CAAM Museum Notes - January-March 2015

Thursday, February 12, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | CLOSING RECEPTION & ARTISTS’ WALKTHROUGH Join us at CAAM to meet and congratulate artists Michael Kilgore and Anthony “Eve” Kemp for the success of their participation in the Curvature: Lines & Shapes exhibition. They will provide an informal walk-through with exhibition curator Vida L. Brown. Light refreshments to follow. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Friday, February 13, 2015, 9am – 2pm | SYMPOSIUM YOUNG VOICES AT CAAM: HIGH SCHOOL SYMPOSIUM “VOTE FOR YOUR LIFE!” One hundred high school students will spend the day at CAAM connecting, touring CAAM’s exhibitions, engaging in activities and discussing how our liberties and civil rights are inextricably tied to the power of the vote. Teachers wishing to participate, contact Education Curator, Elise Woodson: ewoodson@caamuseum.org .

MNotes_Jan-March_2015_final15.indd 1

Sunday, March 15, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | DISCUSSION A Conversation with Ed Lewis: The Man from ESSENCE Ed Lewis, one of four founders of ESSENCE magazine, will discuss why they wanted to give Black women a “voice”, and laud the various facets of their beauty, intelligence and passions. He will share the journey and provide his perspective on the modern “beauty culture” as it relates to Black women. The program will be moderated by Kathleen McGhee Anderson, writer of television, stage and film. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Sunday, March 22 2015, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm | COMEDY SET THE FUNNY OF LOVE AND ROMANCE Four hilarious and critically-acclaimed comedians will riff on love and romance: Yvonne Orji, Dahéli Hall, Ayana Hampton, and Kimrie Davis. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm | DOCUMENTARY SCREENING Eyes on the Prize: Bridge to Freedom (1995, 60 min) Creator/director: Henry Hampton. March 25, 1965 marked the conclusion of the three-day, 54 mile march Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and thousands of others took, beginning at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They marched from Selma to Montgomery in protest of the unjust voting practices in Alabama and throughout the South. We commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March by screening this documentary. RSVP at 213.744.2024.

Sunday, March 29, 2015 2:00pm | DISCUSSION INTERSECTIONS: A CONVERSATION WITH FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT ANN M. SIMMONS Ann M. Simmons is a video journalist for the Los Angeles Times, and has served as a metro reporter as well as a national and foreign correspondent. Ms. Simmons shares her experiences as one of the few Black, female, international news correspondents. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Todd Hawkins

CAAM State Board President Donations to CAAM may be made online at www.caamuseum.org or mail contributions to Friends, the Foundation of the California African American Museum 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, CA 90037 The California African American Museum is a State-supported agency, Jerry Brown, Governor. CAAM partners with and is further supported by Friends, the Foundation of the California African American Museum. CAAM is located in Exposition Park at 600 State Drive in Los Angeles. CAAM is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm, and Sundays 11am - 5pm. Admission is FREE. Parking at 39th and Figueroa Streets is $10 per vehicle. Tel 213.744.7432. Fax 213.744.2050. Email: info@caamuseum.org. Facebook/twitter@caaminla.

Website: www.caamuseum.org. Museum Notes is published quarterly by the California African American Museum. Interim Executive Editor, Denise L. McIver. Design, Susan Dworski | The Blue One. Except as otherwise noted, photographs provided to CAAM by Ian Foxx and Woodburn T. Schofield, Jr.

CAAM and its Foundation would like to thank those who answered the call and helped us to exceed our fundraising goals.

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 11am – 4pm | TARGET SUNDAYS AT CAAM We launch Black History Month with a full day of programming which will feature live performances, spoken word, and art workshops for all who wish to explore their creative side. Free to the public and all ages are welcome.

Saturday, March 14, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | CARTOON DRAWING WORKSHOP Join us in this hands-on workshop facilitated by artist/cartoonist David Brown. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Lookin’ Back in Front of Me: Selected Works of Mark Steven Greenfield, 1974-2014. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Special Thanks

Saturday, February 7, 2015, 2pm - 4pm | PANEL DISCUSSION ALBINISM IN TANZANIA In conjunction with our exhibition Visibly Invisible, CAAM presents a panel discussion exploring the genetics of albinism, the visual disabilities and the skin conditions associated with it, and socio-political factors impacting persons living with the condition in Tanzania. Guest speakers will be Dr. Murray Brilliant, Dr. Msia Kibona Clark and Dr. Rebecca Kammer.

RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Friday, March 13. 2015, 9am – 2pm | SYMPOSIUM YOUNG VOICES AT CAAM: HIGH SCHOOL SYMPOSIUM 100 high school students will visit CAAM, view the documentary Mirror Mirror on the Wall: “The Beauty Culture” and excerpts from the short film, Rapunzel Jackson, and participate in a discussion with Apryl Michelle Brown exploring beauty, media propaganda, and how it impacts youth. Teachers wishing to participate, contact Education Curator Elise Woodson: ewoodson@caamuseum.org.

Zna Portlock Houston Rev. Cecil L. Murray Joseph C. Phillips Paul F. Roye Vera B. Stewart Dr. Francille Rusan Wilson

Thursday, February 5, 2015, 7pm | FILMS AT CAAM – DOCUMENTARY SCREENING NESHOBA: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM (2008, 86 min.) In 1964, a mob of Klansmen murdered three civil rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi, who were attempting to register Black voters. Forty years after their murders, citizens of Neshoba joined together to have Edgar Ray Killen, a notorious racist, convicted for their deaths. A moving tale of violence, racism, and American heroes. A discussion with filmmaker, Micki Dickoff, follows. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Sunday, March 8, 2015, 2:30pm – 4pm | DISCUSSION Rejuvenation: Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Violence Charles Murray, writer and director of the film Things Never Said, will join representatives from Peace Over Violence to discuss domestic violence and strategies for successful intervention. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

David A. Ford Eric Lawrence Frazier Kimberly Freeman Todd Hawkins Asa Heath Raphael Henderson

Sunday, February 1, 2015, 1pm – 3 pm | ART WORKSHOP Artist Michelle Robinson, whose art is represented in the CAAM exhibition From Women’s Hands, will engage families in a creative workshop that explores line, color, and other design elements to embellish a three-dimensional object. Space is limited. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Sunday, March 8, 2015, 12:30pm – 2:20pm | FILMS AT CAAM CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY month Things Never Said (2014, 111 min.) An aspiring poet in an abusive marriage reignites dreams deferred, gains confidence, and a new love. This film is suited for an adult audience 18 years and older. Writer and director Charles Murray will be present for a discussion following the screening. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Susan Cole Hill, President Renee C. Bizer, Vice President Dr. Monet L. Daniels, Secretary Ellis Gordon Jr., Treasurer Keith A. Drake Shawn Farrar

Saturday, January 31, 2015, 1pm - 3pm | ART WORKSHOP Artist Raksha Parekh, whose art is represented in the CAAM exhibition From Women’s Hands, will guide participants through the process of drawing and painting with sugar on cotton fabric. Space is limited. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Sunday, March 8, 2015, 11am – 4pm | TARGET SUNDAYS AT CAAM March is traditionally known as Women’s History Month and on this Target Sundays at CAAM we’ll celebrate the enduring achievements of African American women to our collective history and culture.

January - March 2015

Friends, the Foundation of the California African American Museum Board

Thursday, January 29, 2015, 7pm – 9pm | RECEPTION & DOCUMENTARY SCREENING THROUGH THE LENS DARKLY: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People (2014, 90 min) CAAM, in association with PBS SoCal, is co-hosting a screening of this critically-acclaimed documentary in advance of its national broadcast on PBS. The film examines the role photography played in shaping a self-affirming Black consciousness.

