DIVERCITIES: The Universal Language of Comedy

Wednesday, December 09, 2020 | 11:00 a.m.

In this laugh-packed connection, join comedians from Kigali, the Netherlands and D.C. for a global comedy-share. These unique talents from across the globe share a quick 5-minute comedy set and a panel conversation on the comedic landscapes of their cities, and how to sustain and support independent comics during the era of COVID-19.

***

DIVERCITIES is presented in partnership with Shared_Studios, a global collective that creates meaningful human connections between people separated by distance and difference. The museum will house one of Shared_Studios’ famed Portals, a live, full-body, audio-visual environment that enables visitors to converse and interact with people from around the world as if they were in the same room. There are over 40 Portals worldwide, from Nairobi to Lahore, Milwaukee to La Paz, and each Portal in the network connects to every other.

The monthly DIVERCITIES program makes use of this extensive global network to explore the relationship between language and city. Through transformative conversations with comedians, poets, artists, journalists, educators, and activists, we explore the rich, unique ways people in different locations and cultures use and experience language. How do cities shape the ways in which we communicate? What words are unique to our city?