Welcome Guest Blogger, Brittany Sandoval

How Art is a Ruse

By Brittany Sandoval

Art has always been a medium in which to feed the people a less bitter rendition of society and politics. Let’s play a game.

Consider any movie, regardless of its genre, and you’ll find it often embodies a political theme at its core:

• Romance: Titanic delves into the themes of capitalism;
• Science Fiction: Avatar explores issues of colonization;
• Suspense: Jaws critiques profits over people;
• Drama: The Shawshank Redemption sheds light on corrupt prison systems;
• Horror: Get Out confronts the specter of racism.

The beauty and true mastery of an artist is the ability to meld difficult conversations into refreshing stories that are so fantastical and original that the audience doesn’t realize that they’re learning. But they are. Good programming, like The Touch and Feel Museum or Sleep No More, can do the same.

entertwine’s AAPI 24-hour playwriting contest arose during a tumultuous time. In 2020, the world experienced a pandemic , one that we hadn’t seen in a century: a deadly sickness that spread across countries and continents, COVID-19. It was a time of depression and violence. The world watched as our modern understanding of tolerance and ignorance were challenged. And we failed.

The starkest reveal of our ignorance was that people from several different countries in Asia were being targeted for hate crimes because they were thought to be associated with causing the COVID-19 pandemic. Violence is terrible, but a gross sweeping violence that targets innocent people based on biases is untenable.

Our founder, Kyiana Williams, having migrated back to the United States from China during the pandemic, was infuriated by both media and governments using people as scapegoats for poor governance and media hysteria. People were being displaced, attacked, and dying. The distress was worsened by the egregious idea that an entire continent was uniform.

Asia, akin to Africa, is a mosaic of diverse nations, languages, and cultures. It is profoundly unjust to indiscriminately target individuals based solely on their appearance and presumed association with the pandemic’s origins. Who embodies the appearance of “Asian”? Is it a Russian, an Indian, or someone else entirely? The fallacy of such generalizations becomes glaringly apparent when confronted with the rich tapestry of human experiences and identities that populate our world.

Regardless of our outward appearances or cultural affiliations, we are entitled to compassion, understanding, and the recognition of our individual worth.

In tumultuous times, art soothes, amplifies, and provides an outlet.

Founder and Executive Director of entertwine, Kyiana Williams states, “entertwine’s AAPI 24-hour playwriting contest was our solution to not only highlight the stories of Asian cultures through budding playwrights but to clarify (in a public display) that Asia is a continent. And that the people from that continent are multifaceted and have extensively rich cultures.”

The Democracy Center at JANM plays a crucial role in highlighting these stories by providing entertwine and the playwrights validation and visibility for their work. Together we foster works from people that, too often, go unheard. We implement the change and stories we want to see in the world.

During entertwine’s AAPI 24-hour playwriting contest, participants face the challenge of crafting a short play within a tight 24-hour timeframe. To ensure fairness, all writers must incorporate provided “easter eggs” into their plays to be considered for judging.

The contest identifies ten outstanding up-and-coming playwrights who identify as Asian American Pacific Islanders. These playwrights then have the opportunity to refine their craft through workshops and receive invaluable feedback from a distinguished panel of judges, before having a staged reading at the Democracy Center.

2023 esteemed judges included industry professionals such as:

• Dr. Velina Hasu Houston, the Associate Dean of Faculty, and Founder/Director of the undergraduate Playwriting Program and Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing at the University of Southern California;
• Professor Shino Lee, Lead Screenwriting Professor at NYU Tisch Dramatic Writing;
• Professor Rui Xu from CalArts and interdisciplinary producer and PMP® (Project Management Professional);
• Filmmaker Nitin Madan whose credits include FBI (CBS) and Law and Order.

We’re proud to offer the playwriting festival again for a fourth year, renaming it entertwine’s APIDA 24-hour playwriting contest to be more inclusive to Desi-Americans. Registration is currently open and we look forward to all new and returning playwrights.

About the Guest Blogger

Brittany Sandoval, an Afro-Latina writer, poet, and filmmaker from Houston, deftly balances her creative pursuits with academic and professional endeavors. She holds an Associate Degree in Arts from Houston Community College and is currently a Junior at the University of Houston, majoring in English with a specialization in Creative Writing.

Recently, Brittany served as an associate producer for entertwine’s prestigious annual 48-Hour Horror Film Festival, solidifying her reputation in the industry. In 2023, she distinguished herself as a director of photography for various projects in Houston, including the Trans-Road Show, Unity Banquet, and the compelling short film Don’t Break My Soul.

Beyond her contributions to film and media, Brittany thrives as a freelance writer for entertwine, an esteemed Al-powered career counselor for creatives, and as director of photography for Houston Media Source, a prominent local public access station. Currently, she channels her creative energy into writing her debut short film, a darkly comedic exploration of mental health within immigrant and minority communities. Brittany’s aim is to craft thought-provoking narratives that challenge conventional norms and spark meaningful dialogue.