The New York Times praised the film as “…a meditation on imagery and identity.” Filmmakers Don Perry and Thomas Allen Harris will be present for a after-screening Q&A. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM

Todd Hawkins, President Zna Portlock Houston, Vice President Kimberly Freeman Eric Lawrence Frazier Rev. Cecil L. Murray Joseph C. Phillips Dr. Francille Rusan Wilson

Saturday, January 24, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | PRESENTATION & WORKSHOP In conjunction with our exhibition Lookin’ Back in Front of Me: Selected Works of Mark Steven Greenfield, 1974-2014, trained genealogist Dr. Edna Briggs of the California African American Genealogical Society will facilitate a hands-on workshop using available resources to unearth your family’s roots. All ages are welcome! RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Sunday, February 22, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | PANEL DISCUSSION SHOULDER TO SHOULDER Assistant Professor Boris Ricks, PhD, of California State University, Northridge, leads a discussion about the coalition formed by clergy, faith-based organizations, civic associations, and others who supported the Civil Rights Movement, and in the process contributed to the successful passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

A

s we move forward with confidence and with a renewed sense of purpose into 2015, I would like to express our collective gratitude to our visitors, donors (both corporate and individuals), volunteers, and our other community members who have supported us either by visiting our institution, participating in one of our many programs and workshops or by making a donation.

It is this kind of community support which consistently informs our work and our mission, and continually inspires us.

I wish to extend a special appreciation to Woodburn T. Schofield, Jr., who has served faithfully as CAAM’s Deputy Director of Operations and Special Programs. Woody has decided to pursue a new opportunity. We wish him well in his future endeavors and want to express our gratitude, publicly, for all he has done for CAAM during his 10-year tenure. Woody, on behalf of the State Board, thank you! You will be sorely missed.

To kickstart 2015, we are planning to hold a community-wide ‘Town Hall’ gathering on Saturday, February 21st at 10:00 am in CAAM’s Courtyard. We believe that everyone has a valid voice and wants to contribute thoughts and ideas on future exhibitions, programming, and other events. We fully believe that cultural memory institutions like CAAM have an obligation to seek the input from our community. As we’ve said before CAAM is your museum.

Since this is the beginning of a new year, it would be appropriate to provide you with an update on our national search for an Executive Director. The search has begun in earnest, and we expect to appoint the new Executive Director sometime during the spring of 2015. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about the position, please visit our website (www.caamuseum.org/employment) for more information.

In October 2014, CAAM was thrilled to host a visit by Lonnie G. Bunch, III, who served as CAAM’s Curator of History and Program Manager from 1983-1989. Lonnie is now the Founding Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Bunch is long known as a champion and advocate for the preservation and sharing of our vast history with others.

In doing so, he believes this is one way to build bridges of understanding. During his recent visit to Los Angeles, a luncheon was held in his honor at the City Club, and he used this opportunity to share how the NMAAHC came to acquire both Harriet Tubman’s personal hymnal and her lace shawl (a gift from England’s Queen Victoria), both donated by Charles L. Blockson, a writer, historian and a former board member of the Philadelphia Historical Society.

This story reminds me how important it is to collect our history, and so we invite you to think about the hidden items and collectibles that may have historical and cultural significance which may be squirreled away in a shoebox in the back of your bedroom closet or sitting in a ‘Banker’s Box’ on a shelf in your basement. It’s quite possible that you might have an item or artifact that could prove to be important and might be suitable for one of our collections. If you do find an item you feel may be worthy of donating to CAAM, please contact our Registrar at 213.744.2023. Thank you!

As president of CAAM’s State Board of Directors, I wish you health and prosperity (in all its forms) throughout the New Year!

Museum Notes

CAAM State Board of Directors

Monday, January 19, 2015, 11am – 4pm | TARGET SUNDAYS AT CAAM CAAM’S ANNUAL ‘CAKE FOR KING’ COMMUNITY CELEBRATION See CAAM in the annual Kingdom Day Parade starting in Exhibition Park, then stay and celebrate the kick off of 10 Years of Target Sundays at CAAM. Enjoy screenings of films, art workshops and live performances. Free! All ages are welcome.

Saturday, February 21, 2015, 10am | COMMUNITY TOWN HALL EVENT As the museum moves into its 36th year, CAAM extends an invitation to community-members to share their thoughts regarding CAAM’s future. This special gathering is open to all and reservations are not required.

state board president, todd hawkins

Friends, the Foundation of the California African American Museum 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, CA 90037 T 213.744.7432 . F 213.744.2050 www.caamuseum.org Open Tues.–Sat. 10 am–5 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm. Admission is FREE Parking $10 at 39th & Figueroa Streets. Metro: Expo Line to Exposition Park stop adjacent to USC & the Rose Garden.

