Zoellner Arts Center Traveling While Black Community Conversations Passport

Zoellner Arts Center presents

A Lehigh Valley PASSPORT to TRAVELING WHILE BLACK Community Conversations

A Note from Our Executive Director

Honestly, I struggled with what to say to the Lehigh Valley community about this project. Traveling While Black is personal to me. When I hear recent stories, like the one about the young girl in Caldwell, New Jersey who had the police called on her while she was out trying to help her community, I am saddened. When I read of the lacrosse team from Delaware State University who had their bus searched with drug sniffing dogs, I am worried.

Every time we seem to move forward, there are more stories that show how far we need still need to go. I believe the arts are what keep us moving forward. The arts have been used as a powerful tool for marginalized voices to share their stories. The arts shine a light in places we want to keep hidden.

This virtual reality installation and series of community conversations are a wonderful example of arts in action. I believe the arts can be used as a tool to bring our diverse communities together to converse, to explore, to question, to examine, to imagine, and to empathize with each other.

Join

Mark Fitzgerald Wilson

Traveling While Black

January 27 - April 2

Traveling While Black is a cinematic virtual reality experience that immerses viewers in the long history of restriction of movement for Black Americans and the creation of safe spaces in our communities.

This film by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams and Emmy Award-winning Felix & Paul Studios transports viewers to historic Ben’s Chili Bowl restaurant in Washington, D.C. Viewers share an intimate series of moments with several of Ben’s patrons as they reflect on their experiences of restricted movement and race relations in the United States.

Confronting the way we understand and talk about race in America, Traveling While Black highlights the urgent need to not only remember the past but to learn from it, and to facilitate a dialogue about the challenges minority travelers still face today.

Please visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org for updates and addresses.

Opening Reception

Friday, January 27 - 6:30pm

Zoellner Arts Center

Join us for our opening reception and kick-off discussion for the Traveling While Black installation. This discussion will feature Paul Raphaël* (Felix & Paul Studios), Senior Pastor Phillip Davis (Greater Shiloh Church), Dr. Donald A. Outing, Ph.D. (Lehigh University VP for Equity and Community), Bonnie Nelson Schwartz (Executive Producer of Traveling While Black), moderated by Jaciel Cordoba (anchor at WFMZ-TV).

*joining via Zoom.

Traveling While Black & Queer

Thursday, February 9 - 7:00pm

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center

A conversation about the intersection between race, sexual orientation and gender identity, with Anthony Smith Jr. (visual and mixed-media artist), Kenny Screven (Valley Youth House), Dr. Ashleigh Strange (PA Stands Up), Kevelis MatthewsAlvarado (cofounder of the Institute on Critical Race and Ethnic Studies), Deirdre

Van Walters (President of Basement Poetry), moderated by Ashley L. Coleman (Executive Director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center).

Traveling While Black Through the Education System

Wednesday, February 15 - 7:00pm

Lehigh University Fairchild-Martindale Library

CIRCLE, 4th Floor South

A conversation about the intersection between race and higher education, with Lehigh University students Risa Nkululeko, Justin Burrell, Margaret Robinette, moderated by Roman Mitchell; opening remarks provided by Annie Balles.

Traveling While Black Through the Arts

Wednesday, February 22 - 7:00pm

Muhlenberg College

A conversation about the intersection between race and the arts, with Calvin Alexander Ramsey (author and playwright), Anthony Smith Jr. (visual and mixed-media artist), Deirdre Van Walters (President of Basement Poetry), Michael Freeman (abstract artist), moderated by Camille Armstrong a.k.a.

CAMILLE WHO (performing and teaching artist).

Traveling While Black: National & Local Perspectives

Wednesday, March 1 - 7:00pm

Greater Shiloh Church, Easton, PA

A conversation about the intersection between the local and nationwide experiences of Black Americans, with Tafeni L. EnglishRelf (Director of Southern Poverty Law Center, Alabama), Esther M. Lee (President, Bethlehem NAACP), Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards (Resurrected Life Church), moderated by Holona Ochs (Lehigh University Associate Professor of Politcal Science); opening remarks provided by Senior Pastor Phillip Davis (Greater Shiloh Church).

Traveling While Black: Up the Corporate Ladder

Wednesday, March 8 - 7:00pm

Northampton Community College

Fowler Family Southside Center, Room 605

A conversation about the intersection between race and corporate America, with Monica Brooks (PPL), Natasha Ljuiljic (Air Products), Derrick Brown (Metz), William D. Brown (CEO & Co-Founder, Chief Diversity Officer of FIA NYC Employment), Veronica Hunter (Delta Upsilon), moderated by Kevin Greene (COO of Faces International).

Traveling While Black: Co-Pilots & Co-Conspirators

Wednesday, March 29 - 7:00pm

Resurrected Life Church, Allentown, PA

A conversation about the intersection between standing by and standing up, with Lee Butz (Chairman of the Board of Alvin H. Butz, Inc.), Marci Ronald-Lesko (United Way), Michael J. Seiden, Megan Briggs (Lehigh Valley Community Foundation), and Annie Balles (Lehigh student).

Closing Reception

Friday, March 31 - 5:30pm

Zoellner Arts Center, Diamond Theater

Join us for our closing reception and final discussion surrounding the Traveling While Black installation. This discussion will feature those involved in the Traveling While Black film including Virginia Ali, Courtland Cox, and Sandra Butler-Truesdale, moderated byJaciel Cordoba (anchor at WFMZ-TV).

TRAVELING WHILE BLACK Lehigh Valley Program Locations

Resurrected Life Church

Allentown

Muhlenberg College

Allentown

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center

Allentown

Northampton Community College

Fowler Family Southside Center

Bethlehem

Greater Shiloh Church Easton

Fairchild-Martindale Library

Bethlehem

Zoellner Arts Center

Bethlehem

We value your feedback. Please scan the QR code below to complete a brief, anonymous survey about this program. Thank you!

ENID M. AND MICHAEL J. SEIDEN '63 '64

This program is made possible with generous support from