Ep 127: Brown Enough with Christopher Rivas
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Ep 127: Brown Enough with Christopher Rivas
Episode 127: Show Notes
Growing up as a Dominican-Colombian in Queens, Christopher Rivas didn’t feel the weight of his difference in the world until he was introduced to the real James Bond. Learning about Porfirio Rubirosa, the Dominican diplomat on whom the famously white character was based, changed everything for him and informed the culture-centered trajectory of his career.
Christopher is a professional storyteller, podcaster, actor, and author. In this episode, we learn about the most pivotal moments of his childhood, his path to becoming an actor, and the serendipitous tale of how he landed on the art of storytelling.
We discuss the importance of representation, the value of meditation, and the profound difference between stories you’ve been made to believe and those you’ve chosen to believe. Tune in to discover the anatomy of an impactful story, the script-shifting theme of Christopher’s book, Brown Enough, the art of code-switching, and so much more.
Key Points From This Episode:
Christopher Rivas recounts his Queens upbringing and his favorite childhood activities.
Christoper’s cultural heritage and the role of culture in his work.
Why he considers the American Dream to be the first pyramid scheme.
The lasting effects of racism disguised in humor.
The life-altering loss Christopher experienced at age 13.
How seeing Colombian actor, John Leguizamo on Broadway changed his life.
The importance of representation.
How Christopher’s father influenced him as a performer.
The art of code-switching.
Christopher’s path to becoming an actor.
The moment he began to feel the weight of his difference in the world.
The story behind his one-man play, The Real James Bond.
How he got into meditation.
The story behind his New York Times article, “I Broke Up With Her Because She's White”.
Why he read all the comments and emails post-publication and why he advises against it.
The questions posed in the article.
How Christopher landed on the art of storytelling.
The genesis of his storytelling workshops.
The anatomy of an impactful story.
The profound difference between stories you’ve been made to believe and chosen to believe.
The incredible mentorship program Christopher is involved in: Creative Futures.
How his book and podcast fell into place.
Christopher shares his writing process.
The “yay is us” theme of the book.
The medicinal quality of names.
Why Christopher wants his book to be required reading material in high schools.
His view of spaciousness as success.
Tweetables:
“I think America is the first pyramid scheme. The Ameri-con dream, right? They sell you something, but then they want to do nothing to support you.” — Christopher Rivas [0:16:40]
“I knew I wanted to be a performer in the theater, but it wasn't until I saw John Leguizamo at 13 that my entire life changed.” — Christopher Rivas [0:23:11]
“I was living someone's ideal life but I was not happy. I knew that. I missed acting.” — Christopher Rivas [0:30:24]
“Hollywood is a heightened level of the dangers of whiteness.” — Christopher Rivas [0:32:10]
“Why do we sometimes, as bodies of culture, think that the hand we hold determines our worth more than our own hands? How much of that is related to media and assimilation? Who am I actually attracted to and why?” — Christopher Rivas [0:47:38]
“We do not share wounds, we share scars.” — Christopher Rivas [0:55:08]
“Until the lion learns to write every story will glorify the hunter. This is why the lion must write.” — Christopher Rivas [0:55:35]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Christopher Rivas on Instagram