy − paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously − is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign,' American Eagle wrote on its website. The fall campaign features 'The Sydney Jean,' created in partnership with Sweeney. All the revenue from the sales will be donated to the Crisis Text Line, which offers free mental health support. Rather than focus on the positive, however, progressives turned to mob mode, calling names and threatening to boycott the company and Sweeney. 'During a time when DEI is under attack and there are mass deportations occurring daily, an ad campaign centered on how awesome it is to be white and blonde-haired and blue-eyed reads as rather tone-deaf,' a writer for Vulture muses. Vanity Fair asks, 'Does Sydney Sweeney have 'great jeans,' or has the American Eagle brand simply had a very, very bad idea?' while noting that the campaign is 'based around a play on words that may seem harmless − but has been criticized by onlookers who see a sinister message lurking beneath the pun.' Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Yet, that same Vulture article also mentions how Sweeney's ad campaign is a direct nod to one Brooke Shields did for Calvin Klein in the 1980s. Americans are sick of DEI. Sweeney's ad signals a reset. Maybe the American Eagle-Sweeney collaboration is simply a throwback and not eugenics-promoting? In a recent interview with NPR, former Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (and rumored 2028 Democratic presidential contender) acknowledged that Democrats have been 'slow to understand some of the cultural changes that have been happening.' 'I think there's a perception that Democrats became so focused on identity that we no longer had a message that could actually speak to people across the board, or that we were only for you if you fit into a certain identity bucket,' Buttigieg said. That's exactly what Democrats have done, focusing on race and gender identity to the point that it's ostracized a large number of voters. Opinion: Democrats waste $20 million to learn why they lost men. Here's my free advice. Whether progressives want to admit it, the country is still majority White and these Americans are tired of being made to feel evil or unworthy simply because of their immutable characteristics. No one should be made to feel that way. Companies and colleges are starting to roll back their diversity, equality and inclusion adherence that has felt oppressive in recent years and led to more division – not less. Sweeney is a young woman who's capitalizing on her good looks and charm. Good for her. And good for American Eagle for bucking the DEI trend. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