Saturday, January 10, 2015, 2pm – 3pm | FILM SCREENING In conjunction with the CAAM exhibition Visibly Invisible, we invite you to join us for a screening of the film BLACK AND WHITE: Crimes of Color (2010, 58 min). Film courtesy of Under the Same Sun. Please note: this film contains adult content and is recommended for those 18 years and older. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

Sunday, February 15, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | PERFORMANCE & PRESENTATION WE CARE! Author Peter J. Harris, students from Gompers Middle School, and others will perform and present sociallyand politically-conscious poetry and spoken word. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

A message from CAAM’s

NON PROFIT ORG US Postage Paid Permit No. 1619 Los Angeles, CA

programs

Saturday, February 14, 2015, 2pm – 4pm | FILM SCREENING & CONVERSATION In conjunction with the exhibition Lookin’ Back in Front of Me: Selected Works of Mark Steven Greenfield, 1974 – 2014, we’ll screen segments of the documentary The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy, followed by a conversation led

by Christopher Jimenez y West, PhD, Assistant Professor of History at Pasadena City College, with artists Mark Steven Greenfield, Jason White, and Aaron White. RSVP preferred: 213.744.2024.

1/15/15 9:44 AM

exhibitions LIGHT CATCHERS

March 20 , 2015 - June 7, 2015

Muhammad Ali sitting on $1 Million, 1963.

Howard Bingham

Light Catchers was originally curated by photographer Irene Fertik and writer Patricia Housen in 1997, and was funded by a grant from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. This exhibition features the work of seven African American photographers active in Los Angeles since the 1940s: Howard Bingham, Don Cropper, Jack Davis, Bob Douglas, Cliff Hall, LeMonte McLemore, and Murphy Ruffins. Irene Fertik complemented the show with a portrait of each of the photographers, and Patricia Housen included excerpts from oral history interviews. The photographs present celebrity musicians, actors, politicians, and civil leaders and activists in a variety of settings in Los Angeles. The African American photographers represented in Light Catchers had to use their cameras, their wits and their entrepreneurial talents to survive in an atmosphere that offered little encouragement for minorities. This exhibit is a celebration of their ultimate success.

selected works of MARK STEVEN GREENFIELD, 1974-2014 September 25, 2014 –July 5, 2015

Castillo, Bre Gipson, Kristine Mays, Raksha Parekh, Michelle Robinson

Widely known in the California art community for his tenures as Director of the Watts Towers Arts Center and of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Mark Steven Greenfield has tirelessly supported the work of local visual artists for several decades. Over the same period he also established a reputation for his own artistic practice, both as a graphic designer and a fine artist. Lookin’ Back in Front of Me displays a body of work that Greenfield himself has described as unapologetically didactic as it is based on his research on literature, cinema, history, and the visual arts. The artist’s interests range Love Against the Grain, 1981, Mark Steven Greenfield.

Acrylic on canvas. From the collection of Bunny Hull from early investigations of the Science of Creative Intelligence (his Cosmic Consciousness series) ––a meditative practice that stirred large abstract interpretations of the astrophysical--to figurative work inspired by Sun Ra and Parliament Funkadelic (his Afrofuturistic works). Greenfield has also delved into the artistic renaissance of LA’s Crenshaw community (his Crenshaw’s Consciousness series), gang culture, genealogy (his Iconography pieces), and more recently, African American stereotypes (his Blackatcha, Doo Dahz, and Animalicious), and the re-contextualization of American appropriations of African spiritual practices (Eguns).

We feature the art of five women of color who address female presence and agency. These artists have filled our Courtyard with large installations that, though widely varying in materials and style, have in common metaphorical references to the female body and experience. Castillo and Kristine Mays focus on traditional sources of female power: hair and clothing, respectively. Castillo incorporates actual human hair into imposing wall-hung mounds as a tribute to her ancestors, while Mays creates airy, metal-knitted garments that express female strength despite their apparent fragility. Other works subtly convey womanhood: Michelle Robinson paints geometrical figures and feathery lines on the wall and on a large wooden structure that evokes the female body, and Bre Gipson’s mantra-like, gestural paintings incorporate undulating organic shapes reminiscent of natural forms. Raksha Parekh’s stitched canvases encode symbols of slavery and forced labor into deceivingly appealing fields of warm colors and delicate tone gradations. These works are crafted from sugar, a sweet substance associated with domesticity that Parekh turns bitter through a burning process.

