S1: It's time for KPBS Midday Edition. On today's show , we are live in San Diego Comic-Con. I'm Jade Hindman with conversations that keep you informed , inspired , and make you think. It's the first day of Comic-Con , and we'll walk you through what you can expect. Dive into the meaning behind some of your favorite stories , and give you an inside perspective on what it's like to be a voice actor. That's ahead on Midday Edition. So it is that time of year again. San Diego Comic-Con is back in full swing , and for four glorious , geeky days , creators , celebrities , and fans come together in America's Finest City to celebrate all things art and pop culture. Mayor Todd Gloria announced just yesterday that the convention will be staying in San Diego for 2030. So this hour we are coming to you live from the convention center , and we've got a lot in store from voice acting and vampires to comics and culture. But first , we are checking in with our very own Beth Accomando to talk about what you can expect this year. Beth , welcome.
S2: Thank you. I know you keep saying live , but I feel more undead. You know , I've had. Yes.
S1: Yes.
S2: It's begun.
S1: A wonderful way to put it aside from just , you know , being alive. How is your Comic-Con been so far?
S2: Oh , it's great , I love it. I mean , it's a lot of stress , but there is so much stuff. And Comic-Con , for me is always about the combination of coming and finding the familiar that you love , the people you've missed all year , and then finding brand new things.
S1: That's so true. I mean , each year you do a write up of the panels that are on your radar. What are some of your top highlights this year?
S2: Well , there's some oddball things , like there's a whole panel on fencing. I mean , I grew up on Errol Flynn movies and it's like , this sounds great. I always love Troma. They are the outliers of the filmmaking industry. There have been independent for 60 years , I believe now. Um , I'm going to be on a panel talking about filming in San Diego , and , you know , I'll be sitting next to my Killer Tomato pals.
S1: That's so interesting. What's the scene in San Diego? What's that effort looking like so far?
S2: You know , they've been pushing to get more film down here in San Diego. I got to work on a documentary ages ago where they were calling San Diego Hollywood's backlot. And it was back in the day when the Balboa Park was brand new and people were coming down here to shoot in the beautiful new park. And so , you know , there's a lot here. You can get mountains , you can get ocean , you can get , you know , suburban scenes. So there's a lot to attract people down here. And it's much cheaper because people are , like , excited. More so than in Hollywood where , you know , it's like , pay me everybody here. Yeah.
S1: Yeah.
S2: But yeah , it's gonna be fun. There's a lot potentially going on.
S1: That'll be a different vibe for San Diego , for sure. Well , how do you think locals experience Comic-Con compared to out-of-towners?
S2: You know , I'm not sure there's a difference. I mean , geeks are kind of all the same. I feel like we just enjoy coming here because this is the place where we can just be ourselves and not have to worry about anybody , like looking at us and thinking we're weird. Um , this is places where , you know , people finish your sentences for you because they know the quote that you're making. Um , you share the same interest. I mean , you know , people complain about lines , but I have never been in a line that's been bad. I've always been next to somebody , and we share a passion or they know something I know nothing about , and they introduce me to it.
S1: So that's a good way to put it. Every line is a good line.
S2: I think so. I've never been in a bad one. Not at Comic-Con elsewhere. Maybe not here.
S1: Well , I mean , you've been coming to the convention for more than what happened. Oh , wow. Uh , and I mean , whether it's an attendee , a panelist , an exhibitor , you know , you've even gotten an award from from Comic-Con. That's impressive. Um. And you've done it all. So what? What keeps you coming back?
S2: I just love it. Like I said , this is a geek community. I feel like it's a place that's very embracing. Um , everybody has a passion about something. You're not going to talk to somebody who's kind of just bored being here and has nothing to do. You're going to talk to somebody and they're going to say , oh , did you see that artist down in Artist Alley? Or I'm going to this panel about the show that I've loved , or did you see this cool t shirt , this costume? Whatever. Um , so I love passionate people. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. No. That's great. I mean , um , you recently did a story about a comic store in downtown called Now or Never. Speaking of passionate folks there and how they've been really prepping for the convention. Why is it important to highlight local stories like these?
S2: Well , especially now or never comics , there's a lot of stuff that's going on outside the convention center activations. But now or never , comics is about the stuff that's going on in Comic-Con. So it's about comic book creators , about artists. So if you go there for a non badge event , you are still going to be participating in this community that appreciates artists and comics.
