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Intro

Introduction paragraph

Can be found here:

• Links to listen

• Links of references from the show

• Production learnings

• Story Time

• Episode Summary

• Episode Transcript

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Important links and mentions

• Sapphic Social

• Nya Anthony

• Loudmouth

• Love and Sports Ball

• Damien Center

• Queer Circle City

• Turner Gym

Third Space Indy is supported by City Rising

Episode Summary

In this episode of Third Space Indy, host Michael Zarick sits down with Naya Anthony, the founder of Sapphic Social. They discuss the origins and mission of Sapphic Social, a community group supporting trans, immigrant, and queer people through various events and meet-ups. Naya shares her journey from starting the group on an app to organizing events that foster meaningful connections among the queer community. The conversation also touches on the role of third spaces, the challenges of leadership, and the importance of creating inclusive environments. Additionally, Naya talks about her research on reducing police brutality and her passion for Black and queer history. The episode emphasizes the value of community support and the power of showing up for marginalized groups.

00:00 Introduction to Sapphic Social
01:09 Meet Michael Zarick and Third Space Indy
01:31 Introducing Naya Anthony and Sapphic Social
02:12 The Origins of Sapphic Social
03:01 Defining Sapphic and Its Importance
06:19 Events and Activities of Sapphic Social
07:07 Challenges and Leadership in Sapphic Social
18:26 Political Action and Community Support
19:30 Naya's Research and Academic Background
29:21 The Concept of Third Spaces
31:20 The Art of Small Talk
31:52 Breaking Stereotypes in the Lesbian Community
32:48 Book Clubs and Literary Discussions
34:02 The Concept of Third Places
35:52 Leadership and Community Building
39:24 Exploring Afrofuturism and Art
44:11 The Importance of Showing Up
52:47 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Episode Transcript

Nya Anthony

[00:00:00] Nya Anthony: There are a lot of people within the community who are transgender and who are in need of support and I would also go ahead and add onto this. There are a lot of folks in my community who are also immigrants, who are dealing with some real issues that don't revolve around, like going to a bookstore and having a fun time or going to a dance party, having a fun time.

Like this space is a container for them and their like joy. 'cause I think that's important right now as well. And so Sapphic Social will continue being a space for, trans, immigrant, queer people to hang out. And to know that they are like kept and safe. And I think that is kind of the purpose of this space continually, is to provide that when state systems fail to recognize people when the state apparatus continues to try to make people feel like they're not seen that they're not here, is that we're continue to show up and let people know that. We're here for you.

So,

[00:00:51] Michael Zarick: yeah,

[00:00:51] Nya Anthony: that's my two cents on it.

[00:00:53] Michael Zarick: Let's fucking go.

[00:00:54] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:01:09] Michael Zarick: Hello my name is Michael Zarick and this is Third Space Indy. In 1989, a man named Ray Oldenberg wrote a book called The Great Good Place. And in this book he outlined a place that exists outside of your work and outside of your home that he dubbed the third place.

This is a place you can go to exist, build community, and just be with other people. And so today, I'm so happy to announce that my guest is Naya Anthony. This is somebody who runs a local organization group, event thing called Sapphic Social, which I am excited to hear about because this is our first time meeting.

And they're also a researcher who's primary, area of research is how to reduce acts of police brutality in various communities. And that's also something I'm pretty interested in, especially right now. So Hello Naya. How you doing?

[00:01:59] Nya Anthony: I'm doing okay. How are you?

[00:02:00] Michael Zarick: I'm doing all right too. thanks for asking.

so why don't we start off real quick, just riff however you feel, introduce yourself. Tell me a little bit about Sapphic Social and then maybe we get into the research stuff later.

[00:02:11] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Um, so Sapphic Social is a group that I started, um, oof. Back in 2024, I started on this like little app called Lex, and it's an app where like where people would meet and try to like build community.

You can hear about local events. And I started this Sapphic Social group, like a group chat and added people to it. Uh, we held a meetup in like early 20, 25. We met up this coffee shop. Mm-hmm. Um, um, actually downtown, it's in the. At Athenaeum building. Oh

[00:02:41] Michael Zarick: yeah, ec

[00:02:42] Nya Anthony: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We met there. It was like myself, like a partner at the time, and like three other people that I didn't know, for Adam, and I'm just like hanging out, talking.

Um, but essentially it's an event-based group, and so the whole point is to connect with other people who are Sapphic, um, and get involved in your local community in a really meaningful way. So,

[00:02:59] Michael Zarick: and for people who may not know. Can you define what Sapphic is Is?

[00:03:04] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Sapphic is a term that describes people who fit underneath this like umbrella.

Um, similar to the same way people use like queer to define people who are underneath L-G-B-T-Q. Sapphic can include people who are lesbians, bisexual, anybody who like lives in, loves in an orientation that like, doesn't really center in, um, the term Sapphic. It comes from this like. I think she was born in like 630 BC.

She's a poet called Sappho, and she lived on this, I like this island called Lesbos. Um, and she wrote poetry about loving women. And so the term Sapphic comes from like her legacy as a writer, as a person who loves women. Um, and that's where the term sik sort of comes from.

[00:03:44] Michael Zarick: Honestly, that's a legacy we should all, uh, strive for.

[00:03:47] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:03:48] Michael Zarick: That's what I'm feeling. Can you tell me a little bit about, um. Like, so it sounds like Sapphic Social is way newer than I thought it was. Yeah. You said early 20, 24, 25.

[00:03:57] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:03:58] Michael Zarick: Or 25.

[00:03:59] Nya Anthony: 2024 I think is when we had our first event. Um, so I think I might have misspoke there, but it's been here as long as I've lived here.

I've lived in Indy for three years now.

[00:04:08] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm. That's amazing.

[00:04:09] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:04:09] Michael Zarick: Uh, and it's incredible that you felt compelled to like, go out and do that, just like immediately. Yeah. As you moved in. what is the importance to you of like being able to provide. Being able to provide that type of space. And I, I think about this a lot in terms of like quote unquote exclusive spaces.

Mm-hmm. Spaces that are exclusionary, exclusionary of certain groups of people technically. Um, but somebody phrased it to me in that, uh, they're like, Michael, all spaces are exclusionary.

[00:04:40] Nya Anthony: They are by,

[00:04:41] Michael Zarick: depending on who, by

[00:04:41] Nya Anthony: by nature, nature,

[00:04:42] Michael Zarick: definition

[00:04:42] Nya Anthony: of what they do.

[00:04:44] Michael Zarick: Why do you think your specific exclusionary space is important?

[00:04:48] Nya Anthony: Um, I think that something that I observed when I moved to Indy and sort of the impetus for starting the club was that a lot of the queer spaces were like this queer umbrella. As I mentioned to you earlier, it wasn't necessarily that they were like grouped by certain categories, but when we talk about queerness as a category or like as a space in Indy specifically, a lot of these spaces, including like the bars and even pride, are dominated by like queer men.

Um, which doesn't really leave a lot of space for like, nuance in terms of like other kinds of gendered experiences or other kinds of ways of loving, like gay male culture. Culture is a very deep and rich culture, but it's also not, you can't like map that to every single community underneath the umbrella.

And so I felt that there was a need to create more of like a. a subgroup that would allow people to connect on the basis of a shared identity that wasn't just queer umbrella. Like Sapphic is its own thing. Um, and I think that that deserves like its own space. Mm-hmm. To continue to grow and develop. And I don't know how to really describe it beyond that, but it just felt like there was a lack of like Sapphic center spaces.

Even if you go to a gay bar, like they're gay bars, it's in the name. It's not a queer bar. So these are spaces predo predominantly for gay men. So if you are a lesbian intern in that space, sometimes the assumption is maybe that you're straight or like you're not the target clientele, and you have to really be considerate of the fact that like maybe you aren't the target clientele.

Maybe there are other avenues for you to connect. And so that was kind of my like catalyst for starting.

[00:06:18] Michael Zarick: Yeah. That's really interesting. So like what, how many events are you running a year?

[00:06:22] Nya Anthony: Um, a year. I don't think I've sat down and do the math last year. Year. It's more than you can count. That's Sure.

