Spotlight Sundays: Reimagining Justice — A Conversation with Malkia Cyril Devich & Jessica Lanyadoo, with Music by Mahsa Vahdat

Spotlight Sundays: Reimagining Justice — A Conversation with Malkia Cyril Devich & Jessica Lanyadoo, with Music by Mahsa Vahdat

In celebration of Women’s History Month, join us for an interactive conversation with Black liberation advocate, Malkia Cyril Devich, and activist-astrologer, Jessica Lanyadoo. They will discuss how moments of great personal and collective challenges can become transformative forces in the fight for social justice and liberation.

The event will begin with a call-and-response musical performance by internationally acclaimed Iranian Bay Area based singer Mahsa Vahdat and musician, Atabak Elyas. Vahdat, a passionate advocate for women’s rights, has courageously defied restrictions on female singers in Iran. Her voice blends her rich cultural heritage with universal themes of resistance and resilience. Together, we’ll engage in a collective experience to imagine a more equitable and just world.

Panelist Bios

Malkia Devich Cyril is a Left movement strategist and facilitator, writer, public speaker and award winning activist on issues of collective grief, Black liberation, narrative change and power building. As the founding and former director of Media Justice, Malkia spearheaded national grassroots efforts for abolition and access in a digital age, galvanizing communities of color for an open Internet and media accountability. After two decades of media justice leadership, and in an era of devastating mass loss, Devich-Cyril has launched the Radical Loss Project, a Black-led change lab transforming how modern freedom movements face loss and build collective power through collective grief. 

Jessica Lanyadoo is a Humanistic Astrologer, psychic medium, and animal communicator with over three decades of professional experience. Known for her grounded and accessible approach, she helps individuals cultivate emotional intelligence and navigate life with clarity. Lanyadoo is the author of Meditations for Your Sign (2025) and Astrology for Real Relationships (2020) and hosts the acclaimed podcast Ghost of a Podcast. Her work has been featured in CNN, The Today Show, Rolling Stone, Vogue Italia, Time Magazine, Oprah Magazine, and more. In 2022, Lanyadoo contributed an immersive installation to the Hella Feminist exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California, inviting visitors to release emotions tied to systemic inequities. Through her multidisciplinary practice, she explores the intersection of astrology, accountability, and social justice. Her work can be found at lovelanyadoo.com.

Mahsa Vahdat, an internationally acclaimed singer and musician from Iran living in the San Francisco Bay area, is dedicated to both her personal, lifelong musical and artistic path and the greater cause of freedom of expression. Her artistic work has offered audiences around the globe a deeper appreciation of Iranian poetry and music. With her enchanting voice deeply rooted in the heritage of her beloved country Iran, and her innovative musical expression and wide-ranging repertoire, she has fearlessly defied the bans on music and solo women singers imposed by Iranian authorities after the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979. She continues to interact with a diverse international audience that highly appreciates her art.

Beyond her musical achievements, Mahsa Vahdat is a passionate vocal educator and advocate for women’s rights. Her life’s work, in particular, empowers women by encouraging them to raise their voices.

Accessibility

Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Wheelchairs, sensory inclusive devices, and additional amenities are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email [email protected] at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.