The Time is (Always) Now to do the Work - Arts & Anti-Racist Resources

During this historic time, in the midst of a global pandemic, and what some have called a “Great Awakening” there has been widespread social awareness of systemic racism in the U.S. and most every industry has responded. Initially, statements of solidarity with #BlackLivesMatter were presented to the public by many corporations and organizations. Subsequently, the public has pushed back with a demand for these organizations to be held accountable to these statements and truly challenge their roles in perpetuating systemic racism.

In a world where everything seems to be moving so fast, through the internet and social media, many people from all sectors have been sharing lists upon lists of information with anti-racist tools, strategies and resources. From my perspective as an arts and cultural worker, the discipline that interests me most is visual arts - and some of the most important forums for discourse around visual arts are through museums. I believe strongly in the arts as a viable tool for activating personal growth, societal change and social justice. As I mentioned in my previous blog post Increasing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at NYC Cultural institutions, now is the time to build on what’s been done so far, and push forth in this work.

Keeping in mind that each and every great change begins within the individual, I’d like to acknowledge the importance of people (from all walks of life) doing anti-racist work - not just now, but continuously - even when this red-hot moment has passed. In order for the organizations to work at dismantling their structural racism, the people who make up those organizations must be actively working on themselves, too.

For that reason, I have decided to gather up some of the information I’ve received in the recent months - the information I’ve found most interesting - and share it here. Some of these links may be useful to think about on an individual level, within groups, as well as an organizational level. Included in this list are: anti-racism resources, Black cultural organization lists, tool-kits for transforming arts organizations, and news articles pertaining to museums in NYC, across the country and the globe, which are responding to this historical moment.

[Note: I did not write these lists or articles, I am merely sharing them.]

>>>RESOURCE LISTS/DATABASES<<<

Anti-racist Resources - AirTable
This is a constantly growing database of anti-racist resources. Articles, books, podcasts, movies, PDFs and more. There are also places to donate and support. #BlackLivesMatter
https://airtable.com/universe/expTAbhKPSRbhFDO3/anti-racist-resources?explore=true&fbclid=IwAR1j3xvHWC_mcx9DHOk6wNptsE9eiJVFH-E_-aTGQdDUM3jkpGAaNGr0Y24

Justice in June
"The result: 'Justice in June,' offering three learning plans for anyone hoping to spend the month taking a step to 'becoming an active ally to the black community.' Choose how much time you have per day — 10, 25 or 45 minutes — and the learning plan tells you what media to consume."
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H-Vxs6jEUByXylMS2BjGH1kQ7mEuZnHpPSs1Bpaqmw0/mobilebasic#

Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
This is a working document for scaffolding anti-racism resources. The goal is to facilitate growth for white folks to become allies, and eventually accomplices for anti-racist work. These resources have been ordered in an attempt to make them more accessible. We will continue to add resources.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PrAq4iBNb4nVIcTsLcNlW8zjaQXBLkWayL8EaPlh0bc/edit?fbclid=IwAR0YUV4Ll6ulMI2oL0SEMvr7N-xlmNhfRQ0xpzXNIFpPCwHnY5iDzvfip_o


SUPPORT BLACK CULTURE IN NYC
This is a working, growing, and collectively-sourced list of Black centered and/or led arts entities (non-profits, collectives, and small businesses) in NYC. Thank you to all who have contributed.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Qf9-1JkNWNeSp_X4o22CcPvXjItwZhAkVcFR7BFw8IY/htmlview?pli=1&fbclid=IwAR2uRb9A3bTBpe9u-00Sk1wb2jtATt2rbP8_Uk-dHnkxeLVgn1oQNGs9z9k#gid=0

>>>TOOL-KITS<<<

Arts Go Black
From Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute “Today, on Juneteenth, CCCADI officially launches the #ArtsGoBlack Campaign for organizations that wish to take real action. If you want to join us, please visit artsgo.black and take the pledge. Once you have signed up, you will receive a toolkit for your use to let your constituents know that you are ready to end racism in the Arts and Cultural field as well as a questionnaire. This is everyone’s work so know that this is open to every organization, funder, agency, or business.”
https://artsgo.black/

Solidarity Is
Welcome to Solidarity Is, a project that generates tools, trainings, and narratives to facilitate transformative solidarity practices for movement building organizations and activists who are invested in meaningful social change.
https://buildingmovement.org/our-work/movement-building/solidarity-is/

>>>ARTICLES<<<

A global list of Black-owned/founded museums, art galleries, and spaces
https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/49496/1/a-list-of-black-owned-museums-art-galleries-spaces-around-the-world