Year. Yeah. This time last year I was doing like five events per month.

[00:06:29] Michael Zarick: Oh my God.

[00:06:29] Nya Anthony: So like 60. Mm-hmm. On average. Um, since we started, but I've started to slow down a little bit. Um, there are things that I put on and there are things that people like I specifically organize, and there are things that people who are within the apparatus of Sapphic Social, like do independently, like game night meetups or craft nights, or, um, people even do like virtual, like hop on and like, we'll game together and stuff like that.

So there are a lot of informal, like ways people hang out as well.

[00:06:53] Michael Zarick: Okay. So you've almost made a sort of a, what's the word for, like terrarium? Is that

a

[00:07:00] Nya Anthony: container?

[00:07:01] Michael Zarick: A container? Like a container, like small environment that's like self. Uh, sustaining in its own way,

[00:07:06] Nya Anthony: kind of. I feel like we are actually transitioning a little bit as an organization because I started it by myself and, um, it was a lot of pressure, I think, to continue producing programming.

Again, like a lot of our events are free or like low cost, so. When we're thinking about like, how do you do that sustainably as an individual, like it's hard to do five events per month on top of having a full-time job. Um, and so I feel like the, there's just like this, there's a, there's a, there was a need to sort of like make it so that other people can start stepping up and like leading their own things or even things that they're interested in, right?

Because mm-hmm. Things that I have interest in doesn't always mean that. If other people like are interested in that or maybe they have things that are outside of that that they wanna champion and have like a more intersectional way of being Sapphic. So,

[00:07:54] Michael Zarick: yeah. Yeah, definitely. There's like, it's like maybe you're not into like.

Indy car races or something. But somebody wants to do the Sapphic Social at Indy car

[00:08:02] Nya Anthony: and if they wanna do that, like as long as you guys are having a good time, you're being safe and like inclusive. Like, I'm like, go do that. Yeah.

[00:08:08] Michael Zarick: What type of stuff do you like doing?

[00:08:10] Nya Anthony: Yeah, I like dancing. So I started at this like, uh, dance party called Dyke Night here.

Mm-hmm. That's think, I think like the thing we're most well known for, which is like also one of the only like paid events that we do, which makes me sad 'cause I'm like most of the other things are free. Um. But that's something I like doing. So I did Dyke Night. There wasn't anything like that here in Indy before.

There were a lot of gay, like, like lesbian bars here in Indy, um, like 10 years ago, but a lot of them closed down. So, uh, I think a Sapphic centered like nightlife event was something that the city really needed. And so I was happy to provide that space and it's like evolved, um, since we started even I think our one year anniversary for that will be this upcoming march.

So. Um, that's one of the big things. And then also I really like reading, as you mentioned before, like, I'm a researcher, I'm a big nerd, so I started a book club, um, in partnership with Loudmouth. And so we do a monthly book club there. Um, my friend Sarah Guffey, shout out to Sarah, um, leads that every month and we'll be meeting, um, the first Tuesday of every month for the, for foreseeable future.

[00:09:07] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm. What, uh, what type of like. What book do you read right now?

[00:09:10] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Right now we're reading a book called Love and Sports Ball. Uh, I think by Luca

[00:09:14] Michael Zarick: Love and Sports Ball.

[00:09:15] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Well, I think the other title might be Taken Love and Basketball. I think that's, you know, that might be already be occupied.

That's funny. So, but it's, it's a, it's like a romance and it's a, it's a cute story. I'm reading it right now.

[00:09:26] Michael Zarick: That's funny. I like that. Um, and obviously like Heated Rivalry is, like the

[00:09:31] Nya Anthony: Yeah,

[00:09:31] Michael Zarick: that's the hot topic right now.

[00:09:32] Nya Anthony: It is a hot topic. I have my thoughts, but I'm gonna say that that's not what we're here for.

[00:09:37] Michael Zarick: Um. What are some like frequent, uh, like places because you're, when you host. Am I allowed to say dyke? Am I, is that a word I'm allowed to say? Uh,

[00:09:46] Nya Anthony: I guess we'll find out.

[00:09:47] Michael Zarick: Is dyke when you do Dyke night or like what, you have businesses on rotation or do you go to the same place?

[00:09:53] Nya Anthony: Yeah, so I feel like in terms of like pop-up, like, um, sort of underground events in Indy, there are like a few spaces that people go to.

And so I was in contact with like local, um, organizers here, like um, ELGAN Slap House Juice, slap House, who does club cunt, um, and. Trying to figure out spaces to do that. So we have like a few spaces on rotation that we try to feature, but again, like the event has grown so much. It's the first one, like I think we sold out within like a day.

A posting tickets.

[00:10:18] Michael Zarick: When you say sold out, how many tickets is

[00:10:20] Nya Anthony: that? I think the first one we had like 150 tickets to sold out and now we're up to like, I think 250, almost 300. What our last one that we did was back in October and that one was like crazy. We had like vendors doing like tarot readings and face painting, and we had some like cotton candy machine and our wrestling contest.

People get really like hyped to do stuff together and so I really like, I don't know, like the idea of like just harnessing the community energy to like figure out what people wanna do and like really tap into that.

[00:10:45] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm. There's like this overwhelming. God, this is the, the theme of the podcast. There's an overwhelming desire to get out of your house.

[00:10:53] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:10:53] Michael Zarick: And hang out with people. People just need the environment or the, um, what's the word I'm looking for? The somebody to oversee that, uh, situation for them. A lot of people are, you know, either unwilling or unable or any of that type of thing to. Uh, activate that in their way. So when you are creating that environment for people, of course they're gonna show up.

So I think that's really cool.

[00:11:18] Nya Anthony: Yeah, I mean, I, I do think there's a, like, lack of Sapphic leadership broadly. I think that anybody can do this and I really do encourage people to like step up. Because if you can think about it, and it sounds corny, but if you can like envision something, like you can create it, you really just have to start trying.

Mm-hmm. I just, just like posted on this little app, it was like. Who wants to get coffee, and that's how this started. So from having a coffee of five people, coffee meet up five people to events that are like 300 people with, like, that's, it's a,

[00:11:45] Michael Zarick: that's too many people

[00:11:46] Nya Anthony: it, but people, when people are there, they're like locked in.

And I feel like people make connections. Like people I know now are dating people that they met there, they've broken up since. It's just like that's a part of it is just like being together and, and working through the messiness of it. So, yeah.

[00:12:01] Michael Zarick: Do you like the messiness?

[00:12:03] Nya Anthony: I won't say yes. I won't say yes.

It's hard at times. I feel like I've been like brought into people's interpersonal dynamics, but I think that like the conflict of it does. It's always made the space better.

[00:12:14] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:12:15] Nya Anthony: Like every single time I've had conflict, it's always made the space better. Whether that's someone being like, I don't like how you did this.

Then we would shift that. You know what I'm saying? In the future? Yeah. To like accommodate, because I think that I don't have all the answers and people who have like valid concerns about safety, whether that's like making the space more inclusive or dynamic, I feel like I invite that to the space. I will say like one of my biggest like lessons learned has been like, if you want to.

Provide a suggestion. I think you should also provide like the follow through or labor, because I think that this does take labor and I want people to like, understand that and not just see it as like, you show up with a lot of charisma and charm and things happen. Like you have to plan, you have to be like, willing to show up.

And I think that, um, again, like the, the feedback is helpful, but also people who are willing to step up. Um. Had been really helpful to transform this community and make it to like what it is now.

[00:13:06] Michael Zarick: Definitely. I'm a, uh, I'm a huge proponent of, I call it, I mean, it's not that revolutionary, but just like solutions focused thinking.

[00:13:13] Nya Anthony: Solutions focused.

[00:13:14] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Yeah. Because people love to bitch and love to complain, but a lot of people, you know, they fail to see, like, I, I, there's this, uh, thinking in like game design. People are really good at identifying issues in a game, but not a lot of people are good at. Identifying like what the solution is.

Mm-hmm. Um, so it's like when somebody is able to identify a solution, bring it forward, and then like push to actually change it. That's definitely helpful. I agree. so, uh, what, I guess maybe, uh, it seems so cliche, but like what, 'cause you've been, you're so young, so clearly you have, uh,

[00:13:54] Nya Anthony: do you know how old I am?