S1: So what do you what are your thoughts on on San Diego being a hub for , you know , all comics and all things pop culture here?
S2: I think it's a surprise to everyone , possibly , but I think what makes Comic-Con special is that it was created by a group of fans , and it's pretty much run by fans who create programming that they want to see.
S1: So tell me about the community you've built here , too. I mean , that's listen , half a century , uh , that's.
S2: What my award was for. It was a fandom award. I was so surprised that I got it. But , I mean , yeah , it's about , you know , I run a booth for film geeks. We raise money for , you know , running programming here. But I just met , like , a filmmaker who was looking for some meetup group , and we started chatting about his film. And there's a film festival that goes on here that you can enjoy. So , like , I just feel like it's a place where you can network , where you can meet people for the first time and get to know them or , you know , reconnect with people you only see once a year.
S1: That's great. I mean , any last minute Comic-Con wisdom you want to leave people with , whether they're a veteran or a newbie or somewhere in between as they head down.
S2: So I always say , Comic-Con is whatever you make it. So like if you go in and all you want to do is Hall H , then make a plan that's going to make that a success. If you just want to wander the floor , look at Cosplay Shop , hit a panel or two that's in the smaller rooms , then be happy with that. But like , figure out what it is you want it to be , and then plan for that and you'll come away like happy. I mean , I have never been disappointed because I set some goals and go like , this is the thing I want to do. I want to go buy a Godzilla figure for my friend from Japan.
S1: So that's it. That is it , I love it. It's always so great to talk to you about it. Especially. I know this is your favorite time. It is here and I know , right? I'm so glad to to be able to have you share your excitement all the time. I've been speaking with KPBS Arts reporter Beth Accomando. Will include more info to her panel. San Diego on screen and her Booth. Film geeks in our show. Net show notes that you can find at KPBS. Beth , always thank you so much , and happy Comic-Con to you. Thank you.
S2: I'm going to run off now.
S1: All right. So think back to the last time you played a game or , you know , watched a cartoon with the kids. Did you think about the voice behind the screen? Voice acting is a craft that continues to play a big part in pop culture , and my next guest is a voice actor with over 20 years of experience under her belt. Bonnie has done it all , from animation and audiobooks to video games , but you might also recognize her as the automated voice in your phone or even at the self-checkout. Tony joins me now to talk about her craft and journey into the industry. She'll also be on a panel at this year's convention celebrating Women in Entertainment. Uh , listen to this , Tony. Welcome to the show. Hi.
S3: Hi. Thank you so much for having me.
S1: A familiar voice. How has your Comic-Con been so far?
S3: Oh , it's been amazing. It is so much fun to see all of the cool cosplay and the art I have been. I just got here , but I've been having such a blast. It's so cool. Awesome.
S1: Awesome. So how would you explain voice acting to someone who might not know as much about it?
S3: Oh gosh. Yeah. So voice acting is such a huge umbrella term for everything that you can do. Kind of like what you said in your introduction. You can do text. So the voice that answers the phone when you want to actually talk to a person sometimes can be automated and it can be at the register. It can be even in the elevator. Um , we have the audiobooks , we have animation , we have video games. And the art of it is making the listener feel a certain way , depending on what the motivation is from the creator.
S1: Yeah , yeah. People don't think about that , about the emotion that you you put behind your voice.
S3: Yeah , it's a full body experience. A lot of people think you just open your mouth and you talk. But I always say , if you're not moving around and you look like a complete fool when you're doing it , you're probably doing it wrong.
S1: You got it about a little , I guess. Where else might people have heard you?
S3: Uh , so one of the ones is the elevator. Sometimes you can hear me say , first floor , uh , some some crosswalks across the country. Walk. Now , you can hear me doing that one.
S1: That is it. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. There's there's a lot of stuff. Anything automated connecting your headphones , you know. So battery on connected.
S1: I love it I love it. Well , and also something people don't know. You're from San Diego. Born and raised. Yes I am. What was your upbringing like?
S3: I have been doing this my entire life. My first voiceover gig was here in San Diego for a local radio station. I was six years old. First grade. They brought me in , and I had a little booster so I could get up to the mic , and I did the line. I don't remember what I was advertising , but my line was , it tastes like real grapes. And that was my first voiceover gig. And ever since then I have been pursuing it and I love it.
