Welcome to the sixth episode of the For Common Good Podcast, where I speak to cultural practitioners and creative change-makers from across the globe, getting insight into their journeys, their work and also discussing ways to promote social change through the arts. 

Joining me today for this special EAST TALKS Edition are Nickisha McClean-Parris, Sheldon Manoo and Crissy-gail Edwards. EAST TALKS the Open Mic Series is a joint venture between EAST YARD, the East Trinidad based community arts centre I founded in 2017 and Nicki Consulting, which provides support to creative and small entrepreneurs and is run by Nickisha McClean-Parris.

In this episode we discussed arts for social change, collaboration between artists, mental wellness and all things creative with artists Sheldon Manoo and Crissy-gail Edwards. These two seasoned performers will soon grace the EAST TALKS stage on opening night and we can't wait.

Shelson's life is almost totally centered around music, he is a sales clerk at Simon’s Musical Supplies Ltd, the premier musical instrument and accessories store in Trinidad and Tobago. He is the founder of The Indigenous Movement, a nonprofit organization that promotes local content and has started a local charting system in partnership with the online radio station, islandjammers.listen2myradio.com and the Express Newspaper. A seasoned performer, Sheldon is an instrumentalist, a lyrical 'expresser' and also a vocal artist and has been a member of several local music bands over the years. Sheldon joined arts activist group Artists Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT), founded by Rubadiri Victor, being the first Vice President of that organization, where he was the Project Coordinator for major projects such as Project Memory, The Guild of Masters and Indigenous.

Crissy-gail (whose real name is Christal-gail Edwards) is a trinbagonian creative WHO has been writing poetry since the age of seven. She says that she has rights to the development of the land and its people’s self awareness. She plans to be not only self-esteemed but group-esteemed. She is proud to be a Trinbagonian Carib Goddess, a jeweler, a designer, a herbalist, a cannabis & mushroom advocate. She even does tours and takes others on magical journeys. Crissy-gail has been performing spoken word for over 12 years, is a mother who home schools her own children and teaches mothers to do the same with a reading clinic. She has a podcast that is aired on over 7 online platforms called SHE WAS A CARIB. She uses the podcast platforms to showcase her creativity and to reach out to other like minded individuals.

Do enjoy and you can check out the video version of the interview at www.kevonfoderingham.com/channel