[00:13:56] Michael Zarick: I mean you as Sapphic social as an organization. I was like, I dunno. How, how old are you?

[00:14:00] Nya Anthony: I'm only 27.

[00:14:02] Michael Zarick: Okay.

[00:14:02] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:14:03] Michael Zarick: Well then you are young. I'm old. Oh, I'm only 30.

[00:14:06] Nya Anthony: That's not, that's not old.

[00:14:08] Michael Zarick: You're not old either.

[00:14:09] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:14:09] Michael Zarick: Um, Sapphic social is young.

[00:14:12] Nya Anthony: Yeah,

[00:14:12] Michael Zarick: we are young too. But, um, when you think about your organization, like what is sort of next, are you looking to become.

Like worldwide.

[00:14:22] Nya Anthony: Um, that's such a funny question. There are actually, like, if you just like look up on Instagram, there's like Sapphic centered groups in every city and I've actually been in contact with a lot of them. There's one in Madison, there's some Chicago, there's some in, um, Cincinnati, Ohio. I even have contacts down in like Orlando, Florida who are doing events that are like.

Similar in style. So I don't think Sapphic Social takes over the world. I think that there are already affix and other cities doing this great work. But I do think here in Indy, um, I mentioned kind of this like earlier moving from this model of like hierarchy where I am at the top of the triangle to having it be more of a spoke model.

So there's different spokes that controlled activities. Mm-hmm. So like there's one for Dyke night, there'll be one for book club, there'll be one for like our outdoor meetups. Um, and then we have one called like wild card where people can kind of pitch like new ideas and kind of like use, use the space as an incubator to like innovate social gatherings.

Um, I'm really excited about that part 'cause I really like, as a scientist, I love like getting in the lab, picking some stuff up. But, um. That's the, that's the new model we're moving towards where every spoke has its own like lead and so it'll be less about like what Nya wants to do, as I mentioned before, and like getting my approval and more about like getting community feedback and then having a person who's already designated to execute that.

Yeah,

[00:15:41] Michael Zarick: almost like a co-op in a

[00:15:43] Nya Anthony: way. Kind of, yeah. Because I think that, you know, that makes it more dynamic again and makes it like a little bit more inclusive in terms of like the strategy for thinking about how we create better events.

[00:15:52] Michael Zarick: Definitely. Um. And,

sorry.

[00:16:01] Nya Anthony: No, go ahead.

[00:16:02] Michael Zarick: In, in this current moment, like we're in where, uh, like I literally just posted about this on Instagram where the state is like identifying, uh, that they want to have two genders, whatever, like when, when there is duress, direct duress, um, like how are you. Maybe coping is the word, but like, what is, are you looking to head that face on?

Are you doing any sort of, um, thinking or, or, I mean, if you wanna share certain feelings or whatever.

[00:16:32] Nya Anthony: Yeah, I think, um,

there are a lot of people within the community who are transgender and who are like, um, in need of support and I would also go ahead and add onto this. Um, there are a lot of folks in my community who are also immigrants, um, who are dealing with some real issues that don't revolve around, like going to a bookstore and having a fun time or going to a dance party, having a fun time.

Like this space is a container for them and their like joy. 'cause I think that's important right now as well. Um, and so Sapphic Social will continue being a space for, um, trans immigrant, queer people to hang out. Um, and to know that they are like kept and safe. Um. And I think that is kind of the purpose of this space continually, is to provide that when state systems fail to recognize people when um, you know, the state apparatus continues to try to make people feel like they're not seen that they're not here, is that we're continue to show up and let people know that.

We're here for you. So,

[00:17:36] Michael Zarick: yeah,

[00:17:36] Nya Anthony: that's my two cents on it.

[00:17:38] Michael Zarick: Let's fucking go.

[00:17:39] Nya Anthony: Yeah. I mean, I know

[00:17:42] Michael Zarick: that's, just know. It has to be.

[00:17:44] Nya Anthony: It does. And um, I know I'm, as I mentioned before, I'm kinda a private person about my personal life. Mm-hmm. But, um, I, I do think that there are ways people move. Beyond recognition that support communities and that we have to be mindful that there's always other things going on to help.

Um, so maybe it's not like on blast on Instagram, but, uh, I feel like just the networks we create within the platforms we use in message and things like that have already started to take shape.

[00:18:13] Michael Zarick: Yeah. And like, it's okay that Sapphic social may be just focused on the fun side, but the, like you said, you know, if you're assuming relationships are coming out of it, but there's also.

Organizing that's coming out of it, uh,

[00:18:26] Nya Anthony: on the other side too. Yeah. I mean, it isn't just fun too. I feel like one of our spokes that we created and established recently was one about like political action. And so, um, that's sort of getting its feet under it right now, but it's responsive to this moment where people are actually having like physical needs, um, that they need to be addressed.

Uh, and so like my job as a community organizer is to make sure that space like can grow and develop and continue, like getting people resources they need. And there's also like a huge nexus of. I think queer and trans serving organizations here in Indianapolis are already doing great work, so I don't have to reinvent the wheel, right?

I can be a connector of services to other existing places like Damien Center, doing a lot of great work. Um, step Up, doing a lot of great work. There are a lot of PE people already doing this work that I don't have to like redo, you know? Um, so I

[00:19:12] Michael Zarick: think that that's a definitely a common theme in Indianapolis is there's a lot of people doing the work and a lot of people trying to, uh, reinvent it.

So I appreciate you saying that.

[00:19:22] Nya Anthony: Yeah, I think it's important to do your research to know like what the market gap is before you start trying to pour money into stuff. So,

[00:19:28] Michael Zarick: um, so why don't we pivot just a little bit.

[00:19:30] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:19:30] Michael Zarick: I mean, we're already kind of there, but can you tell me a little bit about your research, like what you're thinking about right now?

Um, or like what, what does your, what does a researcher do in their day? I really don't know.

[00:19:40] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Um, in my day to day, it really depends on the project that I'm working on. So that could be anywhere from something like. Doing interviews with people, trying to get their lived experience or conducting a survey of some kind.

It could be like writing a paper, it could be, um, designing a new project and trying to apply for funding. It really just varies. And I think the social policy space is really, um, creative in the sense that it's, it's tackling issues of like our present moment. And so I feel very privileged to be able to like work in this kind of field.

Mm-hmm. Um, yeah.

[00:20:13] Michael Zarick: Am I allowed to say where you went to school?

[00:20:15] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:20:16] Michael Zarick: Okay. Shout out to Nya Nya went to SPEA at IUB.

[00:20:19] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:20:19] Michael Zarick: Uh, which is currently facing its own issues. Um, just nods. Um,

[00:20:25] Nya Anthony: it is,

[00:20:25] Michael Zarick: but that's also, you know, where my wife and I met and went, um, so close to our heart. And our, my mother-in-law also attended SPEA.

Shout out to her. Shout out to Tina. Um,

I don't really have a statement based off that, but I, yeah. Um. Uh, you're so cool. I just wanna say that.

[00:20:46] Nya Anthony: Oh, you're

[00:20:46] Michael Zarick: dope.

[00:20:47] Nya Anthony: Thank you. Well, I, I would say this about s fia, I feel like the whole, like public leadership model is really important. Mm-hmm. And I think that there are a lot of people who are seeing things happening that they don't agree with, and they want to take a stand.

They wanna step up and like, be a part of something that they feel like's a force for good. Some people are doing it for evil, you know, not everybody's on the side of good, in my opinion. But I, I do think that like, we need more people who look like me to be leaders, because I think that we bring a very like.

Inclusive perspective to the space. And I keep saying inclusive 'cause I don't have a better like sense of language for what it means to like bring your lived experience somewhere and like be able to be mindful of that when you're designing like spaces. But there's just certain considerations that like you might lack because of your.

Experience. And I think that people of color, specifically women of color, like as leaders, um, in queer spaces and all spaces like are very important. So I feel like SPEA allowed me to become a leader in different kinds of ways, and I think that that space is really helpful for a lot of people.