S1: That is amazing. I mean , you go back and forth , I mean , and I want to know , like , how did it that that one experience. You know , because people always they discount that one experience. But how did that experience get you to where you are today? Sure.
S3: Sure. That's a really good question. So for most of us , we are actors and we kind of find our niche and we see a path , and sometimes that path looks like it's going to work out for us. So we pursue it. And I was really fortunate that I kind of came up when you were able to voice from home , and I saw the potential to actually make a living out of that , because making a living in the arts is very hard. And I was seeing the potential for that and thought , okay , cool , I can do this from home. I see this is so online now I can reach out to clients. I don't have to wait on an agent or wait for people to come to me. I can reach out and connect with people and I see this being a viable career. And fortunately it was.
S1: Yeah , well , how do you reach out to clients? How do you identify them?
S3: Oh , that's a really good question. I do a lot of research. Um , at this point in my career , I'm very fortunate. I have a lot of help to. So I have other assistants that are able to help me with that research. But you are really investigating different companies and looking for people. Who's the point of contact who would hire me for a commercial for the elevator? Sounds like who? Who needs what? Yeah. And you just start making friends and networking and talking to people and kind of like anything else. A lot of it is who you know. So be good at making friends. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Like , I may or may not have been asking that last question for a friend. Oh , yeah. Yeah.
S3: Well , no , let me know. I'll help you out. Yeah.
S1: There you go. Thank you. Um , what's a day in the life for a voice actor?
S3: It depends on the voice actor. It's such a big industry. It's so different for all of us. And I really incorporate a lot of social media into my particular career. So a lot of my day is content creation because I don't like to audition. I've never been a fan of auditioning , so my audition is my social media content , so I will work on that. I post , I work with my assistants , my collaborators. We are usually making something I and then also scheduled for sessions. So I'm voice acting , I'm creating content. And really , what is the phrase? Juggling a lot of balls at once , balancing a lot of plates at once? Yeah.
S1: You know , something people probably don't consider , you know , is that I mean , like , you wouldn't think of voice acting as athletics , right? Something that you had to train and condition. But you do have to take care of your pipes. You do? Yeah. So what kind of things do you do to to stay ready?
S3: Very similar to singing , actually. So we warm up , we cool down. And being healthy in general is paramount to making sure that you are a good voice actor , in my opinion. So that means a decent amount of cardio. I'm not running any miles , but you know , we're taking our walks , we're doing our hikes and good breath exercises and then healthy eating and also mouth noise is a big part of it too. So before you record making sure you're not eating or drinking anything that could compromise that that yeah , you know , you get that.
S1: Guilty before scarfing down lunch. Um , what are some popular misconceptions about voice acting that you hear today?
S3: I think one of the biggest misconceptions I hear today still , is that you can just grab a cheap mic , plug it into your computer , and you can just make a living in your pajamas , and it's great. And that's not entirely true. There is a part of it that , if not all of it , that is very much just starting a business. So as hard as it would be to start any other business , it's pretty much that hard for voice acting too. So not saying it's impossible or to discourage anyone , but you do have to think of it in terms of how much effort and time and money is going into this. It's going to be just as if you wanted to open a retail store. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. So how have you built community in the voice acting space. I mean who are the people you really turn to for support.
S3: Yeah , I actually have been very fortunate that one of my best friends is also a voice actor. He's actually come here with me today. So , uh , Spencer is from Utah. He's a big voice actor as well.
S1: And we. All.
S3: All.
S1: We see you. Spencer. All right.
S3: We met online. And that is kind of how it works for people in my position with voice acting is we meet online and we have those communities. And then if we're fortunate enough , we get to meet up and find out that we might not be that far away from each other and then get to go to conventions together like this. Wow.
S1: Wow. You know , it's a it's also this is a very competitive industry. So what does it take to stand out?
S3: That's a really good question. It is very competitive I think. Standing out is going to be related to being very professional and doing that , going that extra mile that a lot of people might not go for your clients and the networking , a lot of voice actors , funny enough , are very shy. So they want to just , you know , be in their studio , not talk to anybody all day. And I think that that's often a disadvantage because so much of from everybody I've seen , the very successful voice actors are the ones that are really good at making friends , because that's how everything's booked. Everybody wants to work with people they like.
S1: Yeah , well , you'll be appearing on a panel later this afternoon called The Power of Women in Entertainment. What are you going to be talking about?
S3: Yeah , we're going to be talking about kind of.