Anti-Racism for Arts Administrators — Young Professionals in the Art
https://www.ypanyc.com/blog/2020/6/7/anti-racism-for-arts-administrators

Anti-Racist Imperatives for Southern California Museums
https://bipocforsocalmuseums.com/?fbclid=IwAR2XagQpN0YbucnVkTxZb22Hwj3zHYzzhQIxV_Ln1l5R1ueFjl0FV4wxIeg

Culturally Responsive Museums Are Leading the Way
https://www.museumhue.com/blog/2020/6/8/culturally-responsive-museums-leading-the-way?fbclid=IwAR3Wh8qZCDk0ETx-_MugxJJU9J2_eKVdI4e7TpDML-Cn9G8gbK0uXydaaHs

How UK museums are responding to Black Lives Matter
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53219869?fbclid=IwAR1J0WxZcP40yQ_fMk4K0OXODdJXxDMYnAv1Dqf8aF-cZrN5WYWVSByrLyM

Institutional Racism in the Arts: The Need to Hire, Retain, and Promote People of Color
https://medium.com/@eddiecota/institutional-racism-in-the-arts-the-need-to-hire-retain-and-promote-people-of-color-c61b9467183

On the Limits of Care and Knowledge: 15 Points Museums Must Understand to Dismantle Structural Injustice
https://news.artnet.com/opinion/limits-of-care-and-knowledge-yesomi-umolu-op-ed-1889739?fbclid=IwAR1P1VVkZnJ78F94p-GtmgKwFeAsL9TWT-HcRZvjDeYzfAi3TocL3eLbzgM

People are calling for museums to be abolished. Can whitewashed American history be rewritten?
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/natural-history-museum-whitewashing-monuments-statues-trnd/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0vigxeTIamGTybWo1WDSdy7EW_MdGR8XR1-ndOzh_B_swewG8E7AQWQkg

Smithsonian’s Leader Says ‘Museums Have a Social Justice Role to Play’
Lonnie Bunch, who oversees a host of museums and libraries, says the role of cultural institutions is to make people “feel comfortable with nuance and complexity.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/business/smithsonian-lonnie-bunch-corner-office.html?fbclid=IwAR0LlHbBNoVD_cKRoKUXemooGKnHQvM0T_NrtHzgKRnFb8YOZC-5Ndgg7Ko

To Bear Witness: Real Talk about White Supremacy in Art Museums Today
https://burnaway.org/to-bear-witness/?fbclid=IwAR066KEI2KUsmkBigcrEaOoS0WyC3itJlogFiF8IyPjpLLfsDlV8kOiPyZk

What Does a Social Justice Curator Do? The Bronx Museum’s Jasmine Wahi on Why Every Art Institution Should Have One
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/jasmine-wahi-interview-1890449?fbclid=IwAR07e-_iOmZEVDQSGQpDtp22lt1EIMsd0Wv5IShaqQojtU5b57YqEzqAKGY

What Should Museums Do?
Let’s take art history apart and reimagine it.
https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/351?fbclid=IwAR2kILhBJ4y2s-JJMsRS0e2p4q6EH7o4ETo_ZI06ekvPbfcWDuqHPppxy7g

The Art of Justice

The Art of Justice 2, panel discussion.

Last month, I had the privilege of attending Art of Justice 2: Race, Arts Funding, and the Survival of Community-Based Arts Organizations. Unfortunately, I had missed the Art of Justice 1, because it was sold out.Actually, I barely made it in to 2 - I got in by the skin of my teeth. And it was standing-room only! For good reason, too. This panel discussion, put together by the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) was incredibly thought-provoking. They have just released a short re-cap video, so I will let CCCADI's words and images speak for themselves (scroll down to see, below). But first, I would like to share with you, the gorgeous poem that they chose to open up the evening with. It struck a chord with me: 

A Short Note to My Very Critical and Well-Beloved Friends and Comrades
A poem by June Jordan

First they said I was too light

Then they said I was too dark

Then they said I was too different

Then they said I was too much the same

Then they said I was too young

Then they said I was too old

Then they said I was too interracial

Then they said I was too much a nationalist

Then they said I was too silly

Then they said I was too angry

Then they said I was too idealistic

Then they said I was too confusing altogether:

Make up your mind!

They said, Are you militant? Or sweet?

Are you vegetarian or meat?

Are you straight? Or are you gay?

And I said, Hey! It’s not about my mind.

