Yemaya Productions collaborates with students, researchers, artists, organizations, governments, and the community at large to carry out projects that aim to promote social change. If you have are interested in collaborating on a project, send an inquiry to [email protected]
Present Projects
The Voice Podcast is an ongoing project aiming to shed light on urban and social work topics. Season 1 shares the personal life story of Dr. Zayda combining themes around foster care, adoption, youth homelessness, identity, and resilience. To listen to the podcast, click here.
Select Past Projects and Activities
Dance Performance at California State University Northridge, 2024
Dr. Zayda was invited to dance as CSUN as a part of their African American history month program. During the presentation, she danced Afro-Cuban Orisha dance to expose the CSUN community to African diasporic cultural tradition.
From the Margins Peace Program in Jos, Nigeria, 2020 to 2021
From the Margins is a peace program developed by Dr. Zayda (California State University Northridge) and Dr. Kingsley Madueke (University of Jos) to promote peace in Jos, Nigeria through art-based intervention. From the Margins program brought together 14 Christians and Muslims in Jos in conflict to engage in a range of artistic activities over a two-week period to stimulate awareness, mutual understanding, and compassion. The program was funded by the University of California Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation and AICRE and was implemented in 2020 in Jos. [video link to program].
Engaging Our Communities Environment Justice Program in Pittsburgh, PA, 2018
Engaging Our Communities is an environmental justice program developed by Dr. Zayda, Dr. Michelle Zuñiga (University of North Carolina), and Dr. Karna Wong (University of California, Irvina) in collaboration with the Pittsburgh, PA community. The mission of the program is to raise awareness on environmental injustice. The six month program engaged 30 participants to critically examine issues around environmental injustice, culminating in a theater production co-created by the participants of the training program. [video link to program] [video link to full play] [video link for highlights]
Dance Performance and Guest Lecture at University of California, Irvine, 2018
Yemaya Productions was invited to perform Afro-Cuban folkloric dance and to present on how art can be used as an effective tool for promoting environmental sustainability.
Social Justice Networking Brunch, 2018
In collaboration with Pittsburgh Flor de Luna music group, Yemaya Productions organized a networking bunch to the local Pittsburgh community engaging nonprofit practitioners, artists, and students.
Puerto Rican Bomba Dance Workshop, 2017
In collaboration with Pittsburgh Dancer Gloria Rodriguez, the Puerto Puerto Rican Bomba dance workshop engaged musicians and students of dance in Pittsburgh to learn about the Puerto Rican culture and history through dance.
Third Annual Yemaya Celebration, 2017
Yemaya Productions held their annual community festival in Pittsburgh engaging vendors, singers, musicians, and creators in an effort to promote cultural awareness and to help foster community engagement.
What Does it Mean to be Black Panel Discussion at Duquesne University, 2016
Yemaya Productions was invited by Duquesne University to host a panel discussion for Black history month. We invited individuals of African descent from different countries to share their perspective of what it means to be Black. The goal of the panel discussion was to raise awareness on African diasporic experiences in the United States and abroad.
Cultural Retreat, 2016
This three day cultural experience brought together the local community to learn Afro-Cuban dance and discuss African diasporic traditions. Its goal was to raise awareness of Afro-Latinx cultures and to promote intercultural exchange and dialogue among Pittsburgh's community members. [video link]
Second Annual Evening with Yemaya Celebration, 2016
Yemaya Productions held their annual community festival in Pittsburgh engaging vendors, singers, musicians, and creators in an effort to promote cultural awareness and to help foster community engagement.
Travel Abroad to Cuba, 2016
The travel abroad program featured a week-long trip to Cuba to explore and learn more about their music and culture.
Latin American Jeopardy, 2016
Yemaya Productions put on a Jeopardy game for the local community to celebrate Hispanic heritage month, featuring questions on music, culture, and history of Latin America and the Caribbean.
First Annual Evening with Yemaya Celebration, 2015
Yemaya Productions held their first annual community festival in Pittsburgh engaging vendors, singers, musicians, and creators in an effort to promote cultural awareness and to help foster community engagement.
