We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alicia Mullikin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alicia below.

Alicia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents always supported my dreams and my art, even though art is a very unconventional path.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

BIO:

Alicia Mullikin is an Indigenous Chicana dance artist, educator, and community organizer. She is the visionary behind EL SUEÑO, an arts organization dedicated to uplifting marginalized communities. She is also the innovator behind EMBODIED ALTARS, a movement technique that seamlessly integrates Indigenous traditions into the dance realm. With a Master’s degree in Dance from Cal State University of Long Beach, Alicia’s dance experience spans both classical dance styles and Indigenous Anáhuac Danza, granting her a unique perspective in fostering culturally resonant dance education centered on racial literacy and decolonization. Alicia’s journey as a dancer is enriched by her lived experiences and extensive research, and serves as the cornerstone of her mission to amplify marginalized voices within dance academia. Her work has been featured at numerous schools, institutions, and studios across the United States. Collaborations with esteemed institutions such as the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, the Henry Art Gallery, the Museum of Northwest Art, and the Seattle Center have propelled Alicia’s powerful expressions of Mexican Indigenous Identity to the forefront of contemporary discourse.

In 2023, Alicia’s unwavering dedication to advocacy earned her recognition as one of only fifteen national artists honored as an Arts Advocacy Leadership Fellow by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures. Through her artistry and activism, Alicia Mullikin strives to empower historically marginalized communities and nurture future generations.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As a young dancer, my identity was an area of shame. I learned to value thin white bodies above my own and attempted to squeeze my plus-sized brown body into a box that was never meant for me. I was denied the ability to feel whole in dance spaces. This is what prompted me to create my company EL SUEÑO. EL SUEÑO meaning “The Dream” was named for my continued pursuit of the “American Dream.” It was a dream that was stripped from my Indigenous ancestors. It is a dream that my family chased when crossing our southern border. And it is a dream I pursue as a daughter of an immigrant and an Indigenous artist fighting to be seen.

Colonized ideals in the arts have used innovation, newness, or boundary-pushing as the value by which to measure art. In doing so, they have inadvertently devalued Indigenous people who are often-times more concerned with relearning the traditions, languages, and cultures that have been intentionally erased from our communities. This is why radical reclamation is at the center of all of my work.

As an Indigenous person, I strive to balance my walk towards the future with careful consideration of the past. My work weaves both ancient and contemporary movement modalities and encourages authentic exploration and storytelling. I utilize Indigenous principles within movement as a way to practice gratitude, honor the land, and recognize my ancestors. These practices in many cases are intentionally displaced from the art world which prioritizes individualism. This is a colonized mindset. Indigenous people are community-minded, earth-focused cultural bearers.

Through EL SUEÑO, I attempt to weaponize dance against cultural erasure and systematically deconstruct harmful narratives about brown bodies. I believe that when we center our work around community and reclaim tradition, we take back our power and dismantle the hierarchies that have historically undervalued, displaced, and attempted to erase us.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As an Indigenous artist and educator, I have often felt disconnected or left out of traditional arts environments. I am deeply and personally aware of the systemic inequalities that exist within the art world and recognize the urgent need to create spaces that actively address and dismantle these barriers. For many people like myself, art has been inaccessible and downright unapproachable. This is why I focus on uplifting marginalized communities, fostering community-oriented spaces, and amplifying the voices of BIPOC artists and individuals whose stories often go unheard. I firmly believe that art has the unique ability to transcend barriers, connect people from diverse backgrounds, and serve as a catalyst for meaningful social transformation. I dream of art spaces and communities that allow my six year old niece and my one-hundred-and-two year old nana to see themselves represented and celebrated.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/el.sueno.dance/
• Other: Please link my instagram @el.sueno.dance

Image Credits
All photos taken by DEVIN MUÑOZ