S1: What I'm.
S3: Talking about right now to that too. But how we all were able to get into the careers that we're currently in , kind of outside of the typical path. So it was maybe because we didn't see the opportunities , we didn't have those opportunities that other people were getting. We kept getting passed over for some reason , and we just refused to accept that. So we kind of made our own way , and we're going to be talking about how we did that and how to open that space up to more women in the industry who were also disadvantaged. So women who are women of color and people with disabilities and LGBTQ and making sure that we are supporting all women. Right.
S1: Right. Well , any last minute advice or wisdom you want to give to the aspiring voice actors or someone who might be listening and considering this?
S3: Yes , do a lot of homework , do a lot of research. Don't just go buy stuff and try it out. Talk to a lot of people and and learn. And if you love to learn about it , you will most likely be successful.
S1: What's a I mean. Like so does this offer you a lot of work life balance.
S3: Oh , no. No. I'm terribly. Misconception.
S1: Misconception.
S3: Oh , completely. Yes. No , I have no work. I all I do is work.
S1: Oh my God. No.
S3: No. Oh gosh. No. But that's that might just be me.
S1: All right. So very very interesting. I can't wait to to hear your panel and hear how everyone , um , talks about this. This is great. I've been speaking with voice actor Tony Platts. We'll include more info to her and her panels in our our show notes at KPBS midday. Tony , again , thank you so much.
S3: Thank you so much for having me. This is so much fun.
S1: All right. We've been running around asking convention goers what Comic-Con means to them. Here's jelly chan from the E! Or from the Bay era area.
S3: It's honestly just my happy place.
S4: As someone that's a creative and I. I get a lot of inspiration from the artist , the costumes , the TV shows and like , it's kind of a good escape from reality , and being able to just dive into people's creative worlds just brings me so much joy. So.
S1: All right. Up next , black vampires , pop culture and Afrofuturism when KPBS Midday Edition returns. Hey , welcome. Welcome back. You're listening to KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Jade Hindman , coming to you live from San Diego Comic-Con. This hour we are talking about how culture defines art , and vice versa. Afrofuturism is one way we can reimagine worlds , futures , and even liberation. And today , there's an offsite event that celebrates just that. It puts black creativity in front and center. I'm here with Luana Richmond , founder of the Afrofuturism Lounge and executive director of the nonprofit group honors. She's here to talk about what you can expect and how to help and actually really help us introduce our next segment as well. Luana , thank you so much for being here. Oh , thank you for having me. So first , what does Afrofuturism mean to you and how would you define it? So for me , I see Afrofuturism as an inclusive approach to imagining the future. That's a great way forward for everyone. So , you know , what can people see at this year's Afrofuturism Lounge with that in mind? With that in mind , we're going to start off with a we open with a drum call and then we'll first talk is actually , um , Doctor Julian Chambliss from Michigan State University. He's going to be talking about radical visions from stories from the archive of the Black Imaginary , um , where he's going to talk about Afrofuturism in the 19th century. Interesting. Okay. So what what about that? I mean , does it differ from from other centuries? How has it grown? Well , I think that I think it's less about how well it's grown and evolved. You know , in the way that technology moves. But conceptually , it has been around for a really long time , and a big part of going into the archives is to help people understand that it's not something that's brand new. Um , we also are going to have Jason Reeves and , um , Ray Anthony Height talking about , um , building new worlds and how they're looking at changing , um , and creating comic universes. And then Chris Cooper , Sebastian Jones , and like so many people. Yes. Well , let me ask you this because we'll be talking about , uh , black vampires later in the show with Jon Jennings. He's a comic artist , also teaches about Afrofuturism. Um , he was also at the the first ever Afrofuturism lounge. Yes. He was. Yes. So how do you see these types of stories reflected? Well , I think a lot of it is getting people to , like , break the stereotypes and the , the red rutted wrote that we have , you know , worn in and to actually see the possibility for greater tomorrows. All right. And , uh , you know , any favorite Afro futurist stories you want to shout out in the last few seconds? Um , I mean , you know , I'm going to shout out Tananarive due my soul to take. Okay. All right. I'm writing it down. I've been speaking with Luana Richmond , founder of Afrofuturism Lounge and executive director of Free on Ears. Of course , we'll include more info about Afrofuturism Lounge in our show notes as well. And you'll find that at KPBS. Luana , thank you so very much. Thank you for having me. It's always great. Always great to have you on. So listen , speaking of black representation in pop culture and media. Another aspect that's explored through the framework of Afrofuturism is the black vampire. Ryan Coogler bought black vampires back into the mainstream. In fact , there's going to be a panel at Comic-Con , and we'll discuss where they're going to discuss black vampires in comics and across all of pop culture. John Jennings , who Doctor Luana actually had on a panel , is an award winning comic artist , graphic novelist and professor at UC Riverside. Yesterday we spoke about the Black Vampire's place in media and bringing greater representation to the horror genre and beyond. Here's that conversation. So , you know , I want to start our conversation with a trailer from one of the most popular vampire movies in recent memory.