The Art of Justice 2, presented by CCCADI at NYU's Dept. of Social and Cultural Analysis 
On March 10, 2016, we co-presented Art of Justice 2: Race, Arts Funding, and the Survival of Community-Based Arts Organizations, at New York University’s Department of Social and Cultural Analysis to a full house! Policymakers, researchers, scholars, and cultural activist came together to call for more equitable funding in the arts sector.  

Did you miss it? Watch the 2min recap video! 

https://youtu.be/OLUuwEXwVFE

#TheArtofJustice #OurFirehouse #CCCADI

Catching Up on this Artistic Voyage

Something Positive performing at CCCADI's Trade/itions symposium at Aaron Davis Hall.

It's been quite a while since I wrote a real blog entry here. Truth be told, I have been going through some personal stuff which has occupied most of my time and attention. However, I've still managed to find some time to attend and/or participate in a few great events, which I would like to touch on here, as they relate to my Travesia Artistica (Artistic Voyage).

Firstly, a group of us (who originally met at a panel discussion about Cultural Equity at the Queens Council on the Arts last October [QCA]), have been coming together on a monthly basis, as the Steering Committee to create a new artists group in Queens. It's taken us a while to choose an official name, but at this point, it looks like we are leaning towards: Queens Creative Solidarity Network. We are working on our vision and mission statement now, and once it's done, I will surely be posting about our new group and inviting folks to participate! 

Also, the Carribean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) has been planning for their next study-abroad program Community Arts University Without Walls (CAUWW), of which I am an alum. They actually asked me to become an Ambassador, and of course I said yes! So I've helped out by attending two of their Open House sessions to give my first-hand (glowing) account of my experience last summer in Puerto Rico. 

Next, I have been to a number of art exhibitions, but one in particular that I would like to make mention of, is the Essentia exhibit at Taller Boricua (running from January 22nd through March 5th). This exhibition was curated by (a painter whose work I truly admire) Nitza Tufiño (who's a resident at Taller Boricua) and features the work of five fantastic female artists: Ada Pilar Cruz, Helen Evans Ramsaran, Maria Dominquez, Marina Gutierrez and Robin Holder. I went to the opening reception on January 22nd on a freezing cold Friday expecting a slow night, but boy was I wrong! The reception was very well-attended, complete with warm Puerto Rican food, wine and a DJ who got the crowd moving their hips. You can tell that Taller Boricua is a part of a close-knit community - and they know how to throw a party! The work by these five women, by the way, is definitely worth looking in to.

Last but not least, last month, CCCADI had put out that they were planning for a two-day symposium that looked so interesting to me, I was looking forward to it since then. To use their description:

Trade/itions is a two-day symposium event which will explore the points of Orisha intersections through an artistic, activist, and 21st Century lens. Principal demonstrations and social impacts of these global traditions will be shown – through music, dance, panel-dialogue sessions, and through the moving image. Programs and activities have been carefully curated to include expressions and holders of these traditions from throughout the Americas: Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and the United States.

So yesterday (February 27th) I set out on a long and arduous journey (thanks MTA!) up to Aaron Davis Hall at City College, to attend the all-day series of symposiums, capped off with a concert at night. It was really a glorious day full of positive energy, creativity and power; featuring some really brilliant minds and talented performers.

The symposia were as follows: Dialectical Dialogues and Kongo Konversations: Honoring the 35th Anniversary of Flash of the Spirit with Dr. Robert Farris Thompson; CCCADI Special Tribute: Honoring Iyalorisha Lourdes Lopez, Iyalorisha Amma McKen, Babalorisha John Mason, and Dr. Robert Farris Thompson; and Panel: Orisha as Activist: Recharging Our Purpose, Utilizing Our Power, moderated by Elizabeth Yeampierre and panelists Karla N. Moore, Alex LaSalle, Lumumba Bandele and Dr. Sheriden Booker. Then there was the Evening Performance: Trade/itions: In Honor of Our Orishas with Baba Neil Clarke with Iyesá Drum ensemble, featuring Akpon, Amma McKen; Master Cuban Percussionist, Roman Diaz and Ensemble, and from Trinidad, Something Positive. [There was also a Sunday portion of Trade/itons (which I was unable to attend) featuring a Film Screening Premiere: Yemanja: Wisdom from the African Heart of Brazil with a post-film screen panel moderated by Angela Fontanez and panelists Donna Roberts, Paulo Bispo, Amma McKen, and Dr. Cheryl Sterling; and then a Roundtable Discussion: NextGen: Legacy, and Living in Orisha, moderated by Dowoti Desir and panelists Marinieves Alba, Ayanda Clarke, Danny Rodriguez, and Funlayo E. Wood.]

