Introducing India Shanelle
IndieSpace is elated that India Shanelle has joined our team as a Project Manager. India is a tremendous theater and nonprofit leader and is a member of our community. Her organization, BlackLight Community has built a place for people of color to empower one another through life, performance, & well-being.
India will be our Project Manager, overseeing processes and deadlines for all of our programs and applications. She will help our whole team stay on track, allowing us to provide more offerings to YOU!
India shared an introductory message below. Please join me in welcoming her to our IndieSpace community!
Randi Berry
Hello IndieSpace Friends!
I am a Midwest girly who received my BA in Theatre at Southeast Missouri State University. While there, I witnessed a lack of representation for black artists in the department. As someone directly affected, I knew I had to make a change. I founded BlackLight, a social club providing a safe space for black artists to share their concerns, vent, and create art that truly reflects them.
Graduating as a music theater performer took me up and down the East Coast, where I observed the familiar feeling of isolation among minorities in the arts. The theater industry, which demands so much, often gives so little in return; as we all know by now, it is not a vibe. Fueled by a desire to bridge this gap, I established BlackLight Community, a nonprofit dedicated to highlighting artists of color through productions, classes, and collaborations with like-minded organizations.
In my quest to navigate the nonprofit landscape, I stumbled upon IndieSpace, a beacon of support for indie theater organizations. I connected with Randi through a friend, who generously shared insights on submitting and launching my nonprofit. IndieSpace became a crucial ally in making BlackLight an official 501c3 nonprofit, providing guidance and the means to fund productions and programs for marginalized artists in the theater and entertainment industry.
IndieSpace's values of transparency, breaking barriers, and fostering a welcoming spirit deeply resonated with my vision for BlackLight. It became a compass guiding me both personally and professionally. When an opportunity arose to be part of the organization that had played a pivotal role in my journey, I was beyond ecstatic.
These past few weeks of onboarding with the IndieSpace team have exceeded my expectations. From our first meeting, it felt like I had found my new coworking family. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and eager to contribute to making a difference in the Indie Theatre Industry.
For those curious about me beyond my work, I find solace in bodybuilding (as a hobby, not a sport) and singing, which is my soul's medicine. And who can resist the charm of SpongeBob SquarePants? Seriously, I love him so much; he makes up, like… one-third of my personality.
I am truly excited about the prospect of contributing to and serving the amazing IndieSpace community. Let's work together to create meaningful change in the Indie Theatre Industry! ✨
Sincerely,
India Shanelle