S5: We've been gone a long time. We back now.
S6: You're twins. Are we cousins?
S7: There are legends of people with the gift of making music so true. You can conjure spirits from the past and the future. This gift can bring fame and fortune.
S8: Will somebody take me in your.
S7: But it also can pierce the veil between life and death.
S6: Listen here. This ain't no house party.
S9: Wow , sinners. It was a huge hit. And there are several iconic black vampires who have made their mark on pop culture. Do you have a favorite?
S10: Do I have a favorite? Oh , that's a good question. I mean , oh , I'm always I'm I'm always really fascinated by Mama Wild. You know , uh , Blacula , you know , is one of my favorites. Yeah , yeah. So I , I've never really liked the name Blacula , but mama Prince Mama Wild is just a beautiful kind of. It kind of wipes off the tongue , so to speak. So , yeah , I think as a kid , the first time I saw Blacula , I was like , oh my goodness , this is great. And then scream block scream is actually a really poignant follow up to that movie , too. Interesting.
S9: Interesting. What did you think about centers?
S10: Oh , I thought it was brilliant. I thought it was brilliant. Ironically , I'm showing it in class today because I'm okay. Yeah. I'm teaching. I'm teaching a course on race and horror , actually , for summer school. And actually today is our last day and I'm actually screening centres for the students today. Interesting.
S9: Interesting. Well , you know , and that movie really kind of brings to mind , you know , like how representations of the black vampyre help us explore , you know , this intersection between race , power and identity. How do you see that playing out?
S10: Oh , I think it's I think that's exactly right. Just just as an aside , you know , I'm from Mississippi , so , um , and I grew up with the blues , and I grew up in those spaces and Gyp joints and things of that nature , believe it or not. And so when I saw that film , I could see myself reflected in it and , you know , and I understood the that the vampire actually , in that particular film wasn't the monster. It was actually like , you know , oppression and , you know , Jim Crow and things of that nature. Right? So I think it's a very poignant and palpable metaphor. And you can see , um , you know , that resonating , uh , and things like fledgling , uh , by Octavia Butler , which is about a , a young woman who is actually , like a vampiric creature. And , and you can see , like , how she was also doing something similar in fledgling , uh , which came out in like 2005 , actually. And , um , you know , was talking about , you know , symbiosis and genetic , uh , experimentation and , um , you know , identity politics. I mean , she was always talking about power. So , yeah , I think it's a very powerful metaphor and always has been.
S9: I mean , and just outside of the fact that it is such a powerful metaphor , what do you think drives our fascination with vampire stories?
S10: Well , it's interesting because , you know , if you look at , like most , um , cultures across the world , there is some type of vampiric character , you know , um , you know , if you look at something like that , aside from , uh , from Africa or if you look at , like the Asuka Young from. From the Caribbean. You know , um. Of course , things like the the Strigoi. You know , from from from like from the Eastern Bloc of Europe. Uh , there's always some type of , like , undead creature that is feeding off of the living , you know? And I think it's very interesting. So it's like , I think it talks about our fear of our own humanity and our own sensuality as well , because a lot of times these particular characters are linked to like , sensuality in some fashion , too. And I think it's , um , this fascination with death , but also this fascination with , with , with , um , immortality and the thing that comes after life , you know. So , yeah , it's a it's a really interesting , uh , creature , and it has so many names , but it's kind of like the same archetype.
S9: I mean , is that what you think makes the vampire more compelling than other supernatural creatures?
