Expanding Our Roots: Jonathan Mayers

Expanding Our Roots: Global Conversations With 821 is an online interview series hosted by The 821 Project. The purpose of the series is to showcases the cultural diversity, global connections and social consciousness of the people of southeast Louisiana as well as those who work to expand southeast Louisiana’s roots to the world through works that promote social justice and global citizenship.

The series presents community organizers, community leaders and residents living in southeast Louisiana who come from different parts of the world or who work to promote global citizenship, multiculturalism and social justice in our regional community.

This interview is with Jonathan Mayers, « radbwa faroush ». Jonathan is a Louisiana Creole artist from Iti umma (Baton Rouge), Louisiana. He paints familiar landscapes framed with mud from specific locations. Mayers champions fantastic and representational narrative painting by addressing consequences, both natural and inflicted by humans, through personification in mythological beasts. His work represents a facet of the Creole community.

By writing in French and Kouri-Vini, he encourages the acquisition of heritage languages in Louisiana. His poetry reflects the culture, environment, identity, and worldly experiences of contemporary life in Louisiana. You’ll find this in his poems La Latanière and Traka pa konné gouvèné. SHOW LESS