Mixed Blood community ties are local, regional, national, and global.
This is a function of how we strive to be a good neighbor to the more than 10,000 folks who live in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood where the firehouse is located. And it extends to the approximate 600,000 + people who have seen, supported, and helped Mixed Blood create theatre to disrupt injustice by amplifying the stories of those often not heard.
By the numbers
Approximate number of artists we’ve partnered with for 45 seasons
Number of Cedar Riverside neighbors
Estimated number of donors and funders since we opened
The firehouse zip code
Approximate number of patrons attending at least one Mixed Blood play, event, or program
Featured Partner
City of Nations Storytelling Studio
Abdurrahman “Abdu” Mahmud is the visionary behind a new community centered initiative that aims to further understanding around several social taboos that engulfs reproductive health, substance abuse, and mental health within the Somali community. Prior to launching this initiative, Abdu worked in a part-time capacity at Mixed Blood for over 4 years and supported several projects that sought to collect, understand, and share health priorities among Cedar Riverside residents with a broader community of healthcare practitioners.
In this latest endeavor, Abdu will host monthly storytelling circles with those from different generations, and who have different perspectives, and experiences with the topics of focus. Each circle conversation will be filmed, edited, and released across various online platforms. The sharing of these conversations seeks to further understanding and reduce existing stigmas that might prevent persons with ties to the community from seeking health and wellness support in these areas.
Abdu has a range of experience as a public health professional and once supported initiatives funded by the United Nations. He hopes his current work with City of Nations Storytelling Studio “…will ignite a discussion”, on these matters that have long been seen and treated as taboo by many groups within the Somali community. Mixed Blood is honored to support this work as its fiscal sponsor, which in-part will enable Abdu to pursue grant funding from private and public institutions to help fuel this work. For more information, you can contact Abdu at abdurrahman@mixedblood.com.