On a cool Sunday morning in Southeast D.C., Artistic Director Raymond O. Caldwell started the day with a radio interview on “A Sunday Kind of Love” on the WPFW Jazz Station, then headed to the theatre to load-in the matinee for BLOOD AT THE ROOT. After the show, he led the post-show conversation and went back home to pack for two weeks. That evening, he ended the day on a plane to India.

The State Department in partnership with Shakti Vahini, Story Center, and Theater Alliance are developing performative and digital media that shine light on human trafficking and gender based violence. Our AD is currently in India for a few weeks testing programming and laying ground work for future alliances and collaborations that use art and media to foster conversation and activisim.

Raymond is also leading workshops with students from Nepal, Bangladesh, India and the U.S. to motivate conversations among young people around gender based violence.

Later in the year, he will return to work with young artists from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and India around counter acting extremism through the arts.