S10: Well , I think so , because it still resembles us a lot of times. You know , you do have , like , some hyperbolic vampires , like Dracula as a shapeshifter , right? But for the most part , you know , vampires look like human beings , you know? And so I think that is something that's really kind of interesting where it's like , you know , there's something hidden under us , this monstrosity , this , this desire for blood. And , um , that idea of consumption is something I think resonates on different levels. Right? Because you could actually , like , use the idea of consuming life as a , an allegory for , you know , rampant , uh , you know , economic consumption. It could be around , um , it could be it could be treated as a , as an eating disorder. It could be treated treated as depression , you know , all these different things that you could actually kind of map onto it , you know , and if you see something like , for instance , in the movie The Transfiguration , right , which is about a young man , a black , a black kid who you don't know if he's a vampire or not , you know. And so vampirism is actually used as a metaphor for mental illness , perhaps , you know , so , you know , there's I think that's a really ripe , uh , metaphor across the board. And I think that's why we're so fascinated with it. Mhm.
S9: Mhm. And I mean ultimately , what are your thoughts on black representation in the horror genre.
S10: I mean , overall I think that it's been really , really kind of amazing post get out. You know , I mean we have had of course some really great representation here or there from the beginnings of cinema. If you look at stuff like The Son of Nagi , which is like the first black horror movie. Um , and also things like , you know , Death by Temptation , which I could argue is also a vampire story , even though she's more of a demonic presence , but she acts like a vampire as well. Um , I think that what's happened is that we've gone from being the monster , uh , and and to to to actually , like , having some say over , like how those particular monsters are kind of like , reified on film. If you look at some of the work of , of Doctor Robin Coleman , she basically talks about the idea of black , uh , horror or blacks in horror. Right. And I think what's happened fairly recently is that we're we're actually putting a stamp on a genre that has long treated us as the monster. Mhm.
S9: Mhm. And our own horrors. That's right. Yeah. Have been the subject you , you were talking about , you know , the vampires and then the demonic presence. And I would say , you know , they're so similar because both of them , um , typically just kind of suck the life out of their subjects.
S10: That's correct. That's correct. And I was thinking about and I came across this book , um , in my research called The Blood of the vampire. Mhm. Came out in 1897. And it's about a , a young black woman who was a psychic vampire and she's from Jamaica. And this came out the same time as Bram Stoker's Dracula. Oh , wow. And yeah , I know and the book talks about like , racism and you know about like her. They basically allude to the fact that her vampirism is coming from her black blood. You know what I'm saying? I mean , so this is obviously wasn't written by a black person , right? Right. So , yeah. But , uh , you know , even before that , you had a black vampire , a legend of Saint Domingo that came out in 1819. So , you know , and this actually is around , uh , you know , the saint. This is before , I think , uh , Bram Stoker's Dracula , right? So I'm like , yeah. So it's it's , uh , it's really interesting that we are dealing with these , these these idioms around race and vampirism very early. You know , even earlier than we thought.
S1: Was my conversation. That was my conversation with John Jennings. He's a comic artist , graphic novelist and professor at UC Riverside. If you're going to Comic-Con , you can check out the Black Vampires and Comics in Popular Culture panel tonight from 8 to 9 p.m. in room nine. Of course , we'll have a link with that information at KPBS. Org , plus other panels Jon's got going on this weekend , as well as Afrofuturism Lounge. Here's another Comic Con Goa on what the convention means to her.
S11: I'm looking forward to the , uh , the signing , the , uh , aliens 40th anniversary signing. They're going to have a lot of the the screen actors there. And I have a special edition M41 , a Nerf gun that I'm going to see if I can get them to sign while we're here.
S1: All right. Midday edition is back after the break. Welcome back to KPBS midday edition. I'm Jade Hindman , live from San Diego Comic-Con. This hour , we're talking with the artist and creators flooding the convention center this weekend. My next guest are here to celebrate indigenous storytelling and art. Johnny Bear Contreras is a sculptor and cultural bear. He founded the Yagan Foundation , an indigenous arts nonprofit. Jean Braver braver Rock is also here with us. He's an actor , stuntman and storyteller. Um , Johnny Jean , welcome to you. We also have Sheldon here. He's also with with the group and we're going to have a good conversation. But Johnny , I'm going to start with you later today because you're , you're going to be celebrating at Juju Con and that's at UC San Diego Park and Market. Tell me what you have in store for that.
