Affiliations & Partnerships

For more than a decade, The Meta Theatre Company (MTC) has had the privilege of working alongside individuals and groups who are incredible anti-racist activists, educators, and community leaders.  We are forever grateful for these collaborations.

Dr. Rhea Almeida

Dr. Rhea Almeida, MS, PhD, LCSW, is the founder of The Institute for Family Services (IFS). She has over 30 years experience as a trainer, therapist, activist, and author. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her standpoint on intersectionality and liberatory healing practices.

Caroline Hann, co-artistic Director of MTC, trained at IFS; Dr. Almeida's model and approach to healing is the foundation of MTC's work. MTC has presented for several years at Dr. Almeida's Liberation Based Healing Conference -- an annual gathering to present strategies that promote relational healing and liberation.

All of Us or None - Northern NJ

All of Us or None - Northern NJ (AoUoN-NNJ) is a chapter of a national grassroots, civil, and human rights organization fighting for the rights of formerly- and currently- incarcerated people and our families throughout NJ. They provide direct services and resources to those reentering our communities from prisons, jails, and halfway houses.

The work of AoUoN-NNJ and Tia Ryans (Chapter Leader of AoUoN-NNJ and founder of F.O.R.T.E. House) has taught MTC how to be better accomplices to our justice-impacted members as well as in the broader fight to stop mass incarceration. 

Dr. Karen Gaffney

Dr. Karen Gaffney is a white anti-racist educator and Professor of English at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in New Jersey, where she teaches a course called “Race in American Literature and Popular Culture.” Her book, Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox (Routledge), is an accessible and interdisciplinary introduction to race and racism with tools for action. Her blog, Divided No Longer, offers additional reflections and resources in the fight against white supremacy.

MTC collaborated with Dr. Gaffney to create the show Dismantling the Racism Machine, where concepts from her book are brought to life in front of a live audience.

José Miguel Paez

José Miguel Paez, LCSW, Ed.D, is a multi-ethnic person (Mexican/Filipino/Italian/enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz) and  Assistant Professor of Social Work at the California State University of Northridge (CSUN). His theoretical and research interests include decolonization, anti-colonial practice, critical race theory, feminism, intersectionality, liberation based-healing, historical trauma and healing centered engagement. 

MTC first collaborated with Dr. Paez in February 2020 during the We Are Power: Community in Action Conference and have continued to build a liberatory relationship for on-going work.

Carona Davis-Diop, Diop Productions, LLC

Carona Davis-Diop is a multi-award winning Filmmaker, Author, Editor-in-Chief, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, and the founder and CEO of Diop Productions, LLC. Based in Flemington, NJ, her studio offers podcast streaming, audition tapes, photography and headshots, video editing, creative development, and more! 

MTC met Ms. Davis-Diop through our co-artistic director Barbara Cannell who acted in a few of her short films. We now have a growing collaborative relationship; Ms. Davis-Diop took many of the photos on our website and the Diop Productions studio is our new homebase for performance!

Dr. Alex Ojeida, Monica Montoya, and MOSAIC

RVCC Women's Center

NJ Theatre Alliance

The mission of the NJ Theatre Alliance (NJTA) is "to unite, promote, strengthen, and cultivate New Jersey’s professional theatres. We advance the theatre community by developing innovative, collaborative, and engaging programs and services for member theatres and their diverse audiences."

MTC is an affiliate member of the NJTA and has produced shows as part of NJTA's Stages Festival in 2022 and 2023.

MTC honors all the people, organizations, and resources who have inspired us: