What does it truly mean to "do the work" in the arts world? Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony answers this question through her remarkable journey from shaking like a leaf during her first spoken word performance to becoming an award-winning curator and advocate who's secured over a million dollars for arts organizations.
This conversation sparkles with insights about the transformative power of artistic expression. Paulina shares how poetry literally took her "everywhere" after being introduced to spoken word at age 18. With mentors like Dwayne Morgan guiding her development, she blossomed into a two-time national finalist at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and performer at the prestigious "When Sisters Speak" showcase. But Paulina's talents extend far beyond performance—she reveals how she's used her dual perspective as both artist and administrator to champion equity in the arts sector.
The most compelling moments come when Paulina discusses her work chairing the Black Arts Granting Program at the Toronto Arts Council. Rather than creating just another funding pool, she pushed for a holistic approach that included mentorship and physical space access—addressing the full spectrum of challenges facing Black artists. Her development of the Next Up Leaders Lab similarly demonstrates her commitment to lifting others by focusing on skills, mentorship, and social capital building.
Paulina doesn't shy away from personal struggles either. After facing job loss and her father's sudden death in 2023, she reached a breaking point that forced her to say "enough" and take a month-long reset trip to Trinidad. This revelation about setting boundaries provides a powerful counterbalance to her ambitious nature, offering listeners permission to prioritize self-care alongside achievement.
Ready to take your creative pursuits to the next level? Listen now and discover Paulina's three gems for success: jump despite fear of failure, build infrastructure early, and be your biggest cheerleader. Her story will inspire you to use your unique voice to create meaningful change in your community and beyond.
You can connect with Ms. Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony using the following social media links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinaokieffeanthony/?originalSubdomain=ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulinaokieffe/
Website: paulinaokieffe.com
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.