In 2018, The Mixed Space was established by a group of mixed women curious about who we are and how we can be our full self in a world that wants to fit us in a box. We held a common goal to create and fill a space of our own and feel wholeheartedly welcome. This month, four years later, we are reflecting on our growth and the individual journey of our mixed identities, and we invite you to join us.
What were the moments that shaped your current understanding of your mixed identity? How do you define the terms that the world uses to define you?
Take for example the word “identity.” What power does that word have over people who are mixed? What is the actual definition of that word? How has the meaning of identity shifted for individuals that identify as mixed adults, from when they were children?
We are inviting all mixed folks to join us and share their experience and resources that have guided their mixed identity journeys.
For the February Meetup, we took it back to the roots of TMS as we discussed the journey
of mixed identity. Lili along with TMS co-founder Ariel Bastida started by sharing the…
Lili Stiefel is an artist, activist, and entrepreneur living between NYC, Frankfurt, and Berlin. She identifies as black and mixed and uses she/her/hers pronouns. Through her work, she empowers people to embrace their true creativity and individual identity so they can find their greatness, use it, and form stronger connections with the world.
After graduating from an acting conservatory in Berlin, she went on to receive her BFA in Dramatic Arts Directing and then her Masters in Management and Entrepreneurship from The New School.
Lili is the founder & CEO of The Mixed Space, a community organization she started while at grad school in New York. She first created the concept as a play called “MIXED” and the company grew from there, fostering connections in a community where no one would be othered. She created the space that she and others needed, a place to feel at home and to discuss their own intersectional identities and experiences.
She also is the Founder & CEO of Experimental Studio, a process-based creative coaching company that methodically helps people through life transitions, career goals, and personal growth.
Ariel Bastida (she/her/hers) is a Chicago born multidisciplinary artist (actor, director, writer and dancer) currently living in Los Angeles. Having attended the New School of Drama in New York City for training, Ariel’s acting career includes performances at Lincoln Center, the Tank’s 7×7 series (virtual during Covid), and The Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Her main interest as an artist is to explore identity work through storytelling, and work with other POC and LGBTQIA+ creatives to tell stories from all perspectives.
Along with her acting, her creative work extends to serving and supporting her fellow mixed community. Ariel identifies as a mixed Polish latina and was a founding member of The Mixed Space. She is a host and moderator for The Mixed Space’s monthly Meetups and Instagram Live Meetup 2.0 series. Being DEI certified and facilitator trained, Ariel continues to focus on expanding the breadth of her work through mentorship opportunities, film projects, and daily interactions with the world around her.
Topics of conversation…
Overviewing foundational vocabulary and uniting past what has disconnected us.
Unpacking the layers that go into building an identity.
Sharing the key experiences from our journey to owning and loving ourselves.
WHO impacted you / Who were you with?
WHAT happened / What were those moments like?
WHERE were you?
WHEN did it happen?
WHY did it shift you?
HOW do you carry this with you now?
