Spoken Word Artist & Solo Performer; Author of "The Last Kaiser Roll in the Bodega"; Creator of "Culture Bandit"
Vanessa Hidary Biography
Vanessa Hidary, known as The Hebrew Mamita, is a spoken word artist, solo performer, author, educator, and advocate whose work addresses Jewish identity, race, and cultural belonging. A native of New York City, Hidary graduated from LaGuardia High School of the Arts and Hunter College and earned an MFA in acting from Trinity Rep Theatre Conservatory. Growing up as a Sephardic Jew on Manhattan's Upper West Side during the hip-hop era, Hidary draws on her background to explore the intersections of identity and challenge stereotypes. Her poem "The Hebrew Mamita" has sparked conversations about race, identity, and inclusion within and beyond the Jewish community.
Hidary began performing poetry in New York City venues, becoming a recognized voice for Jewish identity in the slam poetry scene. Her poem "Hebrew Mamita" was featured on HBO's "Def Poetry Jam," where she discussed her Jewish heritage and addressed stereotypes, contributing to broader discussions about Jewish diversity. Hidary has appeared multiple times on "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam" on HBO and is featured in the film "The Tribe," which was selected for Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and Jewish Motifs International Film Festival. She has performed at venues such as Nuyorican Poets Café, highlighting the complexities of cultural belonging through spoken word.
Hidary's experiences as a Sephardic Jew with friends from diverse backgrounds inspired her to write "Culture Bandit," a solo show chronicling her coming of age during the hip-hop era. "Culture Bandit" was produced by LAByrinth Theatre Company and has been presented at events including The Roar Theatre Festival at Nuyorican Poets Café, Downtown Urban Theater Festival, Los Angeles Women's Theater Festival, Hip Hop Theatre Festival in New York City, Revolutions Theatre Festival in Albuquerque, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, and Comedy Central Stage in Los Angeles. Hidary is also the author of "The Last Kaiser Roll in the Bodega," a collection of poetry, essays, and memoirs that explores the influence of Jewish and Puerto Rican cultures on her work.
Drawing on her Syrian-Jewish heritage, Hidary founded the Kaleidoscope Project, a narrative-arts initiative that highlights the stories of Jews of Color, Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews, and those with interfaith backgrounds. In collaboration with Kendell Pinkney, she developed the "Kaleidoscope Video Workshop," which features cast monologues and writing exercises addressing the experiences of Jews of Color and Jews of non-Ashkenazi descent. Hidary was selected as one of 50 speakers at IdeaCity, a conference focused on innovative ideas and thought leadership.
In addition to her artistic work, Hidary is an advocate for Jewish unity and has addressed issues of antisemitism through her performances and collaborations. She has worked with Israeli spoken word artist Yoav Talmor on "Intersecting Journeys," exploring the experiences of Israeli and Diaspora Jews. The Anti-Defamation League recognized her as a "Hero Against Hate" for her commitment to using storytelling to combat prejudice and promote community engagement. Through spoken word, workshops, and advocacy, Hidary continues to amplify marginalized voices and foster unity within the Jewish community.
Vanessa Hidary Speaking Topics
-
Culture Bandit
-
How do I book Vanessa Hidary to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Vanessa Hidary for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Vanessa Hidary, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Vanessa Hidary or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Vanessa Hidary
Speaking fees for Vanessa Hidary, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Vanessa Hidary are under $10,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Vanessa Hidary, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Vanessa Hidary speak about?
Vanessa Hidary is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Art & Design, Author, Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, Faith & Religion, Faith & Religion, Family & Parenting, Health & Wellness, Jewish Heritage, Personal Growth, Poetry, Spirituality -
Where does Vanessa Hidary travel from?
Vanessa Hidary generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Vanessa Hidary’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Vanessa Hidary for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Vanessa Hidary for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Vanessa Hidary or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Vanessa Hidary is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Culture Bandit. The estimated speaking fee range to book Vanessa Hidary for your event is available upon request. Vanessa Hidary generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Gloria Feldt, Poet Ali, Rosalind Wiseman, Montel Williams and Erin Gruwell. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Vanessa Hidary for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