[00:21:51] Michael Zarick: Thank you for sharing.

That was dope.

[00:21:52] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

My foot fell asleep. I gotta switch.

[00:21:54] Michael Zarick: No, that's why I swapped legs. Yeah, I'm

[00:21:57] Nya Anthony: would do like you.

[00:21:57] Michael Zarick: What did you, I'm kidding. What did you study?

[00:21:59] Nya Anthony: Yeah,

[00:22:00] Michael Zarick: like what's your, you You got a master's?

[00:22:02] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:22:03] Michael Zarick: Because you went to grad school.

[00:22:04] Nya Anthony: Uhhuh. I got two masters.

[00:22:05] Michael Zarick: Oh my God.

[00:22:06] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Let's

[00:22:06] Michael Zarick: go.

[00:22:07] Nya Anthony: Yeah, so I studied, um, community in economic development.

So my degree is in public affairs. Mm-hmm. And then I have, that's one degree. Mm-hmm. Master's Public Affairs. The second degree that I have is in, um, African American and African diaspora studies. Okay. And so that department is currently at IUB is currently like, um. Being merged within others as this like cuts, DEI, initiatives kind of thing goes.

Um, but I study black history and also study like policy. And so for me that emerges in like looking at historical events and um. Sort of challenges to figure out like our future and like how we go from there. So that's kind of where the policy background happens in like the, this investment and trying to figure out alternatives to using like force and police to support communities.

Um, because we know these things don't work historically. They just don't. They lead to like worse alcohol where people, people are in jail, um, or having like employment difficulties once they get out of jail. And so how do we stop people from even getting in that pipeline in the first place is like where sort of I, um.

And most passionate about trying to figure out solutions there.

I think the other component of that, that like is like the through line for me is I just love history, like broadly, whether that's black history or queer history. And so for me, like seeing queer history, seeing like dyke night parties from like 1990, 2000 and I'm like.

Where are those at now? Why, why don't we have those now? And I think like even, there are some archival pages that I use as inspiration for when I'm thinking about like designing events that it's like there's so much, there's so many blueprints that already exist. It's just up to us to go and find them and like pick them back up.

Like I did not invent the idea of a Sapphic community. I did not invent that.

[00:23:47] Michael Zarick: Do you think that is a, um, that's a really interesting point that you brought up. Do you think that's a sort of, um.

Do you think that is similar to the reason that a lot of people don't get together with people like, so I feel like social, um, get togethers are in general, are lesser now than they used to be, or do you think that there is sort of this question of like, oh, people are in general more accepting of queer folks that, that it's also lessened.

[00:24:18] Nya Anthony: Um, I don't have a good answer for that because I'm not, um, from Indiana originally. I don't really have like the local context. There are groups here who do focus on like queer history in Indy. Mm-hmm. Um, there's a group called Queer Circle City, or it's not a group. This is an individual who runs this and they like collect.

Archives and newspapers and, um, stories of people who lived here.

[00:24:40] Michael Zarick: Yeah.

[00:24:40] Nya Anthony: And like ran bars or other kinds of queer community spaces. Um, but I feel like the lesbian history is something that I think they're still like working through, trying to find and like archive more of that work. But I don't know. I think that there's an appetite for, there's, I think there was like people called like woke.

2.0 that we're in now.

[00:24:59] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Woke 2.0,

[00:25:00] Nya Anthony: we're

[00:25:01] Michael Zarick: having the bounce back.

[00:25:01] Nya Anthony: But like the OG one, I think that was like, that was like the 2016 time period. I think that was like, everybody's like chill with being gay and like that kind of stuff. And now I think we're seeing a little bit of like a reversal and that people are like, actually I'm not chill with people being gay and like not me, Lord, don't

[00:25:20] Michael Zarick: clipped.

[00:25:20] Nya Anthony: No, please, please. Um, so I think that there is like. People are more defensive over their identity right now. They're trying to make sure that they're like not being erased. And I think that is just the moment we we're living in. Mm-hmm. Um, I feel like even like you earlier you were like, can I say dyke?

Like some people don't really like that word. Like you talk to elders, they don't like they term queer. Yeah, they don't use that. They don't use dyke because those are things that were used as derogatory. So like generationally, I think there's always like a new challenge for queer people. Um, but. And today, I think like queer people aren't the most liberated they've ever been given even all the stuff that we're seeing right now.

So that's important I think like to remember the historical context as well as like the freedoms that we're able to have. Like I can have a partner and show up to family gatherings and not be dismissed. Immediately, like that's a privilege.

[00:26:16] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:26:17] Nya Anthony: Um, it's also the bare minimum, but like 20 years ago that wasn't necessarily the case.

So,

[00:26:24] Michael Zarick: yeah. Um, you say you love history and like, or do you like specific stories in history?

[00:26:30] Nya Anthony: I like all history. I feel like history is,

[00:26:35] Michael Zarick: huh. Well, I, the reason I ask specifically is, is there like a specific, I,

[00:26:41] Nya Anthony: I

[00:26:41] Michael Zarick: don't care, like

[00:26:42] Nya Anthony: people like history buffs of like certain kinds

[00:26:43] Michael Zarick: of

[00:26:43] Nya Anthony: things.

[00:26:44] Michael Zarick: Well, I don't care specifically what you talk about.

I was like, is there a specific, uh, story, uh, or like fun fact or any of that type of thing that you're thinking of that's like you're thinking about right now that's like pops out you wanna talk about?

[00:26:57] Nya Anthony: I can't think of anything the top of my head. Like a fun fact? No. No, I can't think of one.

[00:27:03] Michael Zarick: That's okay.

[00:27:04] Nya Anthony: I don't think of history as like fun fact based though. I feel like that to me is reductive, but that's like a different conversation. Like some of this stuff isn't fun. Absolutely not. But it's deeply interesting,

[00:27:15] Michael Zarick: you

[00:27:15] Nya Anthony: know,

[00:27:17] Michael Zarick: that's how, so my wife works for the news, like I mentioned earlier. Mm. Um, and that's how she feels sort of in this current moment is like.

Yeah, the news blows, but she's also like a reporter.

[00:27:31] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:27:31] Michael Zarick: And you're living through one of probably the most interesting times in history.

[00:27:34] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:27:34] Michael Zarick: So it's like deeply interesting.

[00:27:36] Nya Anthony: I do think about that, like something as I'm like transitioning out of like this leadership model that I created a few years ago, like in 10 years and 20 years.

Like will there be evidence of what the work was like of what we were doing here? And I, I do hope that there is, and I do hope. That, that is captured somewhere, but like, that isn't, people who are living in this current moment are not always thinking about like, how this be captured. Maybe we should a little bit more.

'cause that, that's kind of scary.

[00:28:05] Michael Zarick: It is kind of scary.

[00:28:06] Nya Anthony: You know, like

how,

[00:28:07] Michael Zarick: or like what's the outcome?

[00:28:08] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:28:08] Michael Zarick: What's the history book say?

[00:28:10] Nya Anthony: I don't know.

[00:28:12] Michael Zarick: Um, I have some questions.

[00:28:14] Nya Anthony: Okay.

I appreciate the written aspect though. I, I also write stuff down by hand. I find it's like easier to keep my thoughts organized that way.

[00:28:21] Michael Zarick: Yeah. I just have a sponsor and I have like a little blurb I say. Um. But I'll just wing it.

[00:28:26] Nya Anthony: You can also like put it on top like later.

[00:28:29] Michael Zarick: Uh, I'm more, um, I'm way less serious than that.

[00:28:33] Nya Anthony: Oh.

[00:28:34] Michael Zarick: Um, but anyways, we're gonna move into what I call the canned questions. Oh. Uh, there's only two of them. I'm

[00:28:40] Nya Anthony: scared.

[00:28:41] Michael Zarick: That's okay. Well, I guess there's three. Um, but, uh, before then, Third Space Indy is sponsored by city rising.org. Uh, my good friend Mark Latta has decided to sponsor the podcast.

City Rising is a social impact studio that strives to, improve the built environment, by contacting people who are leaders and community builders within certain communities. So if you're interested in. Improving your built environment, improving your community that you live within. Reach out to me or reach out to Mark Latta cityrising.org.