After a long Saturday at Trade/itions there was one sentence that Dr. Robert Farris Thompson said that seemed to burn into my brain... when discussing his book, Aesthetic of the Cool, he said something to the effect of, "No matter how cool you are, there will be a time when you have to activate," use your fire. That gave me a lot to think about and it seemed to fit in with the overall energy and intention of the symposium.

I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to bear witness to each of these amazing events, behold beautiful artwork, meet with interesting people and all the while, learn something new. Until next time!

(To see more photos, goto my Instagram @whippedhoney.)

Curator of Essentia, Nitza Tufiño introducing the featured artists at Taller Boricua.

Opening reception of Essentia at Taller Boricua.

Painting by Maria Dominguez at Essentia exhibit. 

Sculpture by Ada Pilar Cruz at the Essentia exhibit.

Trade/itions symposium - Dialectical Dialogues and Kongo Konversations: Honoring the 35th Anniversary of Flash of the Spirit with Dr. Robert Farris Thompson.

Trade/itions symposium.

Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, founder of CCCADI at Trade/itions symposium.

Trade/itions symposium.

Trade/itions symposium - Panel: Orisha as Activist: Recharging Our Purpose, Utilizing Our Power, moderated by Elizabeth Yeampierre and panelists Karla N. Moore, Alex LaSalle, Lumumba Bandele and Dr. Sheriden Booker.

Trade/itions symposium - In Honor of Our Orishas with Baba Neil Clarke with Iyesá Drum ensemble,  featuring Akpon, Amma McKen.

I'm a CAUWW Ambassador!

As anyone following this blog knows, last summer, I took part in a program called Community Arts University Without Walls (CAUWW) with the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) at the Interamerican University in Puerto Rico. 

Well, CCCADI is gearing up for this year's 2016 summer program - and I am honored that they have chosen me as one of their Ambassadors! I will be at the first CAUWW 2016 Open House information session talking about my experience.

Anyone who's interested in studying aboard in Puerto Rico for two weeks and earning a certificate centered in arts and cultural advocacy should come to the open house: Wednesday, January 20th in New York City. 

For more information visit CCCADI's website - and to RSVP for the Open House, goto the Eventbrite page for free registration. 

Study Abroad with CCCADI's Certificate Program of Cultural Arts and Social Justice!

COMMUNITY ARTS UNIVERSITY WITHOUT WALLS (CAUWW)

Certificate Program of Cultural Arts and Social Justice

Summer 2016 Session Dates: June 12th to June 25th

Join us for the FIRST FREE OPEN HOUSE of CAUWW 2016!

Take this opportunity to learn about CAUWW and meet some of our graduates who will be sharing more information about how this program has impacted their careers and lives as cultural advocates.

RSVP is suggested.

WHEN: Wednesday, January 20th, 2016

TIME: 6PM to 8PM

WHERE: Inter American University's Centro De Reclutamiento De Estudiantes y Exalumnos 2196 3rd Ave New York, NY 10035 (Btw E.120th & E.119th Street)

Photo by Imani Nunez

(To see photos from my CAUWW experience in Puerto Rico, check out my Instagram @whippedhoney #CAUWW2015.)

Community Arts and Cultural Equity in Queens

Group shot at QCA after Cultural Equity discussion.

Being an artist and a resident of Queens, NY for the last eight years or so, I was lucky to come across the Queens Council on the Arts. A few years back, they moved their headquarters to a nice bright space in Astoria. QCA offers lots of great things for artists and arts professionals; such as grant-writing workshops, art labs and other resources and events (I've attended a few of them, like grant-writing and fiscal sponsorship workshops). Recently I received an invitation to attend a panel discussion posing the question, “How Can We Change the Future of Arts and Communities Through Cultural Equity?” This seemed like it would be right up my alley, so I registered for the event on Tuesday, September 29^th. 

The panel was lead by Janice Bond, Cultural Curator and Arts Advocate in Chicago and Jason Tseng, Community Specialist for Fractured Atlas in NYC. I was impressed with how they dove straight in to some hard-to-discuss topics like white privilege, colonial mindsets and language equality – and I thought they did a great job of unpacking it all along with the audience (many of whom participated in the “fish bowl” inclusive discussion). After identifying some of these complicated systems and hurdles that people (in this case, artists) come up against, the room seemed really ripe for more. We wanted to dig deeper and some people were piping up to ask for specific solutions, but our two hours were almost up. So the moderator, Zahida Pirani jumped in and posed an important proposition. She said that she has been thinking about forming an artist leadership network specifically for Queens; and she asked if anyone in the room would be interested in joining the steering committee. I raised my hand, along with a handful of other people in the room and she quickly jotted down our names.

