Meet Susanna Peredo Swap | Executive Director of Vanguard Culture

We had the good fortune of connecting with Susanna Peredo Swap and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Susanna, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
When I was five years old, I was in a very serious car accident that shattered 2 vertebrae and required a very long period of recovery. This meant that I had to wear a full neck and body brace and was unable to walk for about a year. Thankfully, other than some very impressive scars down my neck and back, I am fully healed and have regained full mobility.
I realized recently however, that even though I am completely mobile, there is still something about that accident that subconsciously motivates me to take more risks in life.

Although the accident is far behind me, I sometimes suffer from back pain and each time this happens, my mind takes me down a path of worry that I am running out of days that I can still walk. It’s worth noting that this is a completely irrational belief with no medical substantiation, but simply knowing what it feels like to not be able to run, walk, swim, dance etc.; has proved to be enough of a motivator to be fearless about my choices.

To that end I have never really been afraid of attempting to tackle big goals or travel the world on my own or climb big mountains. In fact, when something scares me, I feel a deep need to go tackle it so that I’m not scared of it anymore. I take for granted how rare that is, but I do know that it has given me some amazing experiences. From singing on big stages in front of thousands of people, to living solo in 4 different countries, to starting my own nonprofit (Vanguard Culture), to summiting Mont Blanc, that little girl in me loves to remind me that life is to be fully lived.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I founded Vanguard Culture in 2012 to address what I saw as a culture of competition among the region’s creative industries. Our programs lean into creative collaboration to empower the entire region’s creative workforce to stop fighting for the same piece of pie and instead, share resources and work together to create bolder, more impactful work.

We program events and experiences that are intentionally cross industry collaborative, so that by the end of the day, almost everyone is walking away in partnership with or in service of another organization.

The effort has not been easy, but it has been tremendously satisfying to seeing the arts community transform from a culture of competition to a culture of collaboration. I like to think that we played a part in making that a reality, though I recognize that we still have a long way to go.

On Sat. Sept. 14th we are producing a huge visual & performing arts festival called ENVZN24 Urban Art Takeover, featuring some of the region’s most notable creatives from both sides of the US/Mexico border. Last year’s festival attracted over 2,000 attendees and created over 75 arts jobs for the region. This year you can expect to be immersed in live dance performances, captivating theatre and music acts, mesmerizing large-scale puppetry, and a stunning fashion show by Fashion Week San Diego. There will also be art installations enhanced with curated soundscapes, a mini film festival, delicious food and drinks from local vendors, and much more. Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of cross-border artistry!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would mix it up between experiences in San Diego and Baja, CA.

Of course we would do the iconic things such as visit the museums in Balboa Park and perhaps dinner in Little Italy. I would also take them to see a live performance at the Rady Shell and dinner in downtown. I would also bring them out to Chicano Park and Logan Ave to explore the murals, shops and restaurants and stop by the Soap Factory in Logan Heights to check out one of their events.

In Baja, I would take them to the CECUT cultural center in Tijuana and the Observatorio (Cinema and Film School) and then the Telefonica Gastro Park for lunch. Then I would take them straight down to the Valle de Guadalupe for some world-class culinary and wine experiences.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I run a nonprofit called Vanguard Culture, dedicated to advancing San Diego’s creative workforce. We produce award-winning arts journalism, professional development for creatives and unique cross-industry cultural events. I am truly grateful for the passionate team of more than 40 volunteers who are the engine of Vanguard Culture. This small but mighty organization has been able to accomplish incredible things thanks to our dedicated board, advisors, writers, and core volunteers. Their collective expertise, passion, and virtuosity is what makes our organization great and empowers the region’s amazing arts & culture sector.

Website: https://www.VanguardCulture.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanguardculture/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanna-peredo-swap-85442112/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulturallySavvy/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLyHQD11BAuqHQxRh1lNeQ

Other: Meet our incredible lineup of ENVZN Featured Artists at @envznsd

Image Credits
Images courtesy of Vanguard Culture