VISIBLY INVISIBLE

July 24, 2014 – March 15, 2015 This exhibition presents the expressive figurative illustrations of two emerging artists, Michael Kilgore and Anthony “Eve” Kemp. Their artistic styles include the influences of Fauvism, Expressionism and Cubism.

These varied artworks of bold and simplistic lines to colorful and detailed patterns and shapes celebrate and highlight elements of history, physical features and family connections, often associated with African Americans or in the lives of the artists.

Cover: Fire in My Belly, 2014 (detail), Michelle Robinson Installation with mural painting and wooden structure painted with acrylic and gold leaf. Courtesy of the artist

MNotes_Jan-March_2015_final15.indd 2

AFRICAN AMERICAN MILITARY PORTRAITS FROM THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR:

Selected Images from the Library of Congress Collection

November 7, 2014 - May 3, 2015

Superstition, 2014, Yrneh Gabon Brown. Collage on paper.

Courtesy of the artist

This exhibition reflects Yrneh Gabon Brown’s personal journey and awakening while researching and documenting the devastating effects of prejudice, ignorance and/or violence inflicted upon people affected with albinism in Tanzania, Jamaica and, to a lesser degree, the United States of America. Through videos recorded in these locations and artwork created in various media (photography, collage, assemblage, sheet metal, cast bronze and ceramic sculpture), the artist shares the inspiration from his trips and the heartfelt devotion he has developed towards children and adults living with the condition of albinism. In his first solo exhibition at a major Los Angeles museum Jamaican-born artist, Yrneh Gabon Brown, has produced powerful work intended to effectuate change through artistic exploration.

caam in the community

Los Angeles Public Library/Central Library Branch, West 5th Street

Layers of Expectation, 2009, Cristine Mays. Metal wire. Courtesy of the artist

This exhibition, originally mounted at CAMM in 2013, is our first collaboration with the Los Angeles Public Library’s Central Public Library on West 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles. It is a celebration of the contributions made by the mostly unknown African American soldiers and sailors during the course of the American Civil War. These photographs are visual reminders of the pride, determination, and sense of purpose that filled these men. At enormous personal sacrifice, they sought a rightful place in the fabric of this nation for an entire people. Reproduced in large format from the original hand-sized photographs, these images were curated from a number of collections including the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs and the Gladstone Collection of African American Photographs, both of which are housed at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

CAAM lined up a talented group of performers as part of our December Target Sundays at CAAM event, this time held in conjunction with CicLAvia in Expo Park. From left: D’Lai, Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter, Lydia Rene, Choklate Moore, Tish Hyman, EVRYWHR.

Seated Union Cavalry Sergeant, 1863-1865, Enoch Long. Hand-colored tintype

THE LEGACY OF THE GOLDEN STATE MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY: mORE THAN A BUSINESS

The 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: A Photographic Remembrance from the Spider Martin Civil Rights Collection

Renowned architect Paul R. Williams designed the corporate headquarters of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company. GSM’s leaders also commissioned artists Charles Alston and Hale Woodruff was commissioned to create two extraordinary murals depicting the history of Blacks in California. Over the years they amassed one of the largest corporate collections of African American art in the United States. This exhibition has

January 13, 2015 - August 9, 2015 After the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, segregation became illegal; but many tactics still existed to intimidate and suppress the Black vote throughout the South. By early 1965, Selma, Alabama became the next battleground in the struggle for equality. CAAM presents a mini photography exhibit recounting the three historic marches led by Dr. King, from Selma to Montgomery. These marches, beginning with “Bloody Sunday” on March 7, 1965, were instrumental in the final defeat of Jim Crow practices at the ballot box, making voter suppression illegal. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voters Right Act into law on August 6, 1965, with Dr. King looking on. The exhibition also includes the personal journey of Elise Woodson, CAAM’s Program Manager of Education who traveled throughout the South last April, when she visited historic places, met iconic figures of the modern Civil Rights Movement, and marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Cowrie shell mask, n.d., Beulah Woodard. Courtesy CA State Insurance Commissioner