In the end, I don't think it would have even been possible to answer such a big question in one sitting (“How Can We Change the Future of Arts and Communities Through Cultural Equity?"). But I do think that we came away with something huge; a step towards building a network and towards developing more culturally equitable opportunities for artists in Queens and beyond. Since the discussion, a group of us have been communicating and will soon be having or first Queens Artist Steering Committee meeting. I am looking forward to it!

Making paintings and the Soulful Arts Collective

Soulful Arts Collective group exhibit at the Living Gallery, Bushwick, Brooklyn

When I applied for the Community Arts University Without Walls (CAUWW) summer program in Puerto Rico, I decided that I would launch a crowd-funding campaign (out of financial necessity) through GoFundMe. Not being too comfortable with asking people for money, I figured that I should offer “gifts” to donors in certain categories in return for their contributions. Being that I’m a painter, I planned that after I returned from Puerto Rico, I would create a series of paintings based on my experience – and I could offer these as my donor “gifts.” Once I got back home to New York, I had to sit down and start wrapping my head around what that all meant. In addition to having a profound learning experience with CAUWW, I am also of Puerto Rican descent (my dad was born and raised on the island) and so there was a lot for me to consider about the subject matter of the painting series. I wasn’t sure where to start. To get the artistic juices flowing, I simply started painting.

In the process of my starting a new series of paintings, I was offered the opportunity to exhibit my work in a group show, the Soulful Arts Collective. The show was being organized by a woman called Maninha from my capoeira group (Ile de Palmares) and all of the artists involved would be capoeiristas. (For those not familiar, capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art, which I have been practicing for about nine years so far.) I thought exhibiting at Soulful Arts Collective was a great opportunity since I had not shown my paintings in quite some time, and it would challenge me to keep my practice up. I made two capoeira-related paintings especially for the event and chose which others I would include.  

I am a self-taught artist and while I have been painting since I was about eight years old, I have never been a full-time “working artist.” I have had a day-job for all of my adult life - and while I would not consider painting to be “just a hobby,” I must admit that sometimes it falls by the wayside, as life gets in the way. I do not (and have never had) a real painting studio; I paint from home, in very close quarters. I think this is a relevant point to bring up, for a few reasons. First, as it relates to my actual artwork: the confines within which I can create (physical space, scale, time and execution). And also with regards to how it relates to me as an artist of a particular social class; the fact that I am self-taught (some would classify me as an Outsider Artist) and the fact that I have to work a day-job to support myself and cannot function as a full-time artist (which also comes with particular prejudices in the institutional art world).  I also feel that this is related to what we learned about through CAUWW with regards to concepts of Cultural Equity and Social Justice through the arts – and placing me, as an artist, within those frameworks. 

So back to the Soulful Arts Collective... On Friday, September 4^th, the event took place at the Living Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn. There were seven of us exhibiting our work and being that we were all connected to one another through capoeira, it felt like a family affair. (There was Jean Tree, Martell Oliver, Amber Ink, Brandon Valery, Abyot Thuo, Kirsten Haslett and myself.) I liked the fact that the organizer did not ask to select our works; she let us each bring what we wanted. As an artist I really appreciated this totally non-hierarchical approach to the show’s curation – the Living Gallery also seems to have that type of mission. I had not seen my fellow artists work beforehand and I was really impressed with what they displayed. The event was well-attended, DJ Lua Chea played good music, there was free beer and wine offered and everyone was in high spirits. At one point there was a live art performance piece featuring two of our capoeira teachers, Omi and Caiman, creating a painting by way of their movements (hands and feet dipped in paint, moving across a canvas). They blew everyone away!

As a painter, I work in private and the idea of taking pieces out of my house to show in public can be somewhat nerve-racking. But being involved in this exhibit was a totally positive experience for me. It was great to be included alongside other talented artists and to have the opportunity to show (and sell) and discuss my work and ideas with other people. As for my Puerto Rican painting collection, preparing for the Soulful Arts Collective definitely got my practice going. I already have a few new pieces complete. I will be making more in the coming months (some of which I will send to my GoFundMe donors) and will hopefully be exhibiting them somewhere soon.