NAS began 2024 by welcoming two additions to the team! Jade Cintrón Báez comes on as our new director of community partnerships, leading and facilitating collaborations with our external partners, and Neo Gcabo joins as our new program manager, guiding NAS’ several Creative Community Fellows programs. This dynamic duo has already made a significant impact on our work to support arts and culture leaders and we’re overjoyed to introduce them so that you can learn a little more about the people behind the email signatures.
Hi Jade and Neo! What do you enjoy about working in the arts & culture field?
Jade
There’s nothing better than hearing, seeing, or feeling someone’s story and that is what arts & culture represent to me. They are the perfect way to see true expression, meaningful moments and pulse of a person or group. Even when opinions and life change priorities, you can see this through the evolution of arts and culture and understand humankind’s journey. In my work I fancy myself a storyteller and storykeeper, a word that I coined to explain the importance of keeping one’s story and the how (sometimes seen as archiving but for me it’s more expansive). I love that my work allows me to celebrate and honor others’ stories and find common ground as well as reflect on the differences. Working in arts & culture means taking in this colorful world and finding ways to share that with others.
Neo
Seeing bold ideas coming to life! Artists are some of the coolest people I know and watching them commit to their craft to inspire change and spark joy in their respective communities, makes me happy! Also, what’s the world without art? And who wouldn’t want to invest in it? Art is everywhere you go, whether you like to admit it or not!
Share something you’re looking forward to this year.
Jade
My family and I finally have answers to where our permanent home will be! After several years of wondering where we’d put down roots, we’re moving to New Mexico for my partner’s work and we are so excited. I look forward to owning our own house and having a new base for our adventures.
Neo
I love travelling so heading to our creative community houses and meeting all the wonderful fellows we get to work with! Something closer to home is taking time to prioritize my own creative practice, which I feel I’ve neglected for some time now.
What’s a great piece of art you just saw?
Jade
While visiting New Mexico this past December, I had the pleasure of “accidentally” visiting a few art galleries that were a part of cafes, hotels, stores, or wineries that I went into. This was accidental because my initial reason for being there was not because I knew there was art, but to grab a coffee, eat, or check out a historic space. What this tells me about this area is that the arts are so important and such an organic part of the everyday that we will encounter it no matter where we go. It was impactful for me that these were full gallery exhibits, not just artwork that is up randomly, but intentional incorporation into these spaces.
Neo
Burna Boys’ concert! 🗣”I need Igbo and shayoo” The set was soo cool. It was so realistic and the graphics were great! They also made great use of the stage, having some of the musicians “up on a balcony”. You just had to be there to see it!
Do you have any hidden talents?
Jade
I do! I am a hula hooping queen! My latest record Is 3 hours and 16 minutes. I just hula hula hula nonstop. I can walk around, I can spin, and with great effort I can hula onto my knees and stand up again. This is the best representation of my never-ending energy as a person. If someone tells you that that diminishes as an adult, that may be so for some, but some of us only get more energetic. Then again, if I tell you I’m tired, you better believe it! Haha!
Neo
I think I still need to discover this! But I’m certain I have one. Right? Everybody has one?