Caribbean Dance Workshop Series, 2015
In collaboration with local artists, Yemaya Productions held a weekly dance class in July to showcase a teach a different Latinx dance to the local community.
Dr. Zayda was invited to dance as CSUN as a part of their African American history month program. During the presentation, she danced Afro-Cuban Orisha dance to expose the CSUN community to African diasporic cultural tradition.
From the Margins Peace Program in Jos, Nigeria, 2020 to 2021
From the Margins is a peace program developed by Dr. Zayda (California State University Northridge) and Dr. Kingsley Madueke (University of Jos) to promote peace in Jos, Nigeria through art-based intervention. From the Margins program brought together 14 Christians and Muslims in Jos in conflict to engage in a range of artistic activities over a two-week period to stimulate awareness, mutual understanding, and compassion. The program was funded by the University of California Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation and AICRE and was implemented in 2020 in Jos. [video link to program].
Engaging Our Communities Environment Justice Program in Pittsburgh, PA, 2018
Engaging Our Communities is an environmental justice program developed by Dr. Zayda, Dr. Michelle Zuñiga (University of North Carolina), and Dr. Karna Wong (University of California, Irvina) in collaboration with the Pittsburgh, PA community. The mission of the program is to raise awareness on environmental injustice. The six month program engaged 30 participants to critically examine issues around environmental injustice, culminating in a theater production co-created by the participants of the training program. [video link to program] [video link to full play] [video link for highlights]
Dance Performance and Guest Lecture at University of California, Irvine, 2018
Yemaya Productions was invited to perform Afro-Cuban folkloric dance and to present on how art can be used as an effective tool for promoting environmental sustainability.
Social Justice Networking Brunch, 2018
In collaboration with Pittsburgh Flor de Luna music group, Yemaya Productions organized a networking bunch to the local Pittsburgh community engaging nonprofit practitioners, artists, and students.
Puerto Rican Bomba Dance Workshop, 2017
In collaboration with Pittsburgh Dancer Gloria Rodriguez, the Puerto Puerto Rican Bomba dance workshop engaged musicians and students of dance in Pittsburgh to learn about the Puerto Rican culture and history through dance.
Third Annual Yemaya Celebration, 2017
Yemaya Productions held their annual community festival in Pittsburgh engaging vendors, singers, musicians, and creators in an effort to promote cultural awareness and to help foster community engagement.
What Does it Mean to be Black Panel Discussion at Duquesne University, 2016
Yemaya Productions was invited by Duquesne University to host a panel discussion for Black history month. We invited individuals of African descent from different countries to share their perspective of what it means to be Black. The goal of the panel discussion was to raise awareness on African diasporic experiences in the United States and abroad.
Cultural Retreat, 2016
This three day cultural experience brought together the local community to learn Afro-Cuban dance and discuss African diasporic traditions. Its goal was to raise awareness of Afro-Latinx cultures and to promote intercultural exchange and dialogue among Pittsburgh's community members. [video link]
Second Annual Evening with Yemaya Celebration, 2016
Yemaya Productions held their annual community festival in Pittsburgh engaging vendors, singers, musicians, and creators in an effort to promote cultural awareness and to help foster community engagement.
Travel Abroad to Cuba, 2016
The travel abroad program featured a week-long trip to Cuba to explore and learn more about their music and culture.
Latin American Jeopardy, 2016
Yemaya Productions put on a Jeopardy game for the local community to celebrate Hispanic heritage month, featuring questions on music, culture, and history of Latin America and the Caribbean.
First Annual Evening with Yemaya Celebration, 2015
Yemaya Productions held their first annual community festival in Pittsburgh engaging vendors, singers, musicians, and creators in an effort to promote cultural awareness and to help foster community engagement.
Caribbean Dance Workshop Series, 2015
In collaboration with local artists, Yemaya Productions held a weekly dance class in July to showcase a teach a different Latinx dance to the local community.
