bio

For the last thirty-something years Vanessa Hidary has been living many identities, finally finding her own as the Hebrew Mamita. A graduate of acting school in Rhode Island, she has taken her performance art around the country, through her record sales and friendship with Mos Def.

Vanessa Hidary - Hebrew Mamita

Identity crisis doesn't mean a thing to Vanessa Hidary, whose journey to her eclectically-gathered Jewish roots took her through the world of hip-hop and spoken word. A self-described "culture bandit," she does not want you to tell her that she doesn't look Jewish, because this Syrian-American Nuyorican-reppin' Jewess most certainly is. She'll even go to Harlem Def Poetry Jam to tell you personally. Mixing old-school Hebrew vibes with a multi-culti sensibility and street smarts, Vanessa's message is simple: be proud of who you are.