Esperanza Spalding

Esperanza Spalding (a.k.a. irma nejando) is an eaabibacliitoti* artist, trained and initiated in the North American (masculine) jazz lineage and tradition. Her work interweaves various combinations of instrumental music, improvisation, singing, composition, poetry, dance, therapeutic research, storytelling, teaching, restorative urban land & artist-sanctuary custodianship, and growing in love as a daughter, sister, cousin, niece, auntie, great-auntie, friend.

She is co-founder and curator of Prismid Inc., a 501c3 that ushers and stewards restorative artist residency & workshop space in Portland, Oregon.

With her dance company Off Brand gOdds (co-founded with Antonio Brown) and the Songwrights Apothecary Lab she leads multi-week performance, workshop, teaching, and therapeutic-arts research residencies.

*European-African ancestored being influenced by American cultures living in Indigenous Territories of Turtle Island