What is it like to grow up and live around the world? How can I explore cultures around the world? What does it feel like to be a multiethnic woman? What does it mean to be multicultural? How can I be accepted by people of different cultures? How can I invest my time into different types of art?

In this interview, we got to talk to the amazing Vanessa Selk, who can definitely be called “a woman of the world”. Born in Spain and coming from Guianese and German parents, Vanessa has traveled and lived all around the world. Her insight into so many cultures is admirable, that's why I loved listening to her perspective in this interview. Apart from that, Vanessa is an independent cultural producer and political arts consultant. She has also written and directed theater plays, organized film and art festivals, as well as exhibitions, while also being involved in international affairs as a former diplomat at the United Nations and for the French government.  

Vanessa’s current mission is the Tout Monde Foundation, which she recently founded. The Tout Monde Foundation is a non-profit organization and public charity supporting Caribbean contemporary visual and performing artists through socially impactful projects dedicated to our 3E-values: Ecology, Education and Equal Rights. Learn more here: https://www.tout-monde-foundation.org/ . 

This is the final episode of season 1 of the Collective Drift podcast. We are looking forward to season 2. Make sure that you have subscribed to Collective Drift on your favorite listening site.

Here are a few of my favorite parts of the interview:

Collective Drift (CD) / Vanessa Selk (VS)

CD: How would you describe yourself?

VS: I'm definitely a citizen of the world. I do not belong to one particular country, or a city, or even a particular community. I really feel at home wherever I am at the moment. And every time I travel, I feel like I belong wherever I go because my goal is to adapt to the local culture, understand it, and generally try to speak the language as best as possible. Though it's not always as easy when you're an international citizen and work for a government at the same time.

CD: How has your upbringing allowed you to be so open to being a citizen of the world?

VS: I think I became open to this because my parents are very open-minded. I like to call them Bohemians because they love to travel. Both of them were already traveling when they were young, and that's when they met each other in Spain and where I was born. Then afterward, they continued traveling and they really wanted me to learn the importance of both of their cultures considering that I’m half German and half French Guianese. That’s why my parents agreed to live in both regions and countries.

Read more https://www.collectivedrift.com/post/vanessas


Where to find Erica and Collective Drift

https://www.collectivedrift.com/

https://www.instagram.com/collectivedrift/

https://www.youtube.com/collectivedrift

Where to find Vanessa

https://www.instagram.com/vandagem_art/

[email protected]

https://www.tout-monde-foundation.org/

The Collective Drift platform was created by Erica Knowles to celebrate all women, the beauty of their cultures, and international travel experiences. I believe that women possess magic, that gives them strength and grace to change the world. We learn how to tap into our power in various ways based on our cultural backgrounds and our journeys. Welcome to Collective Drift.