Episode 04: The Folktales of Tomorrow

In episode 4 of Florida 2100, Amanda Furiasse and Yvette Fuentes are joined by Vanessa Navarro Maza, Folklife Curator at HistoryMiami Museum, to explore the future of Florida's rich folkloric traditions. Together, they envision how storytelling, rituals, and cultural practices will evolve in response to shifting demographics, environmental change, and technological advancements. From preserving heritage to inspiring new traditions, Vanessa offers a compelling glimpse into how folklore will continue to shape and redefine Florida's cultural identity by the year 2100. Samuel Dyer, NSU University School senior, rounds out the podcast to provide a fresh perspective on the episode's insights and relevance to the next generation of Floridians.

Vanessa Navarro Maza directs HistoryMiami Museum’s South Florida Folklife Center. She curates exhibitions in the museum’s Folklife Gallery as well as temporary exhibitions related to local folklife. She conducts fieldwork and collecting projects, such as the the Miami Street Culture Project, resulting in the exhibition Avenues of Expression: Street Traditions in Miami. She also oversees the Miami Stories oral history initiative and manages all Folklife Center programming, including the museum’s artist-in-residence project, Cultural Encounters series, and annual CultureFest 305 folklife festival. Additionally, Vanessa creates media products about local folklife and assists the region’s traditional artists. She studied Anthropology at the University of Florida and Ethnomusicology at Florida State University.