Uh, and we'll hook you up easy. Um, but the question I have

[00:29:19] Nya Anthony: mm-hmm.

[00:29:19] Michael Zarick: Is, so I mentioned Third Space. Have you heard the term Third Space before today? I have, yeah. So, um, what is a Third Space to you?

[00:29:32] Nya Anthony: Hmm. I think of third spaces, like I think it's most easy to see them from a perspective of like what children experience. Like they have the home, they have school, but they can go to the library or they can go to the park. But I think it's much more difficult as adults to find that because we lack a sense of play.

As adults, so we're like taken. That's sort of taken away from like how we're supposed to experience adulthood. So I think of third spaces is where we can play, and that might look like reading a really silly book together and just talking about it. And if you don't like it, just like talking about how much you don't like it, you know?

Yeah. I have a friend who comes to book club every week. Hates every book that we read. And I'm like, girl, thank you for being here.

[00:30:16] Michael Zarick: Wait, that's

[00:30:16] Nya Anthony: awesome. Because that's, that's play. You know,

[00:30:18] Michael Zarick: she Reads the book and she goes, man, that sucked.

[00:30:21] Nya Anthony: And I love that about her. And I know, I know this person will consistently show up and not like the book, and that's part of the play.

[00:30:28] Michael Zarick: But then when she does like the book,

[00:30:31] Nya Anthony: then it's like,

[00:30:31] Michael Zarick: that's a monumentous occasion.

[00:30:33] Nya Anthony: Yeah. It's like,

[00:30:34] Michael Zarick: or momentous, what's the word?

[00:30:35] Nya Anthony: Yeah. It's like, I'm like always gagged. I'm like, what? You liked it like.

[00:30:41] Michael Zarick: That's so funny.

[00:30:42] Nya Anthony: Yeah. So I think that there's space as a place that you can play. It doesn't, it doesn't require us to, like, work doesn't require us to like, you know, just be comfy mode, but we can show up as ourselves and like enjoy the company of other people.

[00:30:58] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:30:58] Nya Anthony: In a meaningful way.

[00:30:59] Michael Zarick: I'm so glad you said that because that's, in a lot of ways, like that's how I think about this podcast because I, I think people, when they sit down with each other and like when someone. Uh, reaches out to me and they go, oh, what questions are you gonna ask? Mm-hmm. It's like, I don't wanna send you a list of questions and then sit there and read it,

[00:31:14] Nya Anthony: and you Oh, I see it.

[00:31:15] Michael Zarick: Because that's like, uh, no one wants that.

[00:31:20] Nya Anthony: No, I, that's fair. That's fair.

[00:31:21] Michael Zarick: Um, it is, but like this idea of play, like through conversation, through mutual understanding of each other, through, um, just sitting together and. Talking about whatever comes to your mind I think is something like a lost art.

Literally. Like the way I used to think that small talk was like pointless, but in a lot of ways, like it's the real, like humanity of it. Yeah. It's like you just talk about the weather, bro. I don't know.

[00:31:51] Nya Anthony: That's real. And I feel like one of the things like, I don't know how many lesbians or people that like that, you know, but like.

One of the tropes, or like stereotypes is that like lesbians stay in the house. We don't go outside. We don't hang out.

[00:32:05] Michael Zarick: Yeah.

[00:32:05] Nya Anthony: And I, I like, every time I host an event, someone comes to the space for me for the first time with these like canned perspectives on like what it means to be in that kind of like community and like.

I'm like, no, actually, like, no, we can go outside. Mm-hmm. And actually we're gonna go to the bar right after this book club. Yeah. Because we're not gonna, we're not gonna do that. I think that that's dangerous to like, put ourselves in these like small categories. Like we deserve to have play, we deserve to like mm-hmm.

Be expansive. We don't have to like, exist within these tropes and like Yeah. Make them true. By virtue of just like not trying so,

[00:32:39] Michael Zarick: well, it's also like people love to generalize.

[00:32:41] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:32:42] Michael Zarick: Oh my gosh. All lesbians be like this. All white people would be like that. It's like, no, people are, oh yeah. Whatever.

[00:32:46] Nya Anthony: Diverse, expansive.

I remember I was at a book club once. I keep talking about book clubs. I love book clubs. I love

[00:32:52] Michael Zarick: How many book clubs are you in?

[00:32:53] Nya Anthony: I at present, I'm in two standing. Like two actively. Um,

[00:33:00] Michael Zarick: so the Sapphic Social one?

[00:33:01] Nya Anthony: Yes. What's

[00:33:01] Michael Zarick: the other one?

[00:33:02] Nya Anthony: The other one is a like black femme one. And this is like a virtual one.

[00:33:05] Michael Zarick: Oh really?

[00:33:05] Nya Anthony: And this is national.

[00:33:06] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:33:07] Nya Anthony: And we're reading, um, The Gilda Stories about Jewelle Gomez. There's like a lesbian vampire, but she's like born into slavery.

[00:33:14] Michael Zarick: Okay.

[00:33:14] Nya Anthony: But she gains, her freedom becomes a vampire and lives from 1850 to 2050. And it shows her life throughout this span. But she's the whole time she's a black woman.

And so she's,

is

[00:33:23] Michael Zarick: there like a little sci-fi element happening?

[00:33:24] Nya Anthony: Yes.

[00:33:24] Michael Zarick: Okay.

[00:33:24] Nya Anthony: It's so cool.

[00:33:25] Michael Zarick: So like for you get the progression.

[00:33:26] Nya Anthony: Yeah. That's cool. But they, they project like by 2020 that like, we're entering like economic decline and like food's going away. When

[00:33:34] Michael Zarick: was this written?

[00:33:34] Nya Anthony: This was written in 19 Ninety-Nine.

I wanna say.

[00:33:37] Michael Zarick: You're like, oh no,

[00:33:38] Nya Anthony: I know. I mean, a lot of, a lot of black lesbian writers, Octavia Butler will like. Write about this kind of stuff. I mean, people talk about Octavia Butler all the time, but there's like a lot of other people who write in similar ways that like predict the same kind of pattern. I don't know, maybe black lesbian have the key.

I don't know. I don't know, guys.

[00:33:55] Michael Zarick: Yeah, let's generalize. They all, uh, can see the future. That's

[00:33:58] Nya Anthony: it. I mean, listen, I don't know.

[00:34:01] Michael Zarick: Uh, that's so funny. Uh, so third place is a place you can play,

[00:34:05] Nya Anthony: play.

[00:34:06] Michael Zarick: That's an easy, uh, tagline. By extension follow up question.

[00:34:13] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:34:14] Michael Zarick: What is a third place for you?

[00:34:16] Nya Anthony: For me,

[00:34:17] Michael Zarick: for you that has existed previously but does no longer and it doesn't have to physically not exist also.

Mm-hmm. That's, it can still be in existence. You know what I'm saying?

[00:34:30] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

I will say that Third Space that I really enjoyed was, um, the uh - YMCA, um, that was in the Athenaeum building.

[00:34:42] Michael Zarick: Mm.

[00:34:42] Nya Anthony: Um, they recently, I think like decommissioned it because they're we're using the space for something else.

[00:34:47] Michael Zarick: Yeah. So now it's actually, sorry, did that, it's

[00:34:49] Nya Anthony: like a different one.

[00:34:50] Michael Zarick: So it's now called Turner's Gym.

It's been absorbed by the Athenaeum, um, because the Athenaeum's a nonprofit. Okay. So they have absorbed it. Turner's gym is in reference to. The Turners that, um, founded the gym. Ah,

[00:35:01] Nya Anthony: man.

[00:35:02] Michael Zarick: So it's still a gym in there.

[00:35:02] Nya Anthony: Okay. Well they, there was this like older black woman who taught this like really fun class.

Mm-hmm. Every, like Tuesday, Thursday morning, 7:00 AM it was like a sunrise yoga class. I loved that class so much. That was like my favorite space to be.

[00:35:16] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:35:16] Nya Anthony: And it no longer exists. That's like the first thing that I did. I moved to Indy. Like, I, I prioritized like, being in walkable areas and so that was my gym, that was my class.

I knew this person, I knew what I was gonna expect when I went in there. It was a very friendly environment. And I miss that.

[00:35:30] Michael Zarick: Yeah.

[00:35:30] Nya Anthony: I miss like, moving with other people and not like, really like, I don't know, just showing up together I think is, was very beautiful for me. Mm-hmm. And it no longer exists. So.

[00:35:40] Michael Zarick: Do you remember her name?

[00:35:41] Nya Anthony: I don't.

[00:35:42] Michael Zarick: Oh, that was, you just totally disappeared.

[00:35:44] Nya Anthony: But I, she's in my mind's eye, I'm holding her here.

[00:35:47] Michael Zarick: I love that. Yeah. So you live downtown?

[00:35:49] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:35:49] Michael Zarick: Okay, cool. Do. Is there anyone at Sapphic Social, um, that you wanna give like a shout out to you? Just like anyone you wanna drop, name drop, be like, yo, that person's had the impact on my life.

[00:36:03] Nya Anthony: Um,

[00:36:04] Michael Zarick: not to like hype anyone up or leave anyone out.

[00:36:06] Nya Anthony: Yeah. I would say like the two many people that come to mine are my friend Sarah. Um, Sarah stepped up and took over book club, um, when I was trying to figure out like ways to balance, um. All the things that I was doing with the club. And then a close friend of mine named Brandy, like really has become like, kind of like the Sapphic Social, like mayor, like emperor, almost like everybody knows Brandy, very loves brandy.

And Brandy like really brings a beautiful energy to the space. And these are both black sic people who, um, and this club is not supposed to be blacks. And I, I like to put that out there because people assume because I'm black, that there's supposed to be some kind of like other meaning to the fact that I'm black and running this group.

This group is for everybody of all races. Um, and, but the leadership of the club is like, usually is historically by black staff people. So those people, Brandy and Sarah are like, I love them deeply. I love both of those guys.

[00:37:01] Michael Zarick: Let's go

[00:37:02] Nya Anthony: a lot. Yeah.

[00:37:03] Michael Zarick: Um, I appreciate, that's cool.

You're such an interesting person. It almost makes it harder to ask questions.

[00:37:08] Nya Anthony: I mean,

[00:37:09] Michael Zarick: what are you like thinking about right now?

[00:37:14] Nya Anthony: I think about going to yoga.

[00:37:16] Michael Zarick: Hmm.

[00:37:16] Nya Anthony: Yeah. A part of the reason why I wanted to take a step back from like leading so much of the like work that we're doing is so that I can focus on like my other passions. I, I like to do a lot of different kinds of things. I'm a researcher, but I also run community events that like.

Do wet T-shirt contest. Like feel like I'm a very expensive person.

[00:37:33] Michael Zarick: What T-shirt contest is what I mean. So the Athenaeum?

[00:37:36] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:37:37] Michael Zarick: Um, I was actually there this morning. It's funny that we were talking about that. Um, so the Athenaeum, um, historically is a German building. Mm-hmm. I'm not gonna give the full context.

I'm not able to do that. Um, but they have a thing that they live by, which is, uh. To live with a healthy mind and a healthy body. Mm-hmm. And I feel like you embody that. And it's funny that you used to go to the YMCA that was there, 'cause that's, that's that side of the building, which is the YMCA side, or now the Turner Gym side, uh, embodies that sort of like healthy body.

Mm-hmm. And then you are also a researcher on the other side. So having this healthy mind, healthy conscious about the world, um, sort of like has that, uh, interplay of like you're embodying. The Athena and as like the first community space that you went to. It's so funny that that is that, um, that it, it turned out like that for you, but I wonder if your desire to go do yoga is like calling you back some way.

[00:38:34] Nya Anthony: Maybe. I think maybe that like, I'm sorry, something for me, but I used to also do, um, coworker out of there whenever that was also the first meetup spot of Sapphic social.

[00:38:42] Michael Zarick: Oh really?

[00:38:42] Nya Anthony: So like that was, that is kinda the nexus for me. You know, Craig, lot of. I don't know nobody in there.

[00:38:47] Michael Zarick: Craig Mintz is the, he's like the CEO I don't know how new he is, or,

[00:38:50] Nya Anthony: yeah.

Shout to that guy.

[00:38:53] Michael Zarick: I've never been to, um, the Rathskeller. Yeah. Which is like the, the beer garden thing.

[00:38:57] Nya Anthony: It's cool.

[00:38:58] Michael Zarick: Yeah.

[00:38:58] Nya Anthony: And they do like a market in winter time. Mm-hmm. As

[00:39:00] Michael Zarick: you go. I did mean to go this year, but it was so cold all winter.

[00:39:05] Nya Anthony: That's fair. That's fair. Yeah. It's a cool space.

[00:39:08] Michael Zarick: Uh, so what, um, what like.

You're not only doing Sapphic social stuff and you're not only reading, what are you doing?

[00:39:19] Nya Anthony: Um, I'm watching Bridgeton shout out to Bridgeton. Shoutout to Shonda Rhimes. Actually. That's so funny. She's brilliant. Um, I just, I really, as you can probably tell by the theme of my discussion, is like, I really fool with black women who can create a universe that doesn't exist.

Like creating, creating either. That's like. Cinematic or like community spaces or like through literature, like any kind of person who create a universe that does not already exist and like contain itself. That's magical as fuck. I, I, I really think it is. I think there's like an alchemy that happens there.

So Bridgerton is like this really cool show and I think people should watch it.

[00:39:58] Michael Zarick: I love that it's sort of a. An aggressive re-imagining of, of like Victorian England.

[00:40:05] Nya Anthony: I would, I would argue

[00:40:06] Michael Zarick: that it's, or maybe aggressive is not the right word.

[00:40:07] Nya Anthony: Yeah. I would argue that it's almost like Afrofuturism. It's like what?

It's like looking, the term is a little bit, um, misleading. It's not just about what happens in the future. It's about like, if we were to look at black people without the lens of like white colonialism, past and present and merge these two to like, what would that look like? What would it look like for the Queen of England to be black?

Without, doesn't make sense.

[00:40:32] Michael Zarick: No. We went to, okay, so in, I was in Los Angeles last week.

[00:40:34] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:40:35] Michael Zarick: We went to the LACMA, which stands for Los Angeles Museum of Something, LACMA, I don't know of

[00:40:42] Nya Anthony: Art.

[00:40:43] Michael Zarick: Los Angeles Museum of Something Art. I dunno what the C stands for.

[00:40:47] Nya Anthony: Hmm.

[00:40:47] Michael Zarick: Maybe it's

[00:40:47] Nya Anthony: contemporary.

[00:40:48] Michael Zarick: Oh, Lama. L-A-C-M-A. So Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

There we go.

[00:40:52] Nya Anthony: Nice.

[00:40:53] Michael Zarick: Got it. Uh um, but there was a very large, um. Uh, display in there. I do not remember. I might have the paper in my backpack, but I do not remember the name of the artist or the title of it, but

[00:41:10] Nya Anthony: it's a costume design.

[00:41:12] Michael Zarick: So you're talking about this concept of afrofuturism or a reimagining of history.

Where like you put black people in stronger positions of power than they were historically.

[00:41:23] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:41:24] Michael Zarick: And there was this entire theme of that going through this, um, museum display where it like showed, there was this, uh, room where it had statues flipped on different sides of itself.

[00:41:42] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:41:42] Michael Zarick: Um, so on top was like Napoleon, uh.

I'm gonna totally butchering this, but on the flip side was, um, a leader that was shown in opposition to Napoleon that was a black man. and it did that throughout the room with varying leaders. Like it did a, a, there was two writers and there was two, like gen, like wartime generals, and there was two like kings.

[00:42:10] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:42:10] Michael Zarick: And just showing that sort of like. Just sort of rethink the way the world would be if you put these people as the prominent figures in history as opposed to, um, someone like Napoleon.

[00:42:22] Nya Anthony: Yeah. I'm curious who the Napoleon opposite was. I'm gonna probably guess someone from the Hatian Revolution, maybe Tucson, but

[00:42:29] Michael Zarick: Oh, that's who it was.

