WAREHOUSE ARTS DISTRICT Jude Leitten Previews THE UNRAVELING -A Future Without USAID and its Global Implications
Season 2, Episode 1121, Sep 08, 09:46 PM
Share
Subscribe
WAREHOUSE ARTS DISTRICT ARTS XChange Though nationally known artists such as Duncan McClellan and Mark Aeling have space here – and frequent events can add a certain layer of buzz – you’ll find the Warehouse Arts District is all about its laid-back vibe. It's innovative spirit and lack of pretentiousness means you can get up-close to the creative process here. ArtWalk on 2nd Saturday is always a treat, and you can ride the Star Trolley around the district. 9/13.
Host Nanette Wiser interviewed Jude Leitten about her distinguished career in the foreign service and work with Congress as well as a preview of the provocative new show opening 9/13 followed by a panel discussion and artist talk 9/17. THE UNRAVELING -A Future Without USAID and its Global Implications. The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA) is proud to premiere a thought-provoking exhibition that reflects WADA’s continued dedication to presenting timely and meaningful themes at the local, regional, and national levels—using art as a powerful medium to examine complex issues. Since 1961, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has played a key role in global development, humanitarian assistance, and U.S. foreign engagement. In July of 2025 USAID was completely dismantled, all but a few hundred of its 10,000 employees were fired, and nearly all programming canceled with any remaining programs folded in the Department of State. The Unraveling raises questions about what the future might look like without USAID and invites thoughtful dialogue on the broader implications for the U.S. and communities around the world.
👉This unique exhibit centers on the artwork of Ali Syverson - an artist and former USAID Communications Advisor - who will also give a presentation about her artwork and inspirtation. An additional parallel exhibit, curated and moderated by USAID Foreign Service Officer Jude Leitten, presents photographs and media of USAID projects by USAID employees and will also include a panel discussion of USAID's role in international development and the arts. Over the course of this month-long exhibition and series of events, which will be shown for the first time at the ArtsXchange, audiences are encouraged to explore the history and evolving mission of the USAID, its role in international development, and the broader implications for the visual and creative arts.
👉Join Ali Syverson on September 17 5-7 pm for an artist talk about the paintings featured in the September exhibition “THE UNRAVELING – A Future Without USAID and its Global Implications”. Hear directly from Ali about how being an international climate writer for USAID has shaped her visual arts practice, and the stories and symbols that are woven within the paintings in the exhibition.
ABOUT JUDE LEITTEN Ms. Jude Leitten is a seasoned professional with a distinguished career spanning international development, politics, and business. She currently co-owns and operates Satori Sounds, a Miami-based small business delivering audio-visual and entertainment services across South Florida.
Ms. Leitten previously served as a Foreign Service Officer with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In this capacity, she held key assignments as a Program Officer in Lima, Peru; Kabul, Afghanistan; and San Salvador, El Salvador. Her work focused on strategic planning, project design, budgeting, reporting, and evaluation. In Washington, D.C., she served as a Senior Program Officer with USAID’s Office of Africa Affairs and the Office of Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity, where she contributed to high-level policy and program development.
Before joining USAID, Ms. Leitten worked at The Brookings Institution as a Project
Coordinator, providing technical management support for large-scale logistics and IT initiatives. In the private sector, Ms. Leitten co-founded a study abroad business that facilitated university-level education programs in France for U.S. students, further showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to cross-cultural exchange.
Ms. Leitten holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Administration in International Management from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She also completed undergraduate coursework in French at the University of Grenoble, France, and earned a graduate fellowship with PACT in Zambia.
#wada #warehouseartsdistrict #judeleitten #usaid #AliSyverson #artasinsight #artactivism #nanettewiser #stpete #stpetefl #tampabay #radio #radiostpete #cityofstpete #dtsp #downtownstpete
Host Nanette Wiser interviewed Jude Leitten about her distinguished career in the foreign service and work with Congress as well as a preview of the provocative new show opening 9/13 followed by a panel discussion and artist talk 9/17. THE UNRAVELING -A Future Without USAID and its Global Implications. The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA) is proud to premiere a thought-provoking exhibition that reflects WADA’s continued dedication to presenting timely and meaningful themes at the local, regional, and national levels—using art as a powerful medium to examine complex issues. Since 1961, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has played a key role in global development, humanitarian assistance, and U.S. foreign engagement. In July of 2025 USAID was completely dismantled, all but a few hundred of its 10,000 employees were fired, and nearly all programming canceled with any remaining programs folded in the Department of State. The Unraveling raises questions about what the future might look like without USAID and invites thoughtful dialogue on the broader implications for the U.S. and communities around the world.
👉This unique exhibit centers on the artwork of Ali Syverson - an artist and former USAID Communications Advisor - who will also give a presentation about her artwork and inspirtation. An additional parallel exhibit, curated and moderated by USAID Foreign Service Officer Jude Leitten, presents photographs and media of USAID projects by USAID employees and will also include a panel discussion of USAID's role in international development and the arts. Over the course of this month-long exhibition and series of events, which will be shown for the first time at the ArtsXchange, audiences are encouraged to explore the history and evolving mission of the USAID, its role in international development, and the broader implications for the visual and creative arts.
👉Join Ali Syverson on September 17 5-7 pm for an artist talk about the paintings featured in the September exhibition “THE UNRAVELING – A Future Without USAID and its Global Implications”. Hear directly from Ali about how being an international climate writer for USAID has shaped her visual arts practice, and the stories and symbols that are woven within the paintings in the exhibition.
ABOUT JUDE LEITTEN Ms. Jude Leitten is a seasoned professional with a distinguished career spanning international development, politics, and business. She currently co-owns and operates Satori Sounds, a Miami-based small business delivering audio-visual and entertainment services across South Florida.
Ms. Leitten previously served as a Foreign Service Officer with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In this capacity, she held key assignments as a Program Officer in Lima, Peru; Kabul, Afghanistan; and San Salvador, El Salvador. Her work focused on strategic planning, project design, budgeting, reporting, and evaluation. In Washington, D.C., she served as a Senior Program Officer with USAID’s Office of Africa Affairs and the Office of Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity, where she contributed to high-level policy and program development.
Before joining USAID, Ms. Leitten worked at The Brookings Institution as a Project
Coordinator, providing technical management support for large-scale logistics and IT initiatives. In the private sector, Ms. Leitten co-founded a study abroad business that facilitated university-level education programs in France for U.S. students, further showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to cross-cultural exchange.
Ms. Leitten holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Administration in International Management from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She also completed undergraduate coursework in French at the University of Grenoble, France, and earned a graduate fellowship with PACT in Zambia.
#wada #warehouseartsdistrict #judeleitten #usaid #AliSyverson #artasinsight #artactivism #nanettewiser #stpete #stpetefl #tampabay #radio #radiostpete #cityofstpete #dtsp #downtownstpete