Art as Activism: Love, Lineage, and the Power of Memory with Anito Gavino and Malaya Ulan

How do we use art to dismantle colonial narratives and stay grounded in our cultural truth?

In this moving episode, host Dwight Dunston is joined by mother-daughter "artivists" Anito Gavino and Malaya Ulan. Together, they explore the intersection of family-centered practice, Filipina identity, and the power of storytelling as a tool for justice and healing.

The conversation begins with a quote from environmental activist Vandana Shiva on ecofeminism and our refusal to be divided by race or separated from nature. From there, Anito and Malaya invite us into their creative process—a "living archive" that honors their ancestors while equipping the next generation to lead with love.

About the Guests

• Anito Gavino is a Filipina multidisciplinary artist, movement scholar, and cultural worker based in Philadelphia. A top 25 Dance USA awardee and Leeway Transformation Award recipient, her work focuses on the intersections between Afro-Indigenous cultures and Filipino archives.
• Malaya Ulan is a 17-year-old Filipina-American "artivist" and the 2024-2025 Youth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia. A multi-dimensional poet, she merges writing with dance and film, recently delivering a TEDx talk on poetry as activism.

Together, they lead the collective Ani Malaya Works, creating theatrical pieces that encourage critical dialogue and education.

Key Themes Explored

• The Burden of History: Deconstructing Rudyard Kipling’s "The White Man’s Burden" and its impact on Black and Brown bodies.
• Hidden Legacies: The history of Filipino involvement in the U.S. military and the origins of police tactics like the baton (Kali/Escrima).
• Love as Practice: How their relationship evolved from childhood "theater games" to a shared ministry of cultural preservation.
• The Immigrant Experience: The "growing pains" of moving to new geographies and finding the "village" that sustains revolutionary work.

"I felt the change started when Malaya came. It was a spiritual connection that is just reuniting... how can I now use what I know to prepare you? This is love." — Anito Gavino

✨ Listen in for a conversation on why every act of remembering is an act of resistance.

Learn more about Ani Malaya Works: https://www.anigavino.com/

NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page.

The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/
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The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people.

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