SHADES
SHADES: Amplify Her Voice is a film series that celebrates the identities and stories of Black women and women of the Global Majority living in Calgary, providing a glimpse into their experiences, perspectives, passions, and hopes.
Season Two Cast
BEA LISSIMA
Bea (she/her) is a performer, producer, and educator in the art form of burlesque. For the last 16 years, she has been showcasing her art and representing Calgary on stages across Canada and the United States. She strives to combine her unique identities (queer, Filipino, disabled, and intersex) into her art form.
CECE CHOW
Cece (she/her) is a Mohkinstsis-based visual artist connecting people through her work with plants and a filmmaker connecting people through story. She is a trans model and an advocate for positive Asian, queer, and trans representation.
EBONY R. GOODEN
Ebony (she/her) is an emerging artist, filmmaker, and activist based in Calgary. She is the co-founder of SURVIVANCE Collective and the Black Deaf Residency. With a passion for storytelling and a commitment to social justice, she uses film as a means of exploring and exposing the experiences of marginalized communities.
MARA LIAO ESNARD
Rooted in Cuba, Mara (she/her) is an educator, dancer and choreographer. She started her professional career in 2008 after graduating from the National Ballet School in Havana. She has been an active member of the arts community in Calgary since 2015, after moving to Canada a year earlier. Mara is spirited to dig deeper into her mixed-race identities (Asian, African, and Hispanic) and discover how all these different backgrounds influence her artistry.
LIVVY SKATES
Livvy (she/her) is a thrill-seeking, fun-loving, music-bumping roller skater based in Mohkinstsis. Her passion to roll has taken her across Canada, the US, and to London and Scotland where she was able to train with master skaters. She hopes to create a skate army of BIPOC folk on wheels.
PRISCILLA CHERRY
Priscilla (she/her) is a certified mental health peer supporter and media creative. Leading with love, she firmly believes in the art of hosting, the power of sharing our lived experiences and personal narratives, and the idea that everyone has something to share that someone else can learn from, relate to, or at the very least be curious about.
Season One Alumni
DELA HINI
Actor and writer. Since filming, Dela moved from Calgary to the UK to launch her acting career. She has taken the Professional Freelance Journalism Course at the British College of Journalism with financial aid from Humainologie.
KATE MAK
International yoga teacher. Since filming, Kate has traveled to Indonesia to lead the SoulRockers Alumni Retreat with Michael Franti. She was also recruited to join Humainologie's Board of Directors.
LISA JACOBS
Multi-instrumentalist and music therapist. Since filming, Lisa has continued to perform all over Alberta, including the 2022 Calgary Stampede and the Canadian Country Music Awards.
SINZERE
Rap/soul artist. Since filming, Sinzere released her debut album, Tabula Rasa, and received two YYC Music Awards. Humainologie collaborated with Sinzere on the music video release of 'The Mission', as well as a music video for the track, Ric Flair Flo, which was released in July 2023.
SUBIKSHA SUBRAMANI
CPA and Finance & Performance Consultant. Since filming, Subiksha and her partner, Tina, traveled to India for their wedding ceremony. As part of the South Asian 2SLGBTQ+ community, their union was featured prominently in media, including Vogue India and BBC India. Subiksha has recently started working with Humainologie to launch her own podcast and has joined the Board of Directors of Humainologie.