[00:42:30] Nya Anthony: good. I mean, we talked about history earlier and like that's part of it, right? Is that also whoever wins, quote unquote wins, um, these battles or these like cultural wars or real wars, like get to write the stories and that's why Napoleon's so prominent.

So when someone flips it on its head, it's like this is actually a more complete view of history. Mm-hmm. Because it's inclusive of like people who are seen as like the losers. Actually Haiti won. Haiti, Haiti won their independence, so they're not the losers. And Napoleon should be on the bottom side of that statue.

Yeah. Because he, he lost,

[00:43:02] Michael Zarick: so, yeah. Yeah. I really, the Napoleon is like the only figure in that whole room. I remember just because it was the, there was a recreation of him on the horse that, from the painting.

[00:43:12] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:43:13] Michael Zarick: Um, but I just remember like being so taken aback by like, it's like, oh yeah, you really should like, rethink about how this is, uh, like your perspective on the world.

And there's. It, it was a really cool art display 'cause there's literally like five different rooms. One was like, um, a black barbershop where it focused on, um, certain types of hairstyles. and one was like how in it was a encyclopedia focused rooms. Mm-hmm. So it was like focused on like how encyclopedias are written and like from the perspective that they're written on.

[00:43:46] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:43:46] Michael Zarick: Um, and there was one that was like in a laundromat that was like totally grayed out and like. Thinking about, at least what I took from it was like, what it's like to be in this sort of like very drab room. 'cause like the entire room was gray. It was really odd to like exist. It was really interesting.

I'll, I'll send you, um, the name of the thing when I figured it out later.

[00:44:09] Nya Anthony: Yeah, lemme know.

[00:44:11] Michael Zarick: Um, anyways, uh, is there anything else you're thinking about right now?

[00:44:16] Nya Anthony: Mm.

[00:44:20] Michael Zarick: What is did Bridgerton, sorry to go back to that. Yeah. Did Bridgerton just come out the new season?

[00:44:24] Nya Anthony: They just, yeah, like I think last night maybe was like when it dropped. Oh yeah. That's

[00:44:28] Michael Zarick: funny.

[00:44:28] Nya Anthony: So everybody's up like watching it. Real late? I was, I was,

[00:44:33] Michael Zarick: uh, my wife loves Bridgerton. Um,

[00:44:37] Nya Anthony: she got good taste. I

[00:44:38] Michael Zarick: don't watch TV very much.

My Patrick Armstrong, who is a friend of mine, uh, he always makes fun of me when I say that. He's like, you need to catch up on the pop culture stuff.

[00:44:49] Nya Anthony: Pop culture is culture, you know? It does, it does drive a lot. He did rivalry. People are going nuts off of that stuff.

[00:44:56] Michael Zarick: Oh, see, you're talking, you brought up woke 2.0.

[00:44:58] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:44:58] Michael Zarick: Recently people were like, oh, this is the sign. Like they have like, so they did, you know how like you go to uh. Sporting events and they always have the kiss cam. Yeah. And it's always like heteronormative.

[00:45:09] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:45:09] Michael Zarick: But that the hockey games, they're doing like the Heated Rivalry

[00:45:11] Nya Anthony: cam,

they hockey people need all of the good press they can get.

So they're, they, they, they're up. Shout out, you know, NHL, they're, they're having a moment.

[00:45:20] Michael Zarick: Let's go. Um,

anyways, uh, so, So every episode I ask a question from the previous guest.

[00:45:32] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:45:33] Michael Zarick: Um, so the previous guest of this episode, her name is Savannah Jacob. She's a local ceramicist. Um, she asks, what is your favorite way to experience art here in Indianapolis?

[00:45:48] Nya Anthony: Hmm.

[00:45:52] Michael Zarick: In whatever way that means to you.

[00:45:53] Nya Anthony: Yeah. I really like spoken word. I'm not like a poet or a writer, like in that sense, in the creative sense, but I like when people can like capture a moment in their life and, and retell that to people. I think like the practice of sharing like, um.

In that kind of space, people are showing up. They're committed to like listening and to being in, to being a villager in that space is like very appealing to me for some reason. Um, and there are a few really cool like spoken word, um, workshops around the city that like really I think do a good job of inviting.

Great speakers and folks. Um, and also you can just like sign up, the spirit moves you, you can like pop up and say something. And I think that's also pretty cool

[00:46:41] Michael Zarick: Yeah.

[00:46:42] Nya Anthony: To have a space like that. So I, I like listening to people speak.

[00:46:44] Michael Zarick: Are there specific ones you frequent?

[00:46:46] Nya Anthony: Um, there's one called that Peace open mic.

[00:46:49] Michael Zarick: Mm.

[00:46:49] Nya Anthony: Um, that I really like. I haven't been to the one, um, this year, but I'm looking forward to the rest of them. They have going, I think it's like a monthly thing. Um. That's probably my favorite. Yeah.

[00:47:00] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Have you, uh, ever participated in

[00:47:02] Nya Anthony: anything like No. No. I, I, that's not my thing. I do like a lot of other things.

I don't have to do that, you know?

[00:47:09] Michael Zarick: Wait, so when you do, um, that's so funny that you said that. First of all, I went to an open mic recently and when I walked in they were like, oh, do you wanna sign up? And I was like, God no. It's like,

[00:47:19] Nya Anthony: but they ask 'cause people sometimes don't know and they're like, maybe I do wanna sign up.

[00:47:23] Michael Zarick: Well, it's been lingering in my mind. Yeah. And I think that might be a goal for the year is to like, do that. Um, is that top of the hour? Probably.

[00:47:29] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:47:30] Michael Zarick: but the one I went to was not necessarily like poetry focused, it was just, um, one of the, it people do poetry, people do short stories or whatever.

Mm-hmm. Um, but one of them was like conversation. Mm-hmm. And the woman who runs it, she was like, Michael, I wish you would come up and do like a mini podcast or

[00:47:47] Nya Anthony: something. What an interesting concept. Yeah, yeah. Like a live discussion with people.

[00:47:50] Michael Zarick: Yeah. But she was like, you have to fit in the five minutes.

And I was like, that's a challenge. Yeah. So that was something to think on. Um, oh, but the, what I was gonna ask is, when you are at Sapphic Social, are you challenging yourself in that way? Are you stepping up in front of the crowd and like putting on a show in a way?

[00:48:12] Nya Anthony: Ooh. That's something that I definitely struggle with, as you mentioned, like you talked to other people about Sapphic Social, but they didn't know me.

[00:48:19] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:48:20] Nya Anthony: And that's like something that, I don't know how I feel about that. Like on the other one hand, it's not really about me, um, like at all.

[00:48:27] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:48:28] Nya Anthony: It's about like the activities that we're doing. On the other hand, I think the people who do show up and who are a part of this community do know me. And so it's like I would much prefer like rather people know me.

By meeting me and engaging with me then like knowing about me from something else. So a part of that is also like, I do have to be on the mic. I do have to like say hello and do those kinds of things. Mm-hmm. And so that's something that I'm looking forward to, like continuing to do more, um, in this upcoming year.

[00:48:55] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm. There's like a, I think about this a lot in the context of the podcast. I always really wanna focus on the guest. I really wanna focus on you in this moment. Um, but. Through time, I've realized that people are really interested in who's running it.

[00:49:12] Nya Anthony: They are. People are nosy.

[00:49:13] Michael Zarick: People are nosy, but they also like, like it,

[00:49:15] Nya Anthony: yeah, yeah,

[00:49:16] Michael Zarick: yeah.

And they wanna thank you or compliment you and, and stuff like that. So I, I would say to you and to myself is like, give yourself props and like hype yourself up and maybe put yourself out there a little more because it's like,

[00:49:27] Nya Anthony: I'm on a podcast, Anna. I'm here.

[00:49:29] Michael Zarick: Yes.

[00:49:30] Nya Anthony: I'm trying. Shoot.

[00:49:32] Michael Zarick: Well, that's why, you know, but like, uh.