For our December TARGET SUNDAYS AT CAAM event, we teamed up with our colleagues at Expo Center, CicLAvia, and ASCAP – the performing rights organization – with funding provided to CAAM by the Department of Cultural Affairs, to create an entertainment “hub” for the public who participated in CicLAvia. By anyone’s standards, it was a tremendous success and we thank our partners who helped us create a memorable event.

4TH ANNUAL GIFT OF LEARNING IN EXPOSITION PARK

Closing March 29, 2015

Alabama State Capitol: March from Selma to Montgomery, 1965. Spider Martin Civil Rights Collection

TARGET SUNDAYS AT CAAM

January 20, 2015 - April 4, 2015

August 29, 2014 – March 1, 2015

cURVATURE: LINES & SHAPES

Gigi, 2011, Anthony “Eve” Kemp. Oil on wood.

Courtesy of the artist

CAAM Courtyard Series: FROM WOMEN’S HANDS

LOOKIN’ BACK in FRONT of ME:

been made possible due in part to the support we initially received from The Getty Foundation and Bank of America for Places of Validation, Art & Progression as part of The Getty’s initiative Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA: 1945-1980. Loaned items for this exhibition came from the UCLA Library Special Collections; the California State Insurance Commissioner; Alden Kimbrough, William Pajaud, and others who graciously shared histories, art, and artifacts to make this tribute possible.

On December 13th, more than 1,300 school-age children from all over LA County came to visit the four venues in Exposition Park for the annual Gift of Learning event. The brainchild of passionate children’s activist Wini Jackson and with support from ABC-7’s “Spark of Love” campaign and other touring the Expo Park museums and Coliseum, all the children generous corporate entities, these After attending the event received Christmas gifts courtesy of the LA young visitors saw the Endeavour City and County Fire Departments. at the California Science Center, dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, learned about the history of the LA Memorial Coliseum and saw the stadium, and visited CAAM’s galleries. At the end of the day and with palpable excitement, each child selected a gift provided by the “Spark of Love” campaign distributed by firefighters from the Fire Departments of LA City and LA County. CAAM thanks its Deputy Director, Woodburn T. Schofield, Jr., for assembling such a committed team of volunteers and activists who produced yet another seamless event.

CAAM hosts Wikipedia-Edit-A-Thon On Sunday, December 14th, CAAM’s Research Library hosted a Wikipedia-Edit-A-Thon as part of the GLAM-WIKI “movement” (Galleries-Libraries-Archives-Museums) with its partners LA AS SUBJECT and UNFORGETTING LA. The goal was to encourage community members to enhance Wikipedia by creating or editing Wiki entries on African American artists practicing in Los Angeles. In the spirit of contemporary crowd-sourcing, attendees received one-on-one instruction given by Stacey Allen, an expert ‘Wikipedian’ and editor of the online arts magazine East of Borneo. Wikipedia has become known as a respected and reliable reference resource, and CAAM was pleased to play a role in updating its content.

Dorsey HIgh students in Monologue competition

CAAM Thanks

ASCAP Rhythm and Soul; Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf; CicLAvia; City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; Councilman Curren Price Jr.; County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors; EXPO Center; GDM Corporation; Hon. Mark Ridley Thomas; IMLS Museum Grants for African American History and Culture; Joe Ray, Broad Foundation; Southern California Edison International; Target Corporation; The Capital Group; The Gas Company; The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; USC Good Neighbors Grant; Wells Fargo.

One last note: This fall CAAM partnered with Dorsey HS and prepared students to participate in the National August Wilson Monologue Competition auditions at the Center Theatre Group.

Actress Juanita Jennings served as acting coach. Aliza Williams and Ashley Perry emerged as winners in this first round and will represent Dorsey and CAAM at the Regional Finals to be held in March 2015 at the Mark Taper Theatre downtown. Congratulations to all!

1/15/15 9:44 AM