Inside ___Your___ Street
is a community arts project that brings community members together to develop storytelling and dance performance projects.
The original Inside __Your__Street was "Inside Norman Street," developed by Libby Mislan (concept and facilitation), Zoe Rappaport (performance and dance direction), and Yo-e Ryou (book design) in Ridgewood, Queens. It brought together 12 residents of Norman Street in Ridgewood, where Libby lived at the time, to attend a weekly creative writing workshop and write stories about their lives– and then read them as part of a community performance where professional dancers expressed the stories through movement in real-time. The stories were compiled in an artfully designed book that became a keepsake for all collaborators. Inside Norman Street united the neighborhood’s incredibly diverse residents through an experience of shared creative collaboration. None of the participating residents were professional artists and writers– though they all had captivating, deeply moving stories to tell.
The project revealed to the collaborators just how hungry people were to come together, practice creative expression, and connect in fresh ways. The project has now been activated as a traveling concept that can engage neighborhood residents, co-workers, and community members in myriad settings to radically transform relationships amongst those who live and work together through artistic co-creation.
Contact [email protected], or use the "connect" form, to be in touch about bringing Inside Norman Street to your neighborhood, workplace, or site of community!
The project revealed to the collaborators just how hungry people were to come together, practice creative expression, and connect in fresh ways. The project has now been activated as a traveling concept that can engage neighborhood residents, co-workers, and community members in myriad settings to radically transform relationships amongst those who live and work together through artistic co-creation.
Contact [email protected], or use the "connect" form, to be in touch about bringing Inside Norman Street to your neighborhood, workplace, or site of community!
Inside Norman Street, 2017 + 2015
with support from Queens Council on the Arts
Press
Testimonials
"I've lived on Norman Street for more than 15 years and I don't know my neighbors. The day after our first meeting, I ran into two people from the group who I would have otherwise walked right past, never even really seeing them. It was nice to recognize and be recognized. This space has brought together outwardly different people sharing the same human experience. The commonalities are vaster than the differences. More powerful too."
-Marsha Sinanan, Project Participant, 2017
"Libby Mislan – is the girl who came up with the idea to unite the residents of Norman Street and gave us a chance to learn how to discover a little hidden talent inside us, even when you think that it is impossible. This is my second project with Libby Mislan and to tell the truth I was very skeptical at the beginning of the first one. I decided to participate in it only because my uncle was a famous Kyrgyz writer (Alykul Osmonov) and I always strived to be at least a little bit like him and I always liked literature and poetry. Genes, I guess. I even had published a small book of my poems and stories in Russian. Speaking in English is challenging for me at times, writing is even a bigger challenge. Therefore, I wanted to challenge and improve myself. Long story short, it was scary and at times frustrating, but little by little I started to feel myself more open, I am able to write stories, poems, and share it all. It is amazing! Libby Mislan is an inspirational teacher, writer, and artist. Through these projects, she constantly shows and proves that there are more things in this world that unite then divide us. We are all humans with the same red blood, same vices, and same feelings. We need to coexist and learn from each other together. Thanks to Libby Mislan and her friends Zoe Rappoport and Yo-E Ryou, this is something that we do in this project!"
-Anara Myrzali, Project Participant, 2015 & 2017
"It's a very inspiring and motivating group! I go there and I have no idea what we would be talking about, but I leave each meeting with much to think about and very inspired. Last night one of the attendees said while commenting on an issue: 'It's very challenging, but not limiting.' That phrase kept echoing in my mind since then. It motivated me! No matter how the challenges we face, it shouldn't limit my abilities to achieve."
-Hatem El-Gamasy, Project Participant 2017
"I am a community-based artist and educator and it seemed like a great way to connect creatively with my neighbors. I have been amazed by the warmth and comradery being generated in such a short period of time. I have lived in New York for 20 years and this is the first time I am connecting with my neighbors on this level, beyond exchanging pleasantries in passing, or helping with little tasks. I think it is really important for community building, especially in today's climate. We have engaged in really interesting conversations, reflected on our lives and learned about each other's lives, and all this has informed the writing experience in a really positive way."
-Magin Schantz, Project Participant 2017
"I've lived on Norman Street for more than 15 years and I don't know my neighbors. The day after our first meeting, I ran into two people from the group who I would have otherwise walked right past, never even really seeing them. It was nice to recognize and be recognized. This space has brought together outwardly different people sharing the same human experience. The commonalities are vaster than the differences. More powerful too."
-Marsha Sinanan, Project Participant, 2017
"Libby Mislan – is the girl who came up with the idea to unite the residents of Norman Street and gave us a chance to learn how to discover a little hidden talent inside us, even when you think that it is impossible. This is my second project with Libby Mislan and to tell the truth I was very skeptical at the beginning of the first one. I decided to participate in it only because my uncle was a famous Kyrgyz writer (Alykul Osmonov) and I always strived to be at least a little bit like him and I always liked literature and poetry. Genes, I guess. I even had published a small book of my poems and stories in Russian. Speaking in English is challenging for me at times, writing is even a bigger challenge. Therefore, I wanted to challenge and improve myself. Long story short, it was scary and at times frustrating, but little by little I started to feel myself more open, I am able to write stories, poems, and share it all. It is amazing! Libby Mislan is an inspirational teacher, writer, and artist. Through these projects, she constantly shows and proves that there are more things in this world that unite then divide us. We are all humans with the same red blood, same vices, and same feelings. We need to coexist and learn from each other together. Thanks to Libby Mislan and her friends Zoe Rappoport and Yo-E Ryou, this is something that we do in this project!"
-Anara Myrzali, Project Participant, 2015 & 2017
"It's a very inspiring and motivating group! I go there and I have no idea what we would be talking about, but I leave each meeting with much to think about and very inspired. Last night one of the attendees said while commenting on an issue: 'It's very challenging, but not limiting.' That phrase kept echoing in my mind since then. It motivated me! No matter how the challenges we face, it shouldn't limit my abilities to achieve."
-Hatem El-Gamasy, Project Participant 2017
"I am a community-based artist and educator and it seemed like a great way to connect creatively with my neighbors. I have been amazed by the warmth and comradery being generated in such a short period of time. I have lived in New York for 20 years and this is the first time I am connecting with my neighbors on this level, beyond exchanging pleasantries in passing, or helping with little tasks. I think it is really important for community building, especially in today's climate. We have engaged in really interesting conversations, reflected on our lives and learned about each other's lives, and all this has informed the writing experience in a really positive way."
-Magin Schantz, Project Participant 2017