Uh, you know, put your name out there. Yeah. Because people just want to like, maybe not on the social media, but like on your personal profile, be like runner. Maybe you do, I don't know. Yeah. I don't like, but like runner of IC social or, um, founder or whatever word you want to use. Um, yeah,

[00:49:49] Nya Anthony: but I, here's the thing though, I am trying to encourage people to come to things in person.

So if you see me in person, say hello. Um, other than that, we'll see. We'll see.

[00:50:01] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Are there any like non. Social events that you like to attend?

[00:50:09] Nya Anthony: I'm trying to,

[00:50:09] Michael Zarick: other than book club?

[00:50:10] Nya Anthony: Yeah. Um, book club. I think the spoken word is one. There's also another org here called Black Queer Indy that I'm a part of.

[00:50:17] Michael Zarick: Black what?

[00:50:18] Nya Anthony: Queer. Queer ind. Oh, I've heard of that. Yeah. Um, it's run by like a friend of mine named Deanna. And um, that space is like a second home for me because I don't have to be a leader there. I can just be like a villager. And that's something I'm trying to do more with this year instead of. Just being a leader is to be a villager, like better at that.

[00:50:35] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.

[00:50:36] Nya Anthony: So I think one of my resolutions this year was to like, go to more things that I'm not running. So we'll see what else adds to the agenda. That's

[00:50:42] Michael Zarick: good.

[00:50:43] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:50:43] Michael Zarick: Uh, 'cause then you, uh, we talked about, I talked about this with a recent guest, but like going to things that you're not actively, even if you're thing is like social, like Sapphic Social, it's still, you're still there as an employee question, uh, quote unquote.

[00:50:57] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:50:57] Michael Zarick: And that can be like stressful.

[00:50:59] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:50:59] Michael Zarick: So going to someone else's place allows you to just sort of. Be a true Third Space for yourself.

[00:51:04] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:51:04] Michael Zarick: Um, in a lot of ways. Um, I'm also thankful that you recently moved here to Indianapolis recently ish. Three, four years.

[00:51:13] Nya Anthony: Yeah. I've been here for three, four years now.

[00:51:16] Michael Zarick: Why are you still here?

[00:51:20] Nya Anthony: I ask myself that question every day. No, I'm kidding. Um, I think like, I feel a deep. Sense of being responsible to like the community that I've built. And so that's something I'm like trying to wrestle with. Um, so I consider like what else is for me in the world. But, um, yeah, I think, I feel like I've built a community here and that's part of the reason that it's like, make me feel comfortable to stay or feel good to stay.

Um. I originally moved here to be with a partner in a very, like, that's a very lucky thing to do. Um, I will say, and that person there together, which is fine, that's how life works sometimes. But, um, I feel like the community that I've built here has like, been a really strong anchor. And even if I don't stay in Indy forever, like that will, this will be like a big part of my life, um, moving forward.

[00:52:13] Michael Zarick: So, yeah.

[00:52:14] Nya Anthony: Yeah,

[00:52:14] Michael Zarick: I've heard that a lot is like when you. I mean, like if I went to a different city, I can't run Third Space Indy, you know? Yeah. So that's in a lot of ways, like, I enjoy doing this. So in a, it's sort of like, uh, a ball and chain in a, in a, in a certain way, but I still enjoy doing it. Yeah. In the same way you probably still enjoy doing sic social stuff.

Um, that's an interesting perspective. I appreciate you sharing. Um, I don't have any other questions. Is there anything else that you're interested in bringing up or talking about or thinking on feeling in your heart?

[00:52:47] Nya Anthony: Um,

[00:52:47] Michael Zarick: and beyond.

[00:52:49] Nya Anthony: Yeah, I would say to maybe like address your, like listeners just to say like, if you are Sapphic and you find yourself in need of community, like this is always a space for you to show up and, um, we're waiting for you.

So, yeah,

[00:53:04] Michael Zarick: I love that phrasing. Like you, you always wanted them to be there. Um, one last question.

[00:53:09] Nya Anthony: Mm-hmm.

[00:53:10] Michael Zarick: And it's obviously hinted at what question would you like to ask the next Third Space Indy guest?

[00:53:17] Nya Anthony: Hmm.

I think I'm thinking a lot about leadership recently and like just because you start something doesn't mean you're inherently a good leader. Mm-hmm. And that's like you have to learn like, and sometimes that's really ugly, like bad. So I think I would be curious for whoever you host next, like how they think about their own leadership, even if they're not like.

Categorically a leader, but like, I think in every way that we exist, whether you're a swimmer assist who own the studio, like you're leading community people through the art practice, right? Mm-hmm. Um, yeah. Like what does leadership look like to you? And, and maybe like how can you become a better leader?

Um, 'cause I think I'm looking for examples.

[00:54:07] Michael Zarick: I, I think of that, that's such a good question. 'cause like, um. One of my favorite quotes from the podcast is that just because, uh,

it actually, the phrasing is you are not a true leader if no one is following you. Um hmm. And I, I really, um, my mom actually texted me that actually, she goes, Michael, that was a really good quote. Um, and when I think about like myself and. The, what I'm trying to do with this podcast, which is just highlight people around town who are doing their very best to create space for people, um, whatever people is to them.

Um, like how do I make it so people show up to sic socials? How do I make it so people, um, go on more, uh, we walk into walks, that type of thing. Like how do you inspire people to actually like leave their house because of this moment? We need people to leave their house, uh, and get out and connect with others, because that's how you form a mutual understanding.

And I think that is the, the crux of my leadership is like, am I doing enough to like inspire people, um,

[00:55:20] Nya Anthony: yeah.

[00:55:20] Michael Zarick: To leave their house.

[00:55:22] Nya Anthony: I like that. 'cause it's cold and it's scary out here. Mm-hmm. So leaving your house, that's a tall order, but if you can get people out of the door, like that's half of it. I, I like to say though, like when people show up one time, they might not have a great experience.

I hope that they do, but if they don't keep showing up, keep meeting people. And I think you build a network of familiar faces and that's how you build a community. So

[00:55:43] Michael Zarick: yeah, definitely.

[00:55:44] Nya Anthony: Yeah,

[00:55:45] Michael Zarick: the first impression is always hard. You never know. Uh, great question.

[00:55:49] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:55:49] Michael Zarick: Thanks for coming on.

[00:55:50] Nya Anthony: Thanks for having

[00:55:50] Michael Zarick: me.

Uh, Nya Anthony, founder leader. Maybe not in the future of Sapphic social, can you tell the people where they can find you or your organization, whichever you prefer, or

[00:56:04] Nya Anthony: both? Yeah. Um, you can find Sik social on Instagram at Sapphic Social Indy, um, and then you can find me at fem vfo. Fem It's spelled this way.

[00:56:15] Michael Zarick: FM v Foe.

[00:56:16] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:56:16] Michael Zarick: That's a good name.

[00:56:17] Nya Anthony: That's my name. Actually. My ex-boyfriend made me this shirt.

[00:56:19] Michael Zarick: Well, do you prefer fem or foe?

[00:56:22] Nya Anthony: I'm a femme, but everyone who's against me is a foe. Yeah.

[00:56:26] Michael Zarick: Oh, I see. So it's like a literal

[00:56:28] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:56:28] Michael Zarick: It's you against the world.

[00:56:30] Nya Anthony: It's me against Transphobes. Homophobes people. Were anti-black, all of them.

[00:56:33] Michael Zarick: Let's fucking go.

[00:56:34] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:56:35] Michael Zarick: Uh, that's so good on Instagram.

[00:56:40] Nya Anthony: Yeah.

[00:56:41] Michael Zarick: I need to follow you buddy. Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening to this episode of Third Space Indy. Thank you Naya again for coming on. Uh, you can find me at Third Space Indy on instagram.com or by going, wait, I said that wrong. You can find me at Third Space Indy on Instagram or by going to Third Space Indy dot com.

Sometimes I write a blog. I really have been slacking on that recently. Thank you so much to Mark Latta for sponsoring the podcast in city rising.org for doing so. Thank you as always to the local artist Jennasen for allowing me to use your song Scared Rabbit as the intro music. Thanks once again as always for watching.

See you in the next one. Goodbye.

[00:57:27] Nya Anthony: Great job.