Episode 2: Two Docs Changing the World

Dr. Shamell Bell is a mother, community organizer, dancer/choreographer, and documentary filmmaker who received her PhD in Culture and Performance from UCLA’s World Arts and Cultures/Dance department. Dr. Bell is currently a visiting faculty at Dartmouth teaching in the department of Theater and the African and African American Studies program. Her work with "street dance activism" situates street dance as grassroots political action from her perspective as a dancer, choreographer, healer, and scholar. An original member of the #blacklivesmatter movement, beginning as a core organizer with Justice 4 Trayvon Martin Los Angeles (J4TMLA)/Black Lives Matter Los Angeles to what she now describes as an Arts & Culture liaison between several social justice organizations such as the BLM network, Blackout For Human Rights, The Undercommons at UCLA, among others. She also consults for social justice impact in the tv, film, and music industry with credits such as “community engagement consultant” for George Tillman Jr.'s film adaptation of Angie Thomas' best selling book, "The Hate U Give". In this episode, Dr. Cadet and Dr. Bell chat about the pressures of academia, being a single mother, and dealing with illness. Despite all these things, they share how the power of facing our fears and braving vulnerability can lead to beautiful opportunities for growth and change. IG: @shamellbell l [email protected]