S12: Oh , we have a few uh , we have a few surprises and some regulars returning. This will be our third year at Park and Market , but first , I'd like to reach out and say , how could you? Everybody. And who may I , uh , here in , uh , Kumeyaay land , the Kumeyaay nation and my brothers from up north , Sheldon the Elder and Jean brave Rock were super excited. So there's going to be a series of indigenous artists , there's going to be interviews , and there's going to be some , uh , questions and answers. But what you're going to get at Ninja Con on Park and Market as exchanges between native artists , not only about the work that they've been doing , some of their upcoming work and the depth of their work , uh , and the contemporary aspects as artists and also the culture. The very the variations within the culture , because you're going to have multiple tribes represented at a con today. Um , and that's something that I , that I often speak to is that here in San Diego , we have we have 12 bands of the Kumeyaay. We're one nation. And so today I didn't decline. You're going to have multiple nations. All right.
S1: Well , Gene , I hear you're introducing an animated series. Elder Sheldon , what can you tell me about that.
S12: Elder Sheldon.
S1: Who's here with us?
S13: First of all , I mean , that's a connection between the old and the new , which is part of my Okie language project , where , uh , I'm going with protocol , retaining stories , language , songs , whatever stories they want to share. And so to introduce Elder Sheldon , we did an animated project where we're doing culturally relevant educational things , whether that's plants or animals , teepees. Um , Sheldon can say more about it himself.
S14: Well , uh , should I give an introduction? Absolutely.
S12: Absolutely.
S1: Elder Sheldon.
S14: Uh , I'm , uh , 73 years old , and , uh , I was , uh , five years old when I was taken away to the residential schools , and , uh , I survived that. Uh , I was there for seven years. Lost my initiative to keep my language alive. Uh , basically , it was beaten out of me. So , uh , then I , we , uh , actually , we ran across Canada in 1980 to highlight our treaties. And , uh , so in 1990. Oh , no. 2001 , I came came back to , uh , my reservation , and I was teaching , uh , Blackfoot to the elementary schools. And now , uh , at that time , 90% of the children would. Would smoke. Blackfoot. In fact , they'd even say to me , Sheldon , that's not how you say that word. This is how you say that word. So they introduced me to their the language that is being lost. I went back there in 2010 and from 90% fluent to 10% not speaking. Wow. Now , today , there's not one child in all of the Blackfoot territory that speaks or understands Blackfoot. So I've been working with a museum called Glenbow , where I learned from my grandfather's stories. Yeah. And so that's that's my highlight through my education. Uh , in our language , we say , we will show you what we will teach you. And so , uh , and because everybody's individual. So that's why we look at it in that way. But at the same time , I was introduced to Elder Sheldon by these , uh , it people. And so they developed Elder Sheldon as.
S1: As a vehicle to. Teach.
S14: Teach. Yes , exactly. And , yeah. So now , um , with Gene , we've put together two , uh , videos , and we've got two children's books. We have , uh , we have the , uh , uh , language being highlighted through our syllabics.
S1: How is all of that received by by students?
S14: It's it's weird. The non-Native students , uh , really received it , but it's our own children. They're very confused because their parents don't speak it. Right. And so. But when the children are hearing the stories , I've taught over 100,000 children and , uh , telling them stories , the language , the history , the culture. Uh , so. And it all comes to life with the stories. That's why the words are so important. Because without our language , we're we're nobody. And so now we're embarking on this mission to bring back. Through it. Through education , but also through entertainment. Yeah. Yeah. And , um , Jean has been with me for almost 15 years. And , uh , so. And it's his his dedication to the Okie language project always inspires me to keep doing what I'm doing.
S13: And to be here at San Diego Comic-Con , where stories and worlds and heroes rise from ink and imagination are indigenous stories step forward not as fiction , but as living legacy. Yeah , we're not just storytellers. We're reclaiming them.
S1: Well , let me ask Johnny , because how do you how do your identities as an artist and cultural bearer really intersect? You know , one is a vehicle for the other. Really.
S12: But absolutely. And there's a lot of complexities that , that aren't often , um. Uh.
S14: Uh. Celebrated.
S12: Celebrated. So , you know , as Jean was saying , um , there's layers and there's different aspects of that. We know as traditional people coming from our villages that we like to come and share , and so that the intersections of these , these , these worlds , you'll see through animation , you'll see it through the graphic novels , you'll see it through the the sequential art. And the sequential art really lays down the story in a way that all generations can , can understand it and enjoy it. So the culture is it from our words to our actions. It's , it's it's part of everything that we do. And when we as artists and creatives , when we come together and put this for , for to share with everyone. There's all sorts of different aspects that are hidden in there.
S1: Yeah , because Gene , you're you're also an actor and a stuntman , and much of your storytelling is through , you know , physicality. So how do you use your body as an instrument?
S13: I'm done doing that now , these days.
S1: You're like.
S13: I'm done. I'm healing up. But it's been great. I mean , that was my introduction into the TV and television world. And again , to be able to carry on our oldest tradition , which is storytelling , and bring it here to San Diego Comic-Con and to bring out The Sheldon with me and to life on screen. It's an honor. Wow.
S1: Wow. Well , how do you how do you roll? Um , I don't know. I mean , how does how do art and storytelling work together to preserve indigenous knowledge?
S14: That is a huge part of who we are. If we look at the teepees , there's art there. If you look at our bundles , there's art there. If you look at our stories , there's art there because we also talk about we're not above creation. We're just a part of creation. And so we also entertained shapeshifting , dimensional travel. All of those things that they thought we were just nothing but savages. And so we're introducing plants , how they're healing. So there's a lot that we're doing right now. And Gene is like , my is my younger brother and he's always been there for me. So I want to be there for him , too. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. You are some of your favorite artistic heroes in this. Oh.
S14: Oh. Great.
S13: Great.
S12: Elder Sheldon. You have to see the video that he's in it. It's it's just awesome. And the way you the way you move through a couple different worlds and the explanations , and it goes to more live action. Is that what you would say? And that transition is just really I want to use a Kumeyaay traditional Kumeyaay word here in San Diego. Really bitchin.
S1: I mean , what is it? What does it feel like to have this? The indigenous stories telling in the history just on such a large display here at Comic-Con?
S14: We're just starting really with us. We're going to expand them into whatever Gene's vision is of of what we're going to be doing in the future , because that is where everything lies on , is Gene's ability to be able to to project what we are trying to do. So when we're looking at everything , uh , we , we want to help the children understand that in our territory , we've been there for over 25,000 years. And the history that follows all of that is a part of who we are. You mentioned a hero , one of our old heroes. His name was Kato Issa , which means blood clot. And he went around and he just destroyed all of creation's abnormal abnormalities. And , uh , but he also introduced laws , ones like elders to respect elders. So there's a lot of stories that my grandfather has over 170 stories in there , 8 to 10 hours long each. And they speak the Old Blackfoot language. So we have a lot of work to do. And that's why we're saying we're just starting , because this is an introduction to a future that's going to not just help our , our , our black children , but all of the children around the world , because they also want to know what has happened. And.
S1: Exactly , exactly.
S14: And we want to welcome them in our church.
S1: Welcome them to it. Yeah.
S12: Yeah.
S1: You know , in the meantime , uh , Johnny , you're over at Booth 1807 , right? Yeah. Celebrating local native artist. Any artist you're especially excited about this year?
S12: Well , we have , um , Jesse , and he is introducing a comic called La Contour. For those that aren't Spanish speaking , that means the slipper. And I think we're all familiar with that. When when the slipper came off , mom or grandma , it was time to pay attention , right? Because that thing had superpowers , right? They could bounce off the walls , go around corners. So Jesse's there at Booth , uh , 1807 today , along with other visiting artists from many different nations. We're really fortunate to have a booth this year here at Comic-Con. And so if you're if you're here and you're available to come by , come by and say hi.
S13: See you in three of you there as well. What's that? You win.
S12: See you win. Yes. Okay.
S1: Okay.
S12: All right.
S1: Excellent , excellent. Well , I've been speaking with Johnny Bear Contreras , sculptor and cultural bear. Also Elder Sheldon. Storyteller and language historian and teacher , along with Jean gray , Baroque actor , stuntman and storyteller. You'll be able to find more information about their work at KPBS. Thank you all so very much.
S12: Thank you.
S14: Thank you. Come.
S12: Come. See you.
S15: Oh , my. God.
S1: Hey , thank you all for joining us today. If you missed anything , you can download KPBS Midday Edition. And , uh , don't forget to watch Evening Edition tonight at five for in-depth reporting on San Diego issues. Also , you can always share your feedback or segment ideas at midday at KPBS or give us a call. That number is (619) 452-0228. Come on down to Comic-Con. Enjoy yourself. I'm Jade Hindman. The roundtable is here live tomorrow. We'll talk again on Monday. Until then , make it a great day on